Captain Lawrence of the
_Chesapeake_ was mortally wounded, and his dying command, "Don't give up
the ship!" has been the motto for many worthy enterprises.
In August, Captain Porter, with the American frigate _Essex_, cruising
in the Pacific Ocean, captured twelve armed British whalers. In the same
month, the American sloop-of-war _Argus_, cruising in the English
channel, captured twenty-one British merchantmen, but on the 13th was
herself captured by the British man-of-war _Pelican_ after a severe
engagement. On the 3d of September, the American brig _Enterprise_
captured the British _Boxer_ off the coast of Maine. Perry's victory on
Lake Erie, which occurred on the 10th of this month, has already
been noticed.
The year 1814 was not a line of unbroken success, though American
victories were many and brilliant. On the 28th of March, the brilliant
career of the United States frigate _Essex_, in the Pacific Ocean, was
terminated by her capture by two British war vessels at Valparaiso. On
April 21st, the United States sloop-of-war _Frolic_ was captured by the
British frigate _Orpheus_. On the 27th of the same month, the United
States sloop-of-war _Peacock_ captured the British brig-of-war
_Epervier_ with $118,000 in specie on board. On June 9th, the United
States sloop-of-war _Rattlesnake_ was captured by a British man-of-war.
This reverse was followed by the loss of the United States sloop _Syren_
on the 12th.
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