descried a sail, to which he immediately gave chase. At half past 3, she was ascertained to be a frigate. At the distance of three miles from the Constitution, she backed her maintop-sail, and waited for her to come down. Both ships manœuvred for the advantage of position, for some time. They closed broadside to broadside, five minutes before 6 o'clock, P. M. The Constitution had reserved her fire until she approached within pistol-shot of her antagonist; and then opened with a tremendous blaze, from all her guns, double-shotted with round and grape. In fifteen minutes after the fire of the Constitution began, the mizen-mast of her antagonist went over; and in fifteen minutes more, the foremast and main-mast followed, carrying with them every spar except the bowsprit. The Constitution had received no essential injury; and her opponent, perceiving her fate hopeless, surrendered. The prize proved to be his Britannic majesty's frigate Guerriere, captain Dacres. She was so completely cut up by the fire of the Constitution, that a few more broadsides would inevitably have carried her to the bottom.

Thus the Guerriere, a frigate well-known for her late gasconading on the American coast, during the year 1811, bearing challenges on her sails, to the frigates of the United States, while they were in amity with Great Britain, after an action of thirty minutes, struck to the Constitution, in a condition so worthless, that, on removing her crew, captain Hull committed her wreck to the flames.

The Guerriere was captured from the French, in 1806, by captain Lavie of his Britannic majesty's navy, and was considered a frigate of the first class. She carried fifty guns when taken from the French, and had forty-nine on board when she struck to the Constitution.

The loss of the Constitution, in the action, was seven killed and seven wounded. Of the former was lieutenant William S. Bush, of the marines, and, of the latter, Charles Morris, first lieutenant of the ship, and sailing-master Aylwin. The loss of the Guerriere was, in killed and missing, forty; wounded, sixty-two. Total 102.

A few days before this action, the Guerriere boarded an American merchant brig; and captain Dacres wrote the following challenge on her register:

"Captain Dacres, commander of his Britannic majesty's frigate Guerriere, of forty-four guns, presents his compliments to commodore Rodgers, of the United States frigate President, and will be very happy to meet him, or any other American frigate of equal force to the President, off Sandy Hook, for the purpose of having a few minutes tete a tete."

The Constitution is of similar force with the President: but, after a few minutes tete a tete with her, the Guerriere was struck from the list of the royal navy. Captain Hull received many expressions of gratitude and esteem from his fellow citizens on his return to the United States. Several state legislatures voted him thanks, with costly swords, in compliment to his gallantry in the action. The corporation of New York presented him with the freedom of the city in a gold box. The citizens of Charleston and Philadelphia gave him two elegant pieces of plate. Congress passed resolutions expressive of their high sense of the gallantry of the officers and crew of the Constitution; voted medals and swords to the captain and his subalterns; and appropriated $50,000 to be distributed among them and the crew, in lieu of prize money. Lieutenant Morris, for his conduct in this action, as well as in the late escape of the Constitution, in July, was promoted to the rank of post-captain; and sailing master Aylwin commissioned a lieutenant in the navy of the United States.

The triumph of the Constitution might surprise the vain prejudices of Great Britain, accustomed, with such facility, to vanquish her rivals on the ocean: but to many in the United States, whose local situations had given them some knowledge of their naval officers, and who had enjoyed the opportunity of observing the valour and energy of their seamen, it was not a matter of surprise. Such a result was confidently expected. The constant and rigid discipline, inculcated on board the United States' ships of war, renders the sailors almost adequate to the navigation and command of a vessel. They

are generally healthful, intelligent, courageous; and above all, they are freemen, actuated by a noble love of their country, and inspired by the invincible spirit of republicanism.

In the interior of the United States, far from the ocean, the people had little opportunity to form correct opinions of the character of American seamen; and as little to estimate the utility of a naval establishment, competent to the defence of the commerce of the nation, and the cities and harbours of the seaboard: but the victory of the Constitution at once rendered the navy a theme of eulogium, even in the states where three-fourths of the people never saw a sail spread. The emulation of every naval officer, and every seaman, from Portsmouth to New Orleans, was awakened. Every vessel, above the grade of a gun boat, was soon equipped for the ocean, and manned without delay. This spirit, as will be seen in the sequel, existed to the last moment of the war.

