At four in the afternoon, a ship was seen from the mast head, bearing about N. E., standing for us under all sail, which she continued to do until sun-down, at which time she was too far off to distinguish signals, and the ships in shore only to be seen from the tops; they were standing off to the southward and eastward. As we could not ascertain before dark what the ship in the offing was, I determined to stand for her, and get near enough to make the night signal.

At ten in the evening, being within six or eight miles of the strange sail, the private signal was made, and kept up nearly one hour, but finding she could not answer it I concluded she and the ships in shore were enemy.

I immediately hauled off to the southward and eastward, and made all sail, having determined to lie off till day-light to see what they were. The ship that we had been chasing hauled off after us, showing a light and occasionally making signals, supposed to be for the ships in shore.

18th, at day-light, or a little before it was quite light, saw two sail under our lee, which proved to be frigates of the enemy's. One frigate astern within about five or six miles, and a line of battle ship, a frigate, a brig, and schooner, about ten or twelve miles directly astern, all in chase of us, with a fine breeze, and coming up fast, it being nearly calm where we were. Soon after sun-rise the wind entirely left us and the ship would not steer, but fell round off with her head towards the two ships under our lee. The boats were instantly hoisted out and sent ahead to tow the ship's head round, and to endeavour to get her farther from the enemy, being then within five miles of three heavy frigates. The boats of the enemy were got out and sent ahead to tow, by which, with the light air that remained with them, they came up very fast. Finding the enemy gaining on us, and but little chance of escaping from them, I ordered two of the guns on the gundeck to be run out at the cabin windows for stern guns on the gun-deck, and hoisted one of the 24 pounders off the gundeck, and run that, with the forecastle gun, an 18 pounder, out at the ports on the quarter-deck, and cleared the ship for action, being determined they should not get her without resistance on our part, notwithstanding their force and the situation we were placed in.

At about seven in the morning, the ship nearest us approaching within gun shot, and directly astern, I ordered one of the stern guns fired to see if we could reach her to endeavour to disable her masts; found the shot fell a little short, would not fire any more.

At eight, four of the enemy's ships nearly within gun-shot, some of them having six or eight boats ahead towing, with all their oars and sweeps out to row them up with us, which they were fast doing. It now appeared that we must be taken, and that our escape was impossible-four heavy ships nearly within gun-shot, and coming up fast, and not the least hope of a breeze to give us a chance of getting off by outsailing them.

In this situation, finding ourselves in only twenty-four fathoms water, by the suggestion of that valuable officer lieutenant Morris, I determined to try and warp the ship ahead, by carrying out anchors and warping her up to them; three or four hundred fathoms of rope was instantly got up, and two anchors got ready and sent ahead, by which means we began to gain ahead of the enemy: they however soon saw our boats carrying out the anchors, and adopted the same plan, under very advantageous circumstances, as all the boats from the ships furthermost off were sent to tow and warp up those nearest to us, by which means they again came up, so that at nine the ship nearest us began to fire her bow guns, which we instantly returned by our stern guns in the cabin and on the quarter-deck. All the shot from the enemy fell short; but we have reason to believe that some of ours went on board her, as we could not see them strike the water. Soon after nine a second frigate passed under our lee and opened her broadside, but finding her shot fall short, discontinued her fire; but continued, as did all the rest of them, to make every possible exertion to get up with us. From nine to twelve all hands were employed in warping the ship ahead, and in starting some of the water in the main hold to lighten her, which with the help of a light air we rather gained of the enemy, or at least held our own. About two in the afternoon, all the boats from the line of battle-ship and some of the frigates were sent to the frigate nearest to us, to endeavour to tow her up, but a light breeze sprung up, which enabled us to hold way with her, notwithstanding they had eight or ten boats ahead, and all her sails furled to tow her to windward. The wind continued light until eleven at night, and the boats were kept ahead towing and warping to keep out of the reach of the enemy, three of the frigates being very near us; at eleven we got a light breeze from the southward, the boats came alongside and were hoisted up, the ship having too much way to keep them ahead, the enemy still in chase, and very near.

19th, at day-light passed within gun-shot of one of the frigates, but she did not fire on us, perhaps for fear of becalming her, as the wind was light; soon after passing us she tacked and stood after us-at this time six sail were in sight, under all sail after us. At nine in the morning saw a strange sail on our weather beam, supposed to be an American merchant ship; the instant the frigate nearest us saw her she hoisted American colours, as did all the squadron in hopes to decoy her down; I immediately hoisted English colours, that she might not be deceived; she soon hauled her wind, and it is to be hoped made her escape. All this day the wind increased gradually, and we gained on the enemy, in the course of the day, six or eight miles; they however continued chasing us all night under a press of sail.

