ricans, did the same. That the established armament 1813. of the Peacock's class was 32-pounders, there cannot be a doubt; any more than that the brig, being new and built of oak, was well able to bear them. But captain Peake probably considered that 24-pounders gave a lighter appearance to his deck, and took up less room. We know not what other reason to assign for the change. peake Boston. We left in the port of Boston the three american Chesafrigates Constitution,* President, and Congress, sails A fourth, the 36-gun frigate Chesapeake, captain from Samuel Evans, sailed from Boston on the 17th of December, 1812; ran down past Madeira, the Canaries, and Cape-de-Verds; thence on the equator between longitudes 16° and 25°, where the american frigate cruised six weeks. The Chesapeake afterwards steered for the coast of South America, and, passing within 15 leagues of Surinam, was on the same spot on which the Hornet had, the day previous, sunk the Peacock. The frigate then cruised off Her Barbadoes and Antigua, and, steering homewards, passed between Bermuda and the Capes of Virginia, return Standing to the northward, the Chesapeake passed to port. within 12 leagues of the Capes of Delaware and 20 of New-York, and on the 18th of April, 1813, reentered Boston by the eastern channel; having, during her 115 days' cruise, recaptured one merchant vessel and captured four, been chased by a british 74 and frigate, and chased on her part, for two days, a british brig-sloop. cruise ons of Shan non. Among the captains of british 38-gun frigates who Qualilonged, ardently longed, for a meeting with one of ficatithe american 44s, was captain Philip Bowes Vere the Broke, of the Shannon. This desire was not founded on any wish for a display of personal valour, but in order to show to the world, what apparent wonders could be effected, where the ship and the crew were in all respects fitted for battle. It was not since the + See p. 181. * See p. 199. 1813. late american war, that captain Broke had begun to March. put his frigate in fighting order, and to teach his men the art of attack and defence. From the day on which captain Broke had joined her, the 14th of September, 1806, the Shannon began to feel the influence of her captain's proficiency as a gunner and zeal for the service. Broke's nance. State Capt. The laying of a ship's ordnance, so that it may be atten- correctly fired ina horizontal direction, is justly deemed tion to a most important operation; as upon it depends, in a laying his ord- great measure, the true aim and destructive effect of every future shot she may fire. On board the Shannon, at her first outfit, this was attended to by captain Broke in person; and his ingenious mode of laying ships' ordnance has since received the highest commendation. By draughts from other ships, and the usual means to which a british man of war is obliged to resort, the Shannon got together a crew; and, in the course of a year or two, by the paternal care and excellent regulations of captain Broke, an undersized, not very well disposed, and, in point of age, rather motley, ship's company became as pleasant to command, as they would have been dangerous to meet. In August, 1811, the Shannon sailed for the coast of North America; and, had this frigate, in the excellent order in which she was kept, met the Constitution in August, 1812, we verily believe But the Shannon and Constitution did not meet; therefore the thing was not tried. of his crew. Shan non and Tenedos cruise in On the 21st of March, 1813, accompanied by the Tenedos, of the same force, and kept in nearly the same order, captain Hyde Parker, the Shannon sailed from Halifax on a cruise in Boston bay. On the 2d of April the two frigates reconnoitred the Boston harbour of Boston, and saw the President and bay to inter- Congress, the latter quite, and the former nearly, ready for sea. The Constitution was at this time undergoing a large repair; and her decks were being and lowered, to render her more snug, and give her a gress. smaller and more inviting appearance. Captains cept Presi dent Con Broke and Parker having resolved, if in their power, 1813. to bring the President and Congress to action, the May. Shannon and Tenedos took a station to intercept them. It was in this interval that the Chesapeake escaped into the port in the manner related; and on The the 1st of May foggy weather, and a sudden favourable shift of wind, enabled the President and Con- to sea. gress to elude the vigilance of the two british frigates and put to sea. latter escape Law rence to peake. Captains Broke and Parker very soon discovered Capt. the chance they had missed, and sadly disappointed they were. There now remained in Boston only the apConstitution and Chesapeake. The first, as has been pointed stated, was undergoing a serious repair; but the ChesaChesapeake had only to get in new main and mizen masts, and would be ready for sea in a week or two. Having obtained a furlough to enjoy his share of prize-money, captain Evans was succeeded in the command of the Chesapeake by captain James Lawrence, the late fortunate, highly