The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-06-03
From rae National hteiEgenesr.
C3hy efa Letter from Commodore Rodgers TO
fbs Secretary Of fhe Navy.
United States Frigate President, OF
Sandy Hook, 25d May 1911.


SIR,
Iregret extremely being under the neces-
sity of representing TO you an event that oc-
Cured on the night of the 6th inst. between
the ship under my command, and his Britain
nick Majesly's ship of war the Little Belt,
commanded by capt. Bingham the result OF
which has given me much pain, as well on
account OF the injury she sustained, as that
should have compelled to the measure that
produced it, by vessel of her inferior force.
The circumstances are as follows On the
10th inst. at IS minutes past Meridian, In
seventeen fathom water, Cape Henry bearing
5. w. distant fourteen O: fifteen leagues,
sail was discovered from our mast head In
the East, standing towards us under press
OF sail. AT half past one the symmetry oi
her upper sails (Which were al this time dis
tinguishable from our deck and her making
Signals, Showed her To be man OF war. AZ
IS minutes past one, p. Nj. hoi>ted our en-
sign and pendant when, finding her signals
not answered., she wore and stood TO the
Southwark. Being DESTROYS of speaking her
and Of ascertaining what she WAS, new made
sail in chace and by halt past three 7. M.
found we were coming up with her as by
this time the upper part of her stern began
to shew itself above the horizon. The wind
now began, and continued gradually to de-
crease, so as to prevent my being able to APP
proach her sufficiently before sunset, to dis
cover her actual force, (Which the position
she preserved during the chase WAS calculat.
ed to coneeal or to Judge even to what ma
tion she belonged as she appeared s,udious-
ly TO decline showing her colours. AT fifteen
or twenty minutes past 7, p. Nj. The chace
took in her studding sails, and soon after
hauled up her courses, and banled by the
wind on the starboard tack she at the same
time hoisted an ensign or flag at her nizen
Peak but il was too dark Tor me To discover
what nation it represented F; now tor the hrst
time her broad side was presented TO our
view but night had so far progressed, that
although her appearance indicated she was
frigate, l was unable to determine her actual
force.
AT fifteen minutes before eight p NJ be-
ing about nile and half from her. the
wind at the time very light, directed capt.
Ludlow 10 take position 10 windwar3 OF her
and on the same tack, within short speaking
distance. This however the commander oi
the Chace from his mauGuvrcs to be anxious
to prevent, as he wore and hauled by the
wind on different tacks four times success
sively between this period and the time OF
our arriving at the position, which ! ordefed
to be taken. At fifteen or twenty minutes
past eight, being little forward OF her wea-
ther beam, and distant from seventy to a hun
dred yards, hailed " what ship is that Z" to
this inquiry no answer was given, but was
hailed by her commander and asked what
ship is that :" Having asked the first ques
\ IF al lnI
by the common rules OF potcncss to the first
answer after pause Of fifteen or twenty
seconds, | reiterated my first inquiry Of "what
ship is that" and before | had time to take
the trumpet from my mouth, was answered
by shot, that cut off one of our maiotop-
mast breast back stays, and went into our
mainmast---at this instant capt. Caldwell (oi
marines) who was standing very near TO ne
on the gangway having observed " sir, she
has fired at us' caused me to pause for mo-.
ment, Just as l was in the act OF giving all
order to fire a shot in return ; and before
had time TO resume the repetition OF the IN
tended order, shot was actually fired from
the second division of this ship and was
scarcely out of the gun, before it was an
swered from our assumed enemy bv three
others in quick succession, and soon after the
rest Of his broadside and musketry. When
the first shot was fired, being under an i'm
preston, tha. il might possibly have proceed
ed from accident and without the orders OF
the Commander, had determined at the
moment to fire only single shot in return,
but the immediate REPETITION of the rerious
unprovoked outrage induced me to believe
that the insult was premcdita,ed, and that
from our adversary being at the time as ig-
norant of our real force as was of his, he
thought this, perhaps, favourable opportu-
nifty Of acquiring promotion, although at the
expense of violating our neutrality and insult
ing our flag I accordingly with that degree
of repugnance incident to feeling equally de-
termined neither to be the agI;resser, or TO
suffer the flag Of my country to be insulted
with impunity, gave general order to fre ;
The cHnct rf ,uhich 81, from, Eour tn civ In