20th, at day-light in the morning, only three of them could be seen from the mast head, the nearest of which was about twelve miles off, directly astern. All hands were set at work wetting the sails, from the royals down, with the engine and fire-buckets, and we soon found that we left the enemy very fast. At a quarter past eight the enemy finding that they were fast dropping astern, gave over chase, and hauled their wind to the northward, probably for the station off New-York. At half past eight saw a sail ahead, gave chase after her under all sail. At nine saw another strange sail under our leebow, we soon spoke the first sail discovered, and found her to be an American brig from St. Domingo, bound to Portland: I directed the captain how to steer to avoid the enemy, and made sail for the vessel to leeward; on coming up with her, she proved to be an American brig from St. Bartholomews, bound to Philadelphia; but on being informed of war he bore up for Charleston, S. C.. Finding the ship so far to the southward and eastward, and the enemy's squadron stationed off New-York, which would make it impossible for the ship to get in there, I determined to make for Boston, to receive your further orders, and I hope my having done so. will meet your approbation. My wish to explain to you as clearly as possible why your orders have not been executed, and the length of time the enemy were in chase of us, with various other circumstances, have caused me to make this communication much longer than I could have wished, yet I cannot, in justice to the brave officers and crew under my command, close it without expressing to you the confidence I have in them, and assuring you that their conduct whilst under the guns of the enemy was such as might have been expected from American officers and seamen. I have the ho

nour to be, with very great respect, sir, your obedient hum

ble servant,

(Signed)

To the Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

ISAAC HULL.

Sir,

CAPTAIN HULL'S SECOND CRUIZE.

United States' Frigate Constitution, off Boston Light, August 28, 1812. I have the honour to inform you, that after leaving Boston Light on the 2d instant, the date of my last letter to you, I stood to the eastward along the coast, in hopes to fall in with one of the enemy' frigates, which was reported to be cruising in that direction, the day before I left Boston. I passed near the coast, as far down as the Bay of Fundy, but saw nothing. I then run off Halifax and Cape Sables, and remained near there for three or four days without see. ing any thing, which made me determine to change my situation to the eastward towards Newfoundland. I accordingly bore up, and run to the eastward under all sail, passing near the Isle of Sables, and hauling in to take a station off the Gulph of St. Lawrence, near Cape Race, to intercept the ships of the enemy bound either to or from Quebec or Halifax, or to be in a situation to re-capture such of our vessels as they might be sending in.

On the 10th instant, being off Cape Race, I fell in with a light merchant brig, bound to Halifax from Newfoundland; and as she was not worth sending in, I took the crew on board and set her on fire. On the 11th I fell in with the British brig Adeona, from Nova-Scotia, bound to England, loaded with timber. I took the crew out of her and set her on fire, and made sail to take a station nearer Cape Race, where we continued cruising until the morning of the 15th, at day-light; when five sail were in sight ahead of us, apparently a small convoy. I gave chase under a press of sail, and soon found that we gained on them very fast, and discovered that one of them was a ship of war; at sun-rise they tacked and stood on the same tack with us. By this time we could plainly discover that the ship of war had a brig in tow. At 6, coming up very fast with the ship, and could see that she had cast off the brig that she had in tow, and had set her on fire, and had ordered a second brig to stand

before the wind to separate them. The ship of war making sail to windward, I gave chase to a ship which appeared to be under her convoy; but when we came up with her, she proved to be a British ship, prize to the Dolphin privateer, of Salem. She had been spoken by the ship of war, but we came up with them before they had time to put men on board and take charge of her. Whilst our boats were boarding this vessel, the ship of war had got nearly hull down from us; and understanding from one of the prisoners that she was a very fast sailer, I found it would not be possible to come up with her before night, or perhaps not then; I therefore gave chase to the brig that run before the wind, determined to destroy all his convoy; we soon found we came fast up with the brig, and that they were making every exertion to get off by throwing overboard all the lumber, water casks, &c.

At 2, P. M., we brought to the chase, and found her to be the American brig Adeline, from Liverpool, loaded with dry goods, &c. took the prize-master and crew out, and put midshipman Madison and crew on board, with orders to get in the nearest port she could make. From the prize-master of this vessel I learnt that the brig burnt by the sloop of war belonged to New-York, and was loaded with hemp, duck, &c. last from Jutland, having gone in there in distress.

Having chased so far to the eastward as to make it impossible to come up with the sloop of war, I determined to change my cruising ground, as I found by some of the prisoners that came from this vessel, that the squadron that chased us off New-York were on the western end of the Grand Bank, not far distant from me. I accordingly stood to the southward, intending to pass near Bermuda, and cruise off our southern coast. Saw nothing till the night of the 18th; at half past 9, P. M., discovered a sail very near us, it being dark; made sail and gave chase, and could see that she was a brig. At 11 brought her to, and sent a boat on board, found her to be the American privateer Decatur, belonging to Salem, with a crew of 108 men, and 14 guns, 12 of which she had thrown overboard whilst we were in chase of her. The captain came on board, and informed me that he saw the day before a ship of war standing to the southward, and that she could not be far from us; at 12, P. M., made sail to the southward, intending, if possible, to fall in with her. The privateer stood in for Cape Race, intending to cruise there, and take ships by boarding, as he had lost all his guns but two. The above is a memorandum of what took place