reached the harbor on the 19th.

result of two cruises, the first of which by proper guidance might have decided in our favour the superiority on the lake and consequently in Canada."

We take leave of Commodore Chauncey for the present with these two striking instances of his having (according to American writers and official bulletins) chased the British commander all around the lake.

Demonstration against

George Prevost.

as (to

This is the of an excuse for Sir George, that, “the pres
tige which surrounded his military character
improved by the popularity he was acquiring
as a chief governor, had been sensibly influ-
enced by his failure at Sackett's Harbour, and
the present fruitless "demonstration
cover his second failure) he termed it, dis-
pelled what little confidence in him, as
commander of the forces, the army, and those
in the country the best able to judge of his
abilities as such, previously entertained." The
only excuse that even Christie's good nature
could find was, that "the whole force in the
neighbourhood of Fort George, at that period,
did not exceed two thousand men, on an ex-
tended line while that of the enemy in Fort
George exceeded four thousand."
of the whole affair is that, Sir George (for
reasons best known to himself, as he has not
chosen to make them public) determined to
make an attack on Fort George on the
24th August, and a movement was made for
an assault upon it. The British drove in the
pickets, several of which were taken, advanc-
ing to within a short distance of the enemy.

The demonstration against Fort George is very pithily described. Fort George by Sir by Veritas-"Nothing of moment happened in the eentre division, until joined by Sir George, for a few days, when a grand demonstration was displayed, by marching the enemy up the hill, and down again, which resulted in satisfying him that nothing could be done to dislodge the enemy." We might safely adopt this description, for an examination into the facts will afford very little else to record. Christie handles this subject very fairly, but he is obliged to admit, after attempting a sort

two vessels from the rest of the squadron, ex changed a few shot with this ship as he passed, without injury to us, and made sail after our two schooners. Tacked and stood after him. At 12 (midnight) finding that I must either separate from the rest of the squadron, or relinquish the hope of saving the two which had separated, I reluctantly gave up the pursuit, rejoined the squadron then to leeward, and formed the line on the starboard tack. The firing was continued between our two schooners and the enemy's fleet until about one A.M., when, I presume, they were obliged to surrender to a force so much their superior. Saw nothing more of the enemy that night; soon after daylight discovered them close in with the north shore, with one of our schoonI presume she may have been sunk. The enemy showed no disposition to come down upon us, although to windward, and blowing heavy from W. The schooners labouring very much, I ordered two of the dullest to run into Niagara and anchor. The gale increasing very much, and as I could not go into Niagara with this ship, I determined to run to Genesee Bay, as, a shelter for the small vessels, and with the expectation of being able to obtain provisions for the squadron, as we were all nearly out, the Medusa and Oneida not having a single day's on board when we arrived opposite Genesee Bay. I found there was every prospect of the gale's continuing, and if it did, I could run to this place and provision the whole squadron with more certainty, and nearly in the

ers in tow, the other not to be seen.

+Veritas alludes here to the events which occurred after Colonel Bishopp's death.

The sum

that I could obtain provisions at that place. same time that I could at Genesee, admitting After bringing the breeze as far as Oswego, the wind became light, inclining to a calm, which has prolonged our passage to this day. I shall provision the squadron for five weeks, and proceed up the lake this evening, and when I return again hope to be able to communicate more agreeable

news than this communication contains.

The loss of the Growler and Julia, in the manner in which they have been lost, is mortifying in the extreme; and although their commanders disobeyed my positive orders, I am willing to believe that it arose from an error of judgment and excess of zeal to do more than was required of them; thinking, probably, that the enemy intended to bring us to a general action, they thought, by gaining the wind of him they would him than they could by forming to leeward of our have it more in their power to injure and annoy line. From what I have been able to discover of the movements of the enemy, he has no intention advantage of wind and weather, and as his vesof engaging us, except he can get decidedly the sels in squadron sail better than our squadror, he can always avoid an action; unlesss I can gain the wind and have sufficient daylight to bring him to action before dark. His object is, evidently, to harass us by night attacks, by which schooners in detail. Fortune has evidently fameans he thinks to cut off our small dull sailing Vored him thus far. I hope that it will be my turn next, and, although inferior in point of force, I feel very confident of success.

I have the honor to be, Sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, ISAAC CHAUNCEY.

The Americans, however, not having any single-handed, for two large American fri

particular fancy for fighting where the odds were only two to one, declined leaving their entrenchments, and preferred keeping up a safe and quiet cannonade from the opposite bank of the river. Sir George, then, (not being General Brock) weighed the pros and cons for an assault, and, unfortunately, for his own credit, decided that to risk an attempt on this port, which was not of sufficient moment, from its dilapidated condition, to compensate the loss that an attack must entail, would be neither prudent nor profitable. He accordingly, as Veritas has it, marched down the hill again and returned to Kingston.

gates. Had Commodore Rogers commanded the British sloop, he would doubtless have brought to action and captured both. On the 8th, according to our authorities, "the Congress, whether by intention or accident, parted company."

