Hon. PAUL HAMILTON.
_List of killed and wounded on board the United States._
Thomas Brown, New York, seaman; Henry Shepherd, Philadelphia,
seaman; William Murray, Boston, boy; Michael O'Donnel, New
York, private marine; John Roberts, private marine--_killed_.
John Mercer Funk, Philadelphia, lieutenant, (since dead;) John
Archibald, New York, carpenter's crew; Christian Clark, ditto,
seaman; George Christopher, ditto, ordinary seaman; George
Mahar, ditto ditto; William James, ditto ditto; John Lawton,
ditto, private marine--_wounded_.
On board the Macedonian there were thirty-six killed, and
sixty-eight wounded; among the former, were the boatswain, one
master's mate, and the schoolmaster; and of the latter were
the first and third lieutenants, one master's mate, and two
midshipmen.
NEW YORK, _November 24, 1812_.
SIR: I here avail myself of the first opportunity of informing
you of occurrences of our cruise, which terminated in the
capture of the Wasp, on the 18th of October, by the Poictiers,
of seventy-four guns, while a wreck from damages received
in the engagement with the British sloop-of-war Frolic, of
twenty-two guns, sixteen of them thirty-two-pound carronades,
four twelve-pounders on the main deck, and two twelve-pound
carronades on the top-gallant forecastle; making her superior
in force to us by four twelve-pounders. The Frolic had struck
to us, and was taken possession of two hours before our
surrendering to the Poictiers.
We had left the Delaware on the 13th; the 16th had a heavy
gale, in which we lost our jib-boom and two men; half-past
eleven on the night of the 17th, in latitude 37 degrees north,
and longitude 65 degrees west, we saw several sail, two of
them appearing very large; we stood for them for some time,
then shortened sail, and steered the remainder of the night
the course we had perceived them on. At daylight, on Sunday
the 18th, we saw them ahead; gave chase, and soon discovered
them to be a convoy of six sail, under the protection of a
sloop-of-war; four of them large ships, mounting from sixteen
to eighteen guns. At thirty-two minutes past eleven A. M., we
engaged the sloop-of-war, having first received her fire at
the distance of fifty or sixty yards, which space we gradually
lessened until we laid her on board, after a well-supported
fire of forty-three minutes; and although so near, while
loading our last broadside, that our rammers were shoved
against the side of the enemy, our men exhibited the same
alacrity which they had done during the whole of the action.
They immediately surrendered upon our gaining their forecastle,
so that no loss was sustained on their side after boarding.
Our maintop-mast was shot away between four and five minutes
from the commencement of the firing, and falling, together
with the maintopsail-yard, across the larboard fore and
fore-topsail braces, rendered our head-yards unmanageable the
remainder of the action. At eight minutes, the gaff and mizzen
topgallant-mast came down, and at twenty minutes from the
beginning of the action every brace and most of the rigging
was shot away. A few minutes after separating from the Frolic
both her masts fell upon deck; the main-mast going close by the
deck, and the foremast going twelve or fifteen feet above it.
The courage and exertions of the officers and crew fully
answered my expectations and wishes. Lieutenant Biddle's
active conduct contributed much to our success, by the exact
attention paid to every department during the engagement, and
the animating example he afforded the crew by his intrepidity.
Lieutenants Rogers, Booth, and Mr. Rapp, showed, by incessant
fire from their divisions, that they were not to be surpassed
in resolution or skill. Mr. Knight, and every other officer,
acted with a courage and promptitude highly honorable, and I
trust have given assurance that they may be relied on whenever
their services may be required.
I could not ascertain the exact loss of the enemy, as many
of the dead lay buried under the masts and spars that had
fallen on deck, which two hours' exertion had not sufficiently
removed. Mr. Biddle, who had charge of the Frolic, states that,
from what he saw, and from information from the officers,
the number killed must have been about thirty, and that of
the wounded about forty or fifty; of the killed, is her
first lieutenant and sailing-master; of the wounded, Captain
Winyates, and the second lieutenant.
We had five killed and five wounded, as per list: the wounded
are recovering. Lieutenant Claxton, who was confined by
sickness, left his bed a little previous to the engagement, and
though too weak to be at his division, remained on deck, and
showed, by his composed manner of noting its incidents, that we
had lost by his illness the services of a brave officer.