It only remains to notice the most conspicuous events in the career of the sons of the builder of the present Stratford House, who achieved a national fame. Richard Henry, we know, was an active patriot in Virginia, during the political controversy that preceded the breaking out of the War for Independence. He worked harmoniously with Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and others, in that colony, not only at that time but afterwards in the promotion of liberty in America. As a delegate to the First Continental Congress, he was one of the most efficient workers in that body, serving on all the most important committees, and writing one of the ablest State papers which that Congress published to the world, and which commanded the admiration and commendation of Pitt and other European statesmen. He intro duced the resolution for Independence, as we have seen, and signed the famous Declaration that followed. He served in the Congress much of the time during the war, and was chosen their President in 1784. He was one of the first Senators from Virginia in the national Congress, although he was opposed to the National Constitution, because it lessened the power and independence of the individual State governments. Lee died in 1794, aged sixty-two years.

Mr.

Francis Lightfoot Lee was a member of the Virginia Legislature before the war, and served as a delegate of that Colony and State in the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1779, serving on many important committees, and winning immortal honor as a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Lee was active in framing the old Articles of Confederation. He served in the councils of his State, and his gaiety, wit, and good humor, made him a general favorite. He was his father's fourth son, and died in 1797, at the age of sixty-three years.

William Lee, the fifth son, was sent to London as agent for the Virginia colony, where he became a successful merchant. He was a zealous Whig,

and acted in political concert with John Wilks An alderman of London when the war between England and the colonies broke out, he resign: and went to France where he did all in his power for the cause of his countrymen in the struggle for Independence. He imparted important intelligence to the Continental Congress, through his brother Richard Henry, and in 1777 that body appointed him commercial agent at Nantes. Then he was made United States Minister at the Hague, and was the agent of our government 1: Vienna and Berlin. Mr. Lee was recalled early in 1779, and died in 1795, at the age of fifty-eight years.

Arthur Lee assumed the character of a diplo matist, during a portion of the Revolution, but s services, on account of defects of his character, were injurious to the American cause. Mr. Lee was educated at Eton and the University of Ediaburgh, and took the degree of M.D. at the latter place. He was the youngest of the six brothers born in old Stratford House. After making a tour through portions of Europe, he came hore and began the practice of medicine at Williamsburg. That profession he abandoned and we! to England to study that of law, where he engaged in a literary controversy with the celebrated, "J nius," under the name of "Junius Americanus." Some of his political articles gained him the acquaintance of Burke, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Price, and other men then eminent. After his admission to the bar in 1770, he was appointed the agent of Massachusetts, in the event of the death of Dr. Franklin, then serving in that office. Dr. Lee coöperated with Franklin in labors for the pro motion of the interests of the colonies, and in 1775 he was appointed the London correspondent of the Continental Congress. That body placed him on the commission sent to France late in 1776, and in the spring of 1777 he was male sole commissioner to Spain. Then he was the agent of the Congress in Berlin. Discord arose between Lee and the other commissioners `n France, and he became the bitter enemy of D Franklin. His conduct was reprehensible, and fil ing to receive any further diplomatic appointmerks from the Congress, he returned to America in 1780Dr. Lee afterward served his State and the Confederation as a representative of Virginia, and was a member of the Treasury Board from 1785 to 1789, when he retired to a farm and withdrew

in as it does above the water line, her masts received less angular support from the shrouds than is now obtained in our more modern naval architecture. The cause mentioned, together with the sharpness of the vessel, a very heavy frame and battery, and too much ballast (which latter was however reduced), rendered the vessel wet and uncomfortable in a sea way.

1811, special service to Europe carrying out Hon. Joel Barlow, Minister to the court of France. Mr. Barlow was a man of considerable literary ability, being the author of the "Columbiad," and other popular poetic effusions.

1812 War with Great Britain -July 5th sailed from Annapolis to Boston in command of Captain Isaac Hull. Passed the Capes on the 12th, and between the 17th and 20th, was chased by the British squadron consisting of the Africa 64, Shannon 38, Guerriere 38, Belvidera 36, and Æolus 32, under command of Commodore Broke, but by good management and sailing combined, she broke away from the enemy and finally escaped with the loss of only a few thousand gallons of

water.