Early in August, 1812, the United States' frigate Essex, captain Porter, sailed on a cruise from the harbour of New York. On the 13th of that month, his Britannic majesty's sloop of war Alert, captain T. L. P. Laugharne, ran down on the weather quarter of the Essex, gave three cheers, and commenced action. After eight minutes firing, she struck her colours, with seven feet water in her hold, much cut to pieces, and having three men wounded. The Essex did not receive the slightest injury.

Captain Porter, after disarming the Alert, made her a cartel, put 500 prisoners on board, and, under the command of lieutenant J. P. Wilmer, despatched her to St. John's, in Newfoundland, with orders to receive, in exchange, all American prisoners there, and return to New York.

Though captain Porter claimed no honour for this victory, he bore a flattering testimony in behalf of the good conduct of his officers and seamen. The fire of the Essex, in the engagement, displayed that precision and efficacy of American gunnery, which was equally evident in every naval conflict during the war.

CHAPTER XLIII.

Naval Operations on the Lakes; The Enemy attempts the Capture of the Oneida; Lieutenant Elliot attacks and carries the Detroit and Caledonia; Capture of the Frolic and Macedonian ; Loss of the Nautilus and Vixen.

EARLY in the war, naval operations began on the great lakes, which separate the British provinces from the United States. The first of these was an abortive attempt, on the part of the enemy, to capture the United States' brig Oneida. She was defended by her commander, lieutenant Woolsey, with great spirit. Another was a gallant enterprise of lieutenant Jesse D. Elliot, of the United States' navy. He conceived the design of boarding the British brig Detroit, formerly the United States' brig Adams, taken by the enemy at the surrender of Detroit, and the brig Caledonia; both well-armed, and anchored under the protection of Fort Erie. On the 9th of October, about three hours before day-light, with one hundred select men, sailors and regulars, divided into two equal parties, he proceeded in two boats, to attack and cut out the enemy's vessels. He was accompanied by sailing master Watts, lieutenant Roach, and captain Towson, of the United States' artillery. In two hours after they put off from the mouth of Buffaloe creek, they were along side of the Detroit and Caledonia. In ten minutes after the assault began, the crews of the brigs were overcome, both vessels captured, and under way for the American side. By the current of the river, they were forced to run down near the enemy's shore, under a heavy fire from the batteries. They at length anchored in the stream some hundred yards from two heavy batteries on the enemy's side. Lieutenant Elliot hailed to the shore, and gave notice that, if the fire upon the vessels were continued, he would bring the prisoners on deck, and expose them to the same fate with his own men. His threat was disregarded; and a constant and de

structive fire kept up. Lieutenant Elliot, declining an act having any semblance of barbarity, and failing in a design of warping the Detroit to the American shore, on account of the great force of the current, cut his cable, and drifted on Squaw Island. Thence the prisoners were sent off in a boarding-boat. Scarcely had lieutenant Elliot left the Detroit for the shore, with the view of making arrangements to secure her, and the property on board, from the enemy, when she was boarded from the British side by forty soldiers: but they were soon compelled to abandon her, with the loss of most of their party, by the fire of an American detachment, sent to the island for the protection of the brig. The Detroit was afterwards burnt by the Americans. The Caledonia belonged to the North Western company, and was loaded with furs worth $200,000.

In this very gallant achievement, lieutenant Elliot lost only four men in killed and wounded. The Detroit mounted six long six-pounders, having for her guard a lieutenant of marines, with fifty-six men. She had thirty American prisoners on board, who were now released; and was loaded with muskets, pistols, cutlasses and battle-axes. The Caledonia was armed with two small guns, blunderbusses, pistols, muskets, cutlasses, and boarding-pikes. Her guard consisted of an officer and twelve men. She had ten American prisoners on board, who were likewise released. Lieutenant Elliot was deservedly promoted for his good conduct in this affair.

The United States' sloop of war Wasp returned to the United States from Europe, immediately after the declaration of war. She refitted, and sailed on a cruise, from the Delaware, on the 13th of October. On the 17th, she discovered a convoy of six large armed merchantmen, under the escort of a heavy sloop of war. At day-light, on the 18th, the Wasp gave chase to the convoy. At half after 11 o'clock, A. M. she engaged the sloop, having first received her fire at the distance of fifty or sixty yards. This space was gradually lessened, until the Wasp laid her on board, after a well-supported fire of forty-three minutes. Although the Wasp was so near, while loading the last broadside, that the rammers