# Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 17/Document: Captain Black's Report on Taking of Astoria

DOCUMENT
CAPTAIN BLACK'S REPORT ON TAKING OF ASTORIA.
EDITORIAL NOTE.
The contract for the sale of the possessions of the Pacific Fur Company at Astoria and in the interior country to the Northwest Company was made on October 16, 1813. The transfer may not have been actually consummated until the 23rd of this month. The British ship of war that had been momentarily expected did not arrive until November 30. The following account of Captain Black's procedure in taking possession of Fort Astoria is taken from Chittenden's "History of the American Fur Trade of the Far West," Vol. I, pp. 22-3:
"On the 2Qth of October a large party set out for the interior to make a transfer of the various posts and of the property at each. Nothing of note trans- pired at Astoria, except the arrival on November 23rd of Alexander Stuart and Alexander Henry, until the 3oth of that month, when the long expected war vessel hove in sight. It was the Raccoon, of twenty-six guns, commanded by Captain Black. This vessel, with the Isaac Todd, the frigate Phoebe, and the sloop of war Cherub, had sailed from Rio Janeiro on the 6th of July preceding with John McDonald, a partner of the Northwest Company, on board. The Isaac Todd had become separated from her company off Cape Horn, and had not since been seen. The other vessels arrived safely at the agreed rendezvous at the island of Juan Fernandez, and after waiting some time for the Isaac Todd, and hearing of the havoc which the American Commodore Porter was making among the British whalers, it was decided that the Raccoon should go alone with McDonald to Astoria, and that the other vessels should cruise after Porter. The Raccoon arrived in due time within the mouth of the Columbia.
"The officers and crew of the Raccoon had been led to suppose that a valu- able prize awaited them at the end of their long cruise. When they found that the post and property had been sold to British subjects they were greatly cha- grined and disappointed. Captain Black, it is said, even threatened to bring suit for their recovery, but the threat, if made, was not carried out.
"If Captain Black was crestfallen at losing a valuable prize, he was disgusted when he beheld the character of the fort which he had been sent half way around the world to capture. He exclaimed with ill-concealed contempt: 'Is this the fort about which I have heard so much talking? D n me, but I'd batter it down in two hours with a four-pounder!'
"Captain Black, with a retinue of officers, landed at Astoria late on the night of December i2th, and after dinner on the i3th he took formal possession of the fort in the name of the British King, and rechristened it Fort George. The disappointed captain, could he have foreseen the future, would not have felt ashamed of this day of small things. He had done what no British sailor had ever done before in taking possession of this fort he had saved an empire to hit country." EDITOR QUARTERLY.
Racoon, Columbia River
15 December, 1813. Sir:
Agreeable to order from Captain Hillyer, I succeeded in entering Columbia River, in Majesty's Sloop Racoon, Novr. 30, 1813 found party of North West Company here, who had made arrangements with the American party before my arrival.
Country and fort I have taken possession of in name and for British Majesty latter I have named Fort George and left in possession and charge North West Company. ​
148 REPORT ON TAKING OF ASTORIA
Enemies party quite broke up they have no settlement whatever on this River or Coast.
Enemies vessel said on Coast and about [Sandwich] Islands. while Provisions last shall endeavour to destroy them. Weather here set in very bad.
Left Phoebe and Cherub Longitude 82 20' W, Latitude 40 33' S. well. Consort parted from Squadron before reach- ing Cape Horn, not yet arrived. Natives appear well disposed toward English. Sir,
Your Obedt Servt
W. Black
To John Wilson Croker, Esq., Secretary Admiralty, London