On the 2d day of August she started again from Boston, and while in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the 11th and 12th of the month she captured and burned the brigs Lady Warren (9 men), and Adeona (12 men), the one in ballast and the other loaded with timber, and bound respectively to Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia. On the 15th, off Cape Race, captured the brig Dolphin (3 men), loaded with hemp. On the 16th brig Adeline (6 men), loaded with timber, a prize recaptured. Ordered her to Boston in charge of Midshipman Madison and five men.

The vessel next stood to the southward, and on the 19th at 2 P.M. in lat. 41° 41′, long. 55° 48', a sail was seen to leeward, though the distance was too great to discover her character. The Constitution immediately made sail in chase, and by 3.30 the stranger was distinctly made out to be a frigate and an enemy. By this time the stranger had laid his maintopsail aback in waiting for the Constitution to come down, with every preparation made to engage. The American consequently cleared for action and beat to quarters. At 5 the chase hoisted English ensigns and opened fire at long range. The Constitution firing a few guns only, it being her object not to commence the action in earnest until quite close. At a little

after 6 the bows of the American frigate began to double on the quarter of the English ship, when she opened with her forward guns drawing slowly ahead, both vessels keeping up a heavy fire as their guns bore. Ten minutes after, the ships being fairly side by side, the mizzenmast of the Englishman was shot away and as the American passed slowly ahead, kept pouring a tremendous fire into the enemy, and luffed short round on her bows to prevent being raked. In executing this manœuvre she fell foul of her antagonist, and her cabin took fire from the explosion of the forward guns of the enemy; this accident was soon repaired and a gun of the enemy's that threatened further injury was disabled. As soon as the vessels touched both parties prepared to board, each side suffering terribly by the closeness of the musketry, and in the face of such a fire it was found impossible for either party to board, the sails were filled and just as the Constitution shot ahead the foremast of the enemy fell, carrying with it his mainmast and leaving him a helpless wreck rolling in the trough of a heavy sea. Lieutenant Geo. C. Read was sent on board the prize, when she was found to be the Guerriere 38, Captain Dacres, one of the ships that had so lately chased the Constitution off New York. On the 21st the prize found to be in a sinking condition. Her officers and crew were taken off, and the wreck set on fire; in fifteen minutes after, her magazine exploded, and all that was left of that once noble craft were a few floating embers on the face of the deep. Captain Hull finding his ship filled with wounded prisoners, returned to Boston, arriving there on the 30th of the same month.

Hull having been relieved by Commodore Wil liam Bainbridge, the vessel sailed on the 28th of October, and on the 9th of the following month, while in latitude 32° N., captured the brig South Carolina, having a British license, she was sent to Philadelphia in charge of Midshipman Cox. 05 the 13th of December arrived off St. Salvador, and stood to the southward, keeping the land aboard. On the morning of the 29th, when in latitude 13° 6' S., and longitude 31° W., two strange sail were made in-shore and to windward. One of these vessels continued to stand in, while the other, which was the larger of the two, altered her course in the direction of the Constitution, which had tacked to close with her. The day was a pleasant one with a light E. N. E. wind.

At 12 M., Commodore Bainbridge, being satisfied that the strange sail was an enemy's frigate, hoisted the American colors, and shortly after the stranger set the English ensign. About 1.30 P. M., the Englishman, being to windward more than a mile distant, hauled down his ensign, though he kept a jack flying, and the Commodore ordered a shot fired ahead of him to induce him to show his colors anew. This order brought on a general fire, and the battle commenced at 2 P. M., on both sides, with a furious cannonade. The combat lasting nearly two hours, and resulting in the capture of the English frigate Java, 49 guns, bound for Bombay, the latter vessel having been literally picked to pieces by shot. Her loss in men, according to the British published accounts, was 22 killed and 102 wounded. Commodore Bainbridge's statement fixed the number at 60 killed and 101 wounded. On the Constitution 9 were killed and 25 wounded, among the latter were Commodore Bainbridge and Mr. Alwyn, the junior lieutenant; the last named died of his injuries a short time after the action. It is

related in Cooper's account of this famous engagement, "that on the Constitution were two Marblehead seamen, brothers, of the name of Cheever, one of whom was killed and the other mortally wounded. And that, on the Java, two midshipmen, twin brothers, were killed."