A glorious opportunity was now presented to Commodore Rogers, and eagerly seized by him, of rivalling his brother commanders in "the chasing" (see Niles Register*) " and capturing of British frigates." The American commodore having the natural sagacity of his countrymen for turning an honest penny, and considering that honor and glory are but As a military commander, Sir George seems names after all, and, to be enjoyed, require to have lacked most sadly that very essential prize money, directed his attention to the quality, energy-his personal bravery, no one homeward bound West India fleet. The com(not even Veritas) has ever dared to impeach, modore was, however, too late, and (misforbut still it seems to have been of a negative tunes never coming singly), he missed not character, and it is very evident that phreno- only the goodly freighted West India-men, logists would not have discovered the organ but also the opportunity (for which he of of combativeness to be very largely developed. course thirsted) of taking at the same time, Christie bears very high testimony as to his the Cumberland seventy-four, Captain Thomas worth in his civil capacity. "To the moment Baker. It is much to be regretted, on Comof his departure from the province, his popu-modore Rogers' account, that this happened, larity with the people, as civil governor, re- as the Cumberland was a very fine vessel, mained unabated. We are well satisfied at and a fast sailer, and would have been a very being able to quote at least one favorable opinion of Sir George, as Veritas is always anjust, and we think that even James has adopted the fashion of condemning Sir George too readily.

Cruise of Commodore

desirable acquisition to the American fleet.
About the 13th June, the disappointed com-
modore resolved to seize the "Dragon in its
lair," and steered towards the North Sea,
looking out keenly for any vessels bound out-
wards from the St. George's Channel; no
As the
prize, however, fell in his way.
weather was now becoming warm, a cruise in
the northern latitudes could not fail to be
pleasant, especially as there was a convoy of
some five-and-twenty or thirty sail from Arch-
angel to be intercepted, which would unite
profit with pleasure. It is a curious circum-
stance that, in high latitudes, from the state
of the atmosphere, objects appear double
their real size. It was, no doubt, from this
circumstance that the American commodore

It is now necessary, in order to bring down naval events on the ocean, Rogers with Congress to the same date as we and President frigates have already reached with reference to the flotillas on the lake, to visit Boston, from which Commodore Rogers, in the President, sailed in company with the Congress frigate, on the 1st May, 1813. The day after leaving port, the first opportunity of displaying American prowess presented itself in the shape of the British brig sloop Curlew. This was, however, but a transient gleam of good fortune, as the British vessel, according suffered himself to be chased from his station to custom, ran away, and, "by knocking away the wedges of her masts, and using other means to improve her sailing,"* escaped. Captain Head considering, as we suppose, that a British sloop of war was not quite a match,

Naval Chronicle, page 112.

by, as he thought, "a line of battle ship and a frigate," but in reality by the thirty-two gun frigate Alexandria, Captain Robert Cathcart, and sixteen-gun sloop Spitfire, Captain John

"The brave Rogers is now employed in hunting down British frigates on the ocean."

Ellis.

