Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-09-14
United States Fiigate Constitution.
off Boston Light, AMgust 28th, 1912.

W DOStVH LIS Ht, .bnS SSSt SotE,
SIR have the honor to inform you that
after leaving Boston Light on the ID inst. the
date of my last letter to you, stood to the
eastward along the coast, in hopes to fall in
with one of the eneJny's frigatcs, which was
| reported to be cruiziug in that direction, the
day before left Boston. Ipassed near the
| coast, as far down as the Bay of Fundy, but
saw nothing thenrun of Halifax and Cape
| Saoles, and remained near there for three
| or four days without seeing any thing, which
made me determine to change my situation
| to the eastward towards Newfoundland. J
accordingly bore up, and run TO the eastward
under all sail, passing near the Isle of Sa-
| bles, and hauling in to take a station OF the
| Gulf of ST. Laurence, near cape Race, TO in
| tercept the ships of the enemy bound either
to or from Quebec or Halifax, and to be in a
situation To re-capture such OF our vessels as
they might be sending in.
On the 10th inst, being of Cape Race, /
fell in with light merchant brig, bound to
Halifax, from Newfoundland and as she was
not worth sending in, took the crew on board
and set her on fire. On the 18th, | fell i'll
with the British brig Adeona, from Nova
Scotia, bound to England, loaded with timber.
took the crew out other and set her OH FIRE,
and made sail To take a station nearer Cape
Race, where we continued cruizing until the
morning of the 18th, at daylight; when five
sail were in sight ahead of Us, apparently a
small CONVOY. | gave ChaCe under press
OF sail, and soon found that we gained on
them very fast, and discovered that one of
them was ship of war; at sun rise they
tackled, and stood on the same tack with us.
| By this time we could plainly discover that
| the ship of war had brig in to. At COM
| ing up very fast with the snip, and could see
| that she had cast off the brig that she had
/, in tow, and had set her on fire, and had or
dered second brig to stand before the wind
! to separate them. The ship Of war making
| sail to wlndward, l gave chacc to Il snip which
appeared to be under her convoy bat when
we came up with her, she proved to be d
! British ship, prize to the Dolphin privateer,
| of Salem. She had been spoken by the ship
of war, but we came up with them before
they had time to put men on board and take
| charge of her. Whilst our boats were board
| iag this vessel, the ship OF war had got near
| iy hull down from us !; and understanding
! from one of the prisoners tnat she was We
| nv fast sailer, found it would not be posi-
| bic to come up with her before night, or per-
! haps not then ; therefore gave chace to the
| brig that run before the wind, determined to
! destroy all his convoy, we soon found We
came fast up with the brig, and that they
| were making every excrtion TO get off by
| throwing overheard all the lumber, water
| casks, sc.
| At 2, p. M. we brought to the chace, and
| found her to be the American brig Adeline,
| from Liverpool, loaded win dry goods, &c.
| prize to the British sloop of war Ayenger. l
! took the British prize master and crew out
| and put mdsnipman Madison and a crew
| on board, with orders to get into the near
| est port lie could make. From the prize
| master of this vessel learat that the brig
burnt by the sloop of war belonged to New
! York, and was loaded with hemp, duck, &c.
| last from Jutland, having gone in there III dis
| tress.
| Having chased so far to the eastward as to
( make 1t impossible to come up with the siOop
| Of war, determined to change my cruizing
! ground. as found by some OF the prisoners
! that came from this vessel, that the squad
! ron that chased us off New-York were on
! the western edge of the Grand Bank, not far
| distant from me. l accordingly stood to the
! southwark, intending TO pass near Bermuda,
| and cruizc off our southern coast. Saw no
/ thing till the night of the 18th, at half past 9,
! p. M. discovered sail very near as, it being
! dark /; made sail and gave chase, and could
, see that she was brig. AT IL, brought her
= To, and sent boat on board, found her To- be
( the American privateer Decatur, belonging
| to Salem, with a crew of one hundred and
J eight men and fourteen guns, twelve of which
/ she had thrown overheard whilst we were
4 in chase of him. The captain came on board,
! and informed me that he saw the day before
I a ship of war standing to the southwark, and
! that She could not Dc far from us AT II p.
| NJ. made sail to the southward, intending If
possible to fall in with her. Inc priydtecr
stood IN for Cape Race, intending to crulze
there, and take ships by boarding, as he mad
lost all his guns but two. The above is a
memorandum of what took place ON board
the Constitution under my Command, from
tine time we leit Boston up to the 18Th inst.
which l hope will meet your APPRECIATION.
] have the honor to- be,
With great respect,
Sir, your obedIent servant,
ISAAC HULL.
The Hon. PAUL HAMILTON,
Secretary gfEhe NIVy, WashiGgtou Cby.