applauded, and, we readily admit, truly gallant, commander of the Hornet. detach alone As two frigates were not required to attack one, Capt. and as the appearance of such a superiority would Broke naturally prevent the Chesapeake from putting to es Tesea, captain Broke, on the 25th of May, took a sup- nedo ply of water and provisions from the Tenedos, and cruises detached her, with orders to captain Parker not to off rejoin him before the 14th of June; by which time, Boston. it was hoped, the business would be over. On the 26th the Shannon recaptured the brig Lucy, and on the 29th the brig William, both of Halifax. Aware of the state of incapacity to which some of the british frigates on the station had reduced themselves, by manning and sending in their prizes, captain Broke destroyed all he captured. We believe he had sacrificed not fewer than 25 sail of prizes, to keep the Shannon in a state to meet one or the other of the american frigates. Being resolved to have a meeting with the Chesapeake, nothing but the سها 1813. circumstance of the two recaptures belonging to May. Halifax could induce captain Broke to weaken the Shannon's crew by sending them in. The master of the Lucy, assisted by five recaptured seamen belonging to some ship on the station, carried in that vessel; and a midshipman and four of the Shannon's men took charge of the William. On the 29th, in the afternoon, the Shannon boarded the Nova-Scotia privateer brig Sir-John-Sherbrooke, and took from her 22 irish labourers, whom the brig, three days before, along with 30 more, (then volunteers on board herself,) had recaptured in a prize belonging to the american privateer Governor-Plumer; bound, when the latter fell in with her, from Waterford to Burin, Newfoundland. Guns mount ed by Shan non. Before we proceed further, let us show what guns were mounted by the two frigates, whose mutual the animosity was on the eve of being quenched by the capture of one of them. On her main deck, the Shannon was armed the same as every other british frigate of her class, and her established guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle were 16 carronades, 32pounders, and four long 9-pounders, total 48 guns. But captain Broke had since had mounted a 12pounder boat-carronade through a port purposely made on the starboard side of the quarterdeck, and a brass long 6-pounder, used generally as an exercise gun, through a similar port on the larboard side; besides which there were two 12-pounder carronades, mounted as standing stern-chasers through the quarterdeck stern-ports. For these last four guns, one 32-pounder carronade would have been more than an equivalent. However, as a 6-pounder counts as well as a 32-pounder, the Shannon certainly mounted 52 carriage-guns. The ship had also, to be in that respect upon a par with the american frigates, one swivel in the fore, and another in the main top. mount- The armament of the Chesapeake, we have already ed by on more than one occasion described: she had at peake. this time, as afterwards found on board of her, 28 Guns Chesa long 18-pounders on the main deck, and 20 carron- 1813. ades, 32-pounders, and one long shifting 18-pounder, June. on the quarterdeck and forecastle, total 49 guns; exclusively of a 12-pounder boat-carronade, belonging to which there was a very simple and well-contrived elevating carriage for firing at the tops, but it is doubtful if the gun was used. Five guns, four 32pounder carronades and one long 18-pounder, had, it was understood, been landed at Boston. Some have alleged, that this was done by captain Lawrence, that he might not have a numerical superiority over his antagonists of the british 38-gun class: others say, and we incline to be of that opinion, that the reduction was ordered by the american government, to ease the ship, whose hull had already begun to hog, or to arch in the centre. Broke captain On the 1st of June, early in the morning, having Capt. received no answer to several verbal messages sent chalin, and being doubtful if any of them had even been lenges delivered, captain Broke addressed to the command- Lawing officer of the Chesapeake a letter of challenge, rence. which, for candour, manly spirit, and gentlemanly style, stands unparalleled. The letter begins: "As the Chesapeake appears now ready for sea, I request you will do me the favour to meet the Shannon with her, ship to ship, to try the fortune of our respective flags." The Shannon's force is thus described: "The Shannon mounts 24 guns upon her broadside, and one light boat-gun, 18-pounders upon her main deck, and 32-pound carronades on her quarterdeck and forecastle, and is manned with a complement of 300 men and boys, (a large proportion of the latter,) besides 30 seamen, boys, and passengers, who were taken out of recaptured vessels lately." After fixing the place of meeting, and providing against all interruption, captain Broke concludes thus: "I entreat you, sir, not to imagine that I am urged by mere personal vanity to the wish of meeting the Chesapeake; or that I depend only upon your personal ambition for your acceding to |