We will take our account of this affair the President bore north, distant only six from the same source as the Naval Chronicle, miles. From this time the American frigate viz., the logs of the two British ships, pre- continued gaining upon the Spitfire until 1h. mising that the commodore had been in the 10 m. P. M., on the 21st; when, thick weather meantime joined by the Scourge. This is coming on, the latter lost sight both of her conproved by Commodore Rogers' letter to the sort and her chase. The discharge of four guns Naval board "at the time of meeting the ene- however, by the Alexandria, enabled the Spitmy's two ships, the privateer schooner fire to close. The two British ships again making Scourge, of New York, had joined company." sail, the sloop, at 2 h. 15 m. P. M., again got sight We now give the extracts from the logs:- of the President, in the west-south-west, and "On the 19th July, at 2h. 30m. P. M., lati- at 4 P. M. were once more within six miles of tude at noon 71° 52' north, longituds 20 her; which, says the commodore, "was quite 18' east, the Alexandria and Spitfire, standing as near as was desirable." The chase consouth-east by south, with a light wind from tinued during the remainder of the 21st, to the northward, discovered a frigate and a large the advantage of the American frigate, until schooner in the north-north east. The two 8 A. M., on the 22d, when the Spitfire, a fourth British ships immediately hauled up in chase, time, got within six miles of the President; and at 5h. 30m. P. M., tacked to the west north who again, by the most strenuous efforts, west, making the Russian as well as English began increasing her distance. private signals. At 6h. 15m., the President At 6 P. M., when nearly hull-down from the and her consort, who had hitherto been stand- little persevering sloop, and quite out of sight ing towards the two British ships, tacked from from the Alexandria, the President fired a them to the north-west, under all sail, followed gun, hoisted an American ensign at her peak, by the Alexandria and Spitfire. At 7h. 30m. and a commodore's broad pendant at her main, P. M., the Spitfire was within five miles of the and hauled upon a wind to the westward. President, who then bore from her north- Captain Ellis continued gallantly to stand on, north-west." If the log of the Spitfire be until, at 6 h. 40 m. P. M., Captain Cathcart, correct, and that vessel was actually within who was then eight miles in the east-northfour miles of the enemy, it would appear ex- east of his consort, considerately signalled the traordinary, but for the phenomenon we have Spitfire to close. As soon as the latter had already adverted to, how the commodore done so, sail was again made; and the chase could have been deceived, especially as we continued throughout that night, and until 10 find it stated in the British logs that the light-A.M. on the 23d; when the President had run ness of the night and the clearness of the completely out of sight of both "the line-ofatmosphere enabled them to keep sight of battle ship and the frigate," or, as an Ameritheir adversary. We will now take up the can historian says, of the "two line-of-battleaccount from the Naval Chronicle. ships," which had so long been pursuing her.

"On the 20th, at 4h. 30m. P. M., finding that the Spitfire, as well as the President, was Among the prisoners on board the Presigaining upon her, the Alexandria cut away dent at the time of the chase, were the master her bower anchor. At 4h. 40m., the Scourge and mate of the British snow Daphne, of parted company with the President, which Whitby. According to the journal of these was now nearly hull down from the leading men, published in the newspapers, they, as British ship. A schooner being unworthy well as many of the President's officers and game when a frigate was in sight, the Alex-men, were convinced that the chasing ships andria and Spitfire continued in pursuit of the President."

66

"Their attention," says the commodore, was so much engrossed by the President, that they permitted her (the Scourge) to escape without taking any notice of her.

At 6 P. M., when the Alexandria bore from the Spitfire full two miles south-south-east, i

were a small frigate and a sloop of war. They describe, in a ludicrous manner, the preparations on board the President, to resist the attack of this formidable squadron. During each of the three days a treble allowance of grog was served out to the crew, and an im

* Naval Monument, p. 230.

mense quantity of star, chain, and other kinds mayed at his narrow escape, Commodore Roof dismantling shot got upon deck, in readi-gers "determined," says James, "to quit a ness for action. It appears also that when the Eliza Swan whaler Love in sight a few days afterwards, she was supposed to be a large ship of war, and the ceremony with the grog and dismantling shot was repeated. After a very cautious approach on the part of the President, the chase was discovered to be a clump of a merchantman, and made prize of accordingly.

region where constant daylight afforded an enemy so many advantages over him," we therefore next find him more to the southward, in a position where there was a favourable opportunity for intercepting the trade bound for the Irish channel. Here he cruised until again frightened from his station by a report of a superior force seen in that region. Running up the Channel then, and rounding Ireland, he stood back to his own shores, and, having succeeded in learning the stations of the various British vessels, then cruising off the American coast, from a small schooner which he had captured, was enabled to run safely into Newport, Rhode Island.

