ced firing, but her shot did not reach us; got the boats along side, run two of them up. At 10, started 2335 gallons of water and pumped it out-almost calm-manned the first cutter to tow ship;-six sail of the enemy's ships off the starboard beam and quarter; perceived that the nearest frigate had got all the boats from the other ships to tow her towards us. From 10, A. M. to meridian, employed warping and towing. All sail made by the wind, one of the ships coming up, apparently having all the boats from the other ships.

Saturday, July 18. Light airs from the southward and eastward, attended with calms. At 1-2 after meridian, sent the first cutter and green cutter ahead to tow ship. At 1-4 before 1,

P. M. a strange sail discovered two points abaft off the lee-beam, the four frigates one point off the starboardquarter. Line-of-battle ship, brig and schooner, off the lee-beam. At 7 minutes before 2, the chasing frigates commenced firing their bow chase guns, we returned them with our stern chasers. At 1-2 past 3, still chased by the above ships, one of them being nearly within gun-shot. At 7, observed the enemy's ships towing with their boats. Lowered down the first cutter, green cutter and gig, and sent them ahead to tow ship;-light airs, inclinable to calms. At 8, light airs from the southward and eastward. The first and fifth cutters and gig ahead towing ship. The enemy's ships in the same position as at 7. From 8 to 9, light airs and cloudy. The enemy's ships still in chase of us; boats ahead towing ship. At 7 minutes before 11, a breeze springing up from the southward; boats came along side, hoisted up the gig and green cutter, and set the fore-top-mast staysail and main-top-gallant studding sail. At midnight moderate breezes and cloudy, the enemy's ships still in chase. At 2, A. M. discovered one of the ships off the lee-beam. At 1-2 past 2, took in the studding sails, at day-light four frigates in sight, three off the lee-quarter

and one off-the lee-beam, from two to three miles distant. At 4, six sail in sight from off the deck, hauled down the foretop-mast staysail;-very light breezes. At 20 minutes past 4, tacked ship to the eastward. At

5, passed about gun-shot distance to windward of one of the frigates; hoisted in the first cutter;-ten sail in sight from the mast-head. At 9, saw a ship to windward supposed to be an American merchantman, standing towards us. The frigate astern hoisted American colours, as a decoy; we immediately hoisted English colours; got royal studding sails fitted. At 11, A. M. took in sky-sails. At meridian, moderate breezes and pleasant weather, rather leaving the frigates in chase; the headmost frigate to leeward, bearing nearly N. by W. four or five miles distant, the nearest frigate W. N. W. directly in our wake, distant about three and half miles. The line-of-battle ship, N. by W. 1-2 W. on the larboard tack, hull down. Two frigates off our lee-quarter, N. N. W. 1-2 W. and N. W. by N. about five miles distant, and a brig bearing about N. by W. Observed, latitude 38° 47 N. which, with the soundings got at 1-4 past 10, A. M. and allowing for the distance since run, gives our long. about 73° 53' W. from which we date our departure.

SIR,

CAPT. HULL'S OFFICIAL LETTER.

Constitution at sea, off Nantucket,
July, 20, 1812.

The Constitution is on her way to Boston for your orders, having been chased by a British squadron off New-York, and very near being taken. The chase continued three days and nights, by a line-of-battle ship, four frigates, a brig and a schooner.

I shall call off Boston and write from there, and continue cruising in the bay until I hear from you.

Respectfully,

Hon. PAUL HAMILTON,

Sec'y of Navy.

ISAAC HULL.

On Sunday, the 26th of July, the Constitution arrived in Boston harbour. On Tuesday the 28th, Capt. Hull came up to the town. On his landing and reaching State Street, he was received by his fellow-citizens with repeated huzzas.

[The following card was inserted, at the request of Capt Hull, in the Exchange Coffee-house Books.]

66

Capt. Hull, finding his friends in Boston are correctly informed of his situation when chased by the British squadron off New-York, and that they are good enough to give him more credit by escaping them than he ought to claim, takes this opportunity of requesting them to make a transfer of a great part of their good wishes to Lieutenant Morris, and the other brave officers, and the crew under his command, for their great exertions and prompt attention to orders while the enemy were in chase. Capt. Hull has great pleasure in saying, that notwithstanding the length of the chase, and the officers and crew being deprived of sleep, and allowed but little refreshments during the time, not a murmur was heard to escape them."

Interesting Particulars.

Capt. Hull, in the management of his ship during her chase by the squadron under Com. Broke, displayed the most skilful and accomplished seamanship.

At a time when the wind was very light, the sails of the Shannon were all furled, and the boats of the squadron were all put to tow her directly to windward to

ward the Constitution; at the same time Capt. Hull was kedging his ship forward faster than the enemy was able to advance by towing; he had gained a considerable distance, before the enemy, who were constantly observing him with their glasses, perceived the manner in which he was leaving. They then kedged in their turn, but not with the same rapidity, owing probably in some measure to the precaution observed by Capt. Hull, whenever his boats came home, instead of making them fast to the ship, of hoisting them up at the davids. This manœuvre of kedging a ship at sea, in 25 or 30 fathoms water, was an ingenious and novel experiment; it was first suggested, it is understood, by Lieut. [now Capt.] C. Morris.

When the squall struck the Constitution, by which she ultimately escaped, Capt. H. availed himself of another stratagem to gain time. He was to windwardthe squall was powerful, and pressed her huge side low in the water; he immediately let every thing go by the run, apparently in the utmost confusion, as if unable to shew a yard of canvas-his sails were hauled up by the brails and clewlines; the enemy, observing this, hastened to get every thing snug before the gust should reach them :-but, no sooner had they got their sails furled, than Capt. Hull had his courses and topsails set, and the Constitution darted forward with great rapidity. So coolly however did he proceed, that he would not suffer one of his boats to be cut adrift, but though pressed by a pursuing enemy, attended personally to hoisting in his launch and other boats, while the ship was going nine or ten knots through the water. This is a fact. which will appear astonishing to a sailor; and he seemed to be the only person in the ship who conceived it feasible :-the British squadron cut adrift all their boats and, after they abandoned the chase, spent two, or three whole days in cruising to pick them up.

CHAPTER IX.

Naval Adventures Continued.

CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE.

い

On the 2d, of Sept. the Constitution put to sea from Boston, and on the 19th, descried a sail, and gave chase immediately. Capt. Hull soon discovered the chase to be a British frigate of the largest class, which did not appear to decline the combat. Capt. Hull cleared ship, and bore down upon the enemy and his brave crew gave three cheers as they commenced the action.

U. S. frigate, Constitution, off Boston Light,
August 30, 1812.

SIR, I have the honour to inform you, that on the 19th inst. at 2 P. M. being in lat. 41 deg. 42 min. and lon. 55 deg. and 48 min. with the Constitution under my command, a sail was discovered from the mast-head bearing E. by S. or E. S. E. but at such a distance we could not tell what she was. All sail was instantly made in chase, and soon found we came up with her. At 3 P. M. could plainly see, that she was a ship on the starboard tack under easy sail, close on a wind; at half past 3 P. M. made her out to be a frigate; continued the chase until we were within about three miles, when I ordered the light sails to be taken in, the courses hauled up, and the ship cleared for action. At this time the chase had backed his maintop-sail, waiting for us to come down. As soon as the Constitution was ready for action, I bore down with intention to bring him to close action immediately: but on our coming within gunshot she gave us a broadside and filed away, and wore, giving us a broadside on the other tack, but without