_The
Guerriere_ had made herself very obnoxious in her way of challenging
American vessels. In this engagement she lost seventy-nine killed and
wounded, while the _Constitution_ lost but thirteen. There were ten
impressed Americans on _The Guerriere_. On the 7th of September, the
United States frigate _Essex_ captured the _Alert_ in a fight of eight
minutes. The American sloop-of-war _Wasp_, on the 18th of October,
encountered the British sloop-of-war _Frolic_, a much larger and
stronger ship. The fight was terrible, and only three officers and one
seaman on the _Frolic_ remained unhurt; almost a hundred were killed and
wounded, while the Americans lost but ten. The _Wasp_ did not long enjoy
her triumph, however. On that same evening the British man-of-war
_Poicters_, Captain Beresford, captured the _Wasp_ and her prize.
The phrase "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights," borne on the banner at the
masthead of the _Essex_, soon became the war-cry of the American seaman.
The 25th of October, 1812, one week after the victory and loss of the
gallant _Wasp_, dawned bright and clear on the English frigate
_Macedonian_ sailing westward of Canary Islands. Little change had come
to the _Macedonian_ since Fernando Stevens had been transferred from her
to the sloop. At this time there were but three impressed Americans on
the _Macedonian_, Sukey, a negro sailor called Tawney and a man
named Rogers.
Pages:
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295