66

American writers have blustered a good deal about the invincibility and gallant deeds of their navy, and have enlarged most particularly on the events of this very cruise; and yet, when all the circumstances of the affair are placed before the reader, what a contrast is presented in the conduct of the pursuers We have endeavored to give a fair and unand pursued. Commodore Rogers admitted prejudiced account of Commodore Rogers' that he was within five miles of his enemy, cruise, and we now propose to give a few and yet he dared to pretend that he mistook extracts from our old friend, the Washington a vessel of four hundred and twenty-two tons organ. The first statement runs thus:-"The for a large frigate, and (still more barefaced) former," (the President,) was reported to a small frigate of six hundred and sixty tons have taken the British vessel Theseus, with for, what? A LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIP!! Brave as specie." (The Theseus is rated a seventy-four Commodore Rogers might have been, it is in Steele's list.) The Thetis frigate mounts well for him that he did not belong to the thirty-eight guns and must be the vessel British service. Discretion is the better part alluded to. Two things are note worthy in of valour, and is a most necessary quality for this paragraph, first, the insinuation respecting a commander to possess, but, in the present the Theseus, secondly, the assertion, never instance, prudence in the commodore appears contradicted in regard to the Thetis. There to have been somewhat akin to puisillanimity, is very little doubt but that the impression and with our severely dealing public, similar conveyed to the citizens of the United States conduct would have been rewarded, not with was that their pet hero Rogers had in all a public dinner, but a court-martial, the sen- probability captured a seventy-four-certainly tence of which would have been disgrace, a frigate. Could impudence go further than if not death. It may be considered a most this? The next paragraph is still more fortunate event for the two British command- amusing-"It is announced officially that ers (Cathcart and Ellis) that the Alexandria, Commodore Rogers captured his B. M. brig from her bad sailing, prevented an encounter, Cruizer of eighteen guns off the Shetland as the two vessels were no match for the Islands, the Oberon was in company but American frigate, even after making every escaped. It was calculated that Rogers had allowance for the difference of the command- done infinite damage to the Greenland trade. ers, and the engagement must have ended in For a considerable time he has given full the capture or destruction of the British ves- employment to twenty or thirty of the enemy's sels. Had this taken place, what an oppor- vessels of war, and if they do catch him, he tunity would have been afforded for magnilo- will cost them more than he will come to." A quent effusions.-AN AMERICAN FRIGATE CAP postscript to this "bit of truth" goes on to TURING A LINE-OF BATTLE SHIP AND A FRIGATE. inform us that "he had arrived at Newport, Such would assuredly have been the most after cruizing all round and round the British modest version of the affair, if we may judge islands, though they have a thousand vessels by the capital that was made out of Commo- of war. It is said that he brought into port dore Rogers' running away. Not a little dis- a sloop of war, and one of H. M. schooners

The Congress after parting company cruised about for a considerable time and then returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she was blockaded by the Tenedos, Captain Parker, who used every means in his power to provoke a meeting. The fate of the Chesapeake was not yet, however, forgotten, and the government, mindful of the short career of one thirty-six gun frigate, prudently disarmed and laid up the Congress shortly afterwards.

The Dominica and Decatur.

with twenty-nine merchantmen." Comment sloop of war, which had been committing some on these statements is unnecessary, and so depredations in the St. George's Channel. truly absurd are they that, lest we should be About day-break of the 14th, the Argus was suspected of following the example set to us discovered separating from a ship which she of misrepresenting, we must inform our had just set on fire, and standing towards readers, that our extracts are to be found in several other merchantmen. The Pelican was the fifth volume of Nile's Register. to windward and bore down under a press of sail, the captain of the Argus appearing, by his manoeuvres, to invite an engagement. Captain Allen, the commander of the Argus, had been first lieutenant of the United States when she captured the Macedonian, and had repeatedly expressed his ability to whip any British sloop with an American of equal force, in ten minutes. Let us now examine James' statement of the comparative force of these "anxious candidates for the laurel crown." According to James, "the Pelican mounted The next event of importance was the the usual establishment of her class, sixteen capture, August 5th, of thirty-two pounder carronades, two long sixes, the Dominica schooner and a twelve pounder boat carronade. But by the Franco-American unfortunately, Captain Maples, when recently privateer schooner Decatur, commanded by at Jamaica, had received on board two brass the celebrated Captain Dominique Dixon.* sixes." Having no broadside ports for them, The most discreditable part of this affair and unwilling to lower them into the hold as appears, at first sight, to be the capture by a ballast, he knocked out two stern ports and privateer, but when it comes to be investigated, mounted them there, "much to the annoyance," it will be found that Lieutenant Barreté (the says James, "of the man at the helm, and commander) by his gallant conduct reflected without contributing in the slightest degree to honor rather than disgrace upon the British the brig's actual force. The established complearms. The Dominica mounted twelve guns ment of vessels of the Pelican's class was one and had on board fifty-seven men and nine hundred and twenty men and boys, of this boys. The Decatur had the same number number she lacked the second lieutenant and of guns, with one hundred and twenty men, six men. The Argus mounted eighteen twentyand Captain Dixon, knowing the force opposed four pound carronades with two long twelves, to him, relied for success upon the arm in her crew mustering one hundred and twentywhich he was almost doubly superior, and five strong. The original force had amounted carried his opponent by boarding. The obsti- to one hundred and fifty-seven, but thirty-two nate resistance offered by the Dominica will had been dispatched in prizes. be best shown by the list of casualities. Out of her total complement of sixty-six men and boys, the captain, purser, two midshipmen, and thirteen men were killed or mortally wounded, and over forty severely or slightly wounded. The loss of the Decatur was

At 6, A.M., the Argus opened her fire, and, after a sharp action of some forty-five minutes duration, was boarded and carried by the British sloop. The Pelican had one man killed and five wounded; the Argus six killed and eighteen wounded. Amongst the list of the mortally wounded were Captain Allen and two midshipmen. James gives the comparative force thus: