Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-06-07
WASHINGTON CITY, June A.
OFFICIAL.
Copy ofa letter from Comm2aore Rodger,
to the Secretary efthe Macy.
United States frigate President, OF
Sandy Hook, 23d May, 1911.


SIR,
Iregret extremely being under the neces.
slty OF representing to you an event that oc.
cured on the night of 1 9th instant, between
the ship under my command and his Britain.
mic Maesty's ship of war the Linie Bek,
commanded bv Captain Bingham: the re.
suit of which has given me much pain, as
we'll on account Of the injury she sustained,
as that should have been compelled to the
measure that produced it, by a vessel Of
her inferior force. The circumstance are
as follows On the 10th instant, at 25 mi.
nutes past Meridian, in II fathom water,
Cape Henry bearing S. w. distant IA or Is
leagues, a sail was discovered from our
mast head in The East, standing towards US
under press of sail. At half past one the
symmetry of her upper sails (Which were
at this time distinguishable from our deck)
and her making signals, Showed her to be
man OF war. AT As minutes past one,
P. NJ hoisted our ensign and pendant when
finding her signals not answered, she wore
and stood to the Southwark. Being desi-
rous of speaking her, and of ascertaininr
what she was, now made sail in chace
and by half past three, P. NJ found we were
coming up with her; as by this time the up
per part of her stern began to show itself
above the horizon The wind now began,
and continued gradually to decrease, so as
to prevent my being able to approach her
sufficiently before sunset, to discover her
actual force, (Which the position she pre-
served, during the chase, was calculated to
conceaD or to judge even to what nation
she belonged; as she appeared studiously
to decline shelving her colors. At fifteen
or twenty minutes past seven, P. NJ. the
chase took in her studding sails, and soon
alter hauled up her courses, and hauled by
the wind on the starboard tack; she at the
same time hoisted an ensign or flag at her
mizen Peak; but it was too dark for me to
discover what nation it represented; now
tor the first time her broad side was present.
ed to our view; but night had so far pro.
crossed, that although her appearance indl-
Gated she was frigate, was unable to de-
termine her actual force.
Ats minutes before P. M. being about
mile and half from her, the wind at the
time very light, | directed Capt. Ludlow
to take a position to windward of her and on
/
| lance. This however the commander OF
the chase appeared from maneuvres to be
anxious to prevent, as he wore and hauled
by the wind on different tacks four times
successfully between this period and the
time of our arriving at the position, which
had ordered to be taken. AT Is or 90
minutes past eight being little forward OF
her weather-beam and distant from 20 to a
100 yards, I.hailed "what ship is that {"
to this enquiry no answer was given, but l
was hailed by her commander and asked
"what ship is that?" Having asked the
frat question, | of course considered my
self entitled by the common rules of polite.
ness to the first answer: after pause OF IS
or 20 seconds, reiterated my first enquiry
of" what ship is that" and before hae
time TO take the trumpet from my mouth.
was,answered by shot, that cut off one OF
our maintop- mast breast back stays and went
into our mainmast--at this instant Capt
Caldwell (of marines) who was standing
very near to me on the gangway having OBJ
served sir she has fired at US" caused me
TO pause for moment just as l was in the
act of giving an order to FIRE shot in return
and before I had time to resume the rePetl'