Rather than run the risk of recapture, on nearing the coast, it was deemed expedient to destroy the Java, and, after lying by her two or three days, with a view to remove the wounded with proper care, she was blown up, and the Constitution made the best of her way to St. Salvador, where she landed her prisoners on parole, sailing thence for America on the 6th of January, 1813, arriving back in Boston on the 27th of February, after a cruise of four months.

Under the command of Captain Charles Stewart she sailed from Boston on the 30th day of December, 1813, and on the 14th of February following, when off the coast of Guiana, captured the ship Lovely Ann, 10 guns and 16 men, loaded with fish, flour and lumber, bound from Bermuda to Surinam; sent her to Barbadoes with prisoners in

charge of Midshipman P. M. Whipple; on the next day (the 15th), captured and destroyed H. B. M. schooner Pictou, 14 guns and 60 men, under command of Lieutenant E. Stevens, R. N., this vessel was convoying the Lovely Ann; on the 18th captured and sunk the schooner Phoenix, loaded with lumber and bound from Demarara to Barbadoes; on the 19th captured the brig Catharine, with passengers and merchandise, bound from Grenada to St. Thomas. The Catharine shared the fate of the Phoenix, resting her bones in the bed of, the ocean.

On the 23d spoke a Swedish schooner, and removed on board of her all the passengers that had been taken out of the various prizes captured during the cruise. On the 24th, off Porto Rico, offered battle to the Pique frigate, Captain A. Maitland; she hoisted English colors, fired a gun to windward, and then made sail from the Constitution. From this date until the 3d of April nothing occurred to break the dull monotony of daily routine; but on the day mentioned the ship was compelled to show a "clean pair of heels," for close in her wake were the formidable frigates Junon and Tenedos, and this brace of fire-belchers gave her a lively chase into the port of Marblehead; soon after this narrow escapade the vessel was ordered around once more to Boston.

On the 17th of December, being still under command of Captain Stewart, she again sailed from the port of Boston, and on the 24th, when eastward of Bermuda, captured the brig Lord Nelson, with a cargo of wines, brandy, etc., bound from Newfoundland to Bermuda. On the 26th removed her crew, took out a portion of the cargo, and scuttled her.

February 16th, 1815, off Lisbon, captured the ship Susannah, loaded with hides, etc., bound from Buenos Ayres to Liverpool; the cargo of this vessel was valued at $73,000. She was sent to New York in charge of an officer and seven men.

prevent the enemy from forming a junction, the Constitution, then a little more than a league distant from the farthest ship, cleared for action. At six P.M. she had the enemy under her gnis, and then showed her ensign. This defiance was promptly answered by the strangers, who set the English colors, and five minutes later the American ship ranged up abeam of the sternmost vessel, passing ahead with sails lifting, until the three ships formed nearly in equilateral triangle, the Constitution being to windward. In this master. position the action commenced, the three vesses keeping up an unceasing fire for about fifteen minutes, when that of the enemy sensibly slackened. It was now moonlight, but the sea w25 covered with dense clouds of smoke, and Captain Stewart ordered the firing on his ship to cease. After the smoke had blown away, the leading ship of the enemy was seen under the lee-beam of the Constitution, while the sternmost was luffing as i she intended to tack and cross her wake. Giving a broadside to the ship abreast of her, the Amen can frigate threw her main and mizzen topsails, with topgallant sails set, flat aback, shook all forward, let fly her jib sheet, and backed swiftly astern, compelling the enemy to fill again to avoid being raked. The leading ship now attempted “a tack, to cross the Constitution's fore foot, whe the latter filled, boarded her fore-tack, shot ahead, and forced her antagonist to ware under a raking broadside. The Constitution, perceiving that the largest ship was waring also, wore in her turn, and crossing her stern, raked her with great effect. though the enemy came by the wind immedia'e'y and delivered his port broadside; but as the Constitution ranged up close on his weather quarter he struck his flag. Mr. Hoffman, the second lien tenant, was sent to take possession of the prize. which proved to be the British ship Cyane, Captain Falcon.