Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-09-15
LETTER
FROM COMMODORE RODGERS

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.
U. S. F5igte President,
BosToN, September l, 1912.
SIR,
I had the honor yesterday OF informing
YOU of the arrival of the squadron, and now 70
state the result and particulars OF our cruise
Previous to leaving N. York on the 2ist OF
June, / heard that British convoy had sail
ed from Jamaica for England on or about the
goth of the preceding month, and on being ~
formed of the declaration of war against u.
Britain | determined, in the event OF Com,
Decatur Joining me with the L. States, Con-
eress and Argus, as you had directed, 10 so
in pursuit of them.
The United States, CONGRESS and Argus,
did ioin me on the 2lst; with which vessels,
this ship and the Hornet, accordingly sailed
in less than all hour after received your or
ers of the sth ofJune, accompanied by your
fhcial communications OF the declaration OF
war.
On leaving New. York shaped our course
south-easterly, in the expectation OF falling IN
with vessels, by which l should near OF the be-
fore mentioned convoy, & the following night
met with an American brig that gave me- the
SOUGHT for information the squadron now
crowded sail In pursuit, but the next morning
was taken out of its course by the pursuit or a
British frigate, that since find was the Bel
yidere, relative to which beg leave to retcr
YOU to the enclosed extract from my journal :
after repairing as far as possible the INJURY
done by the Belvidere to our spars and rig
ging. we again crowded all sail & resumed our
course in pursuit oftho convoy, but dlG not re-
ceive further Intelligence of it until the 29th
of June, on the western edge OF the banks OF
Newfoundland, where VIC spoke an American
schooner, the master Of which reported that
he had days before passed them In latitude
as, longitude SIS, steering to the eastward; l
was surprised to find that the convoy was still
so far TO the eastward OF us, but was urged,
however, as well by what considered my du-
ty as by inclination, to continue the pursuit
On the lst Of July, little TO the eastward
of Newfoundland bank, we fell in with guam
titles of cocoa nut shells, orange peeIs, sc.
which indicated that the convoy were not lar
distant, and we pursued 1t with zeal, although
frequently taken out Of our course by vessels
it was necessary to chase, without gaining any
further intelligence until the 9th OF July, IN
latitude As 80, longitude %, we captuaed the
British privateer armed brig Dolphin, OF Jer-
sew, anu was informed by some of her crew
that they had seen the convoy the preceding
evening, the weather was not clear at the time,
but that they had counted IS sail, and that the
force charged with its protection consisted OF
one two-decker, frigate, sloop OF war, ana
brig.
This was the last Intelligence received Of
the before mentioned convoy, although It's pur-
suit was continued until the 18th OF July, be-
ing then within Is or 90 hours sail OF the Brl-
tiah channel
From this we steered for the Island of Ma
dcira, passed close by it on the 2lst OF July
thence near the Azores, and saw Corvo and
Flores; thence steered for the banks of New
foundland and from the latter place (by the
way of Cape Sablc) to this port, it having be
come indispensably necessary (by The time we
reached our own COAST to make the first con
venient port in the U. States owing, | an
sorry to say, to the wretched disease the sour.
w having made its appearance on board %
the vessels, most generally TO degree serl
ously alarming.
From the western part Of the banks OF New
fouudland 10 our making the Island of Madei
ra the weather was such, at least SIX days out
OF seven, as to obscure, from our discovery
every shiect that we did not pass within -four
or Eve miles Of, and indeed for several day:
together the fog was SO thick as to prevent
our seeing each other, even al cables length