Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-25
THE HORNET.

THE
The last number of the Sailors Magazine,
published at New York by the seamen's Friend
Society. contains the following interesting ac-
count of the late sloop of war Hornet. 1t l said
to be from the pen of master commandant NEW
TOM
Tho II g sloon of warHornet, which is suppo-
cod 70 bave foundered in the tremendous hurricane
that swept along the coast OF Mexico III ,ne carry
part of last September, was built as a Drlgl In nal-
timore, in the year OF 1913. In une summer
of that year, captain, now commodore isaac
Cb,uncv. was appointed to the Command OF her.
In October. CAPTAIN Chauncy sailed from Balti-
more for New York. Shortly after his arrival
at tbe latter port he received orders to proceed
in tbe Hornet to Hampton Roads, and on his ar
rival there. received further orders to sail for
Charleston and cruise off the Harbor OF that CT
tv. for the protection of our commerce against
the depredations of privateers; which at that time
so frequently annoyed and interrupted our mer-
chant vessels along the coast. In the discharge
of the duties connected with that important SER
vice he continued until March 1906, when IN Or
der of the Secretary of the Navy he returned to
| New York, and resigned the command OF the
Hornet to Captain John IL. Dent.
Hinder the latter commander she was fitted
out. and soon after sailed for the Mediterranean,
where she remained until ordered to return to the
| United States. After her arrival, Captain Hunt
commanded her for some tjme, and made sew
eral cruises in her. and in 1910 she proceeded to
| Washington at which place she was converted
into a ship.
In 1911, the Hornet left Washington for Nor
folk. in charge of Mr.. Henry F.. Ballard, her first
lieutenant now commander of the Brandywine.
At Norfolk, the late lamented James Lawrence
Joined her as her commander, and sailed tor New
York, where she took on board Messrs. Biddle
and Tayloe who were proceeding to France and
ENGLAND. as bearers of dispatches. to those
Governments. After performing this service
| She returned to New York. War having been
declared between the United States and Great
Britain, she sailed from this port on the 2lst OF
January, 1912, as one of the Squadron under
Commodore Rodgers; she joined in the chace OF
the Belvidere frigate, and afterwards assisted at
the capture of eight vessels during that cruise;-
she remained with the squadron until its arrival
in Boston, Aug. S1st, 1912. Her second cruise
during the war, under Captain Lawrence, was
in company with the Constitution, commodore
cambridge; having separated from that ship on
the Coast of Brazil, the Hornet captured many
very valuable prizes, and blockaded, from the
! 9th to the Gath of January, 1878, the Bon u
%toyenne, in the harbor of st. Salvador, when the
Montague "a hove in sight and chased her OIL
While cruising off PernambucO she captured the
British brig Resolution of ten guns-thls vessel
had twenty-three thousand dollars IN specie on
board. The Hornet then cruiscd some time on
the coast of Maranham and Surlnam, and OH
Demarara. On the Gath of February, she fell
in with, and captured his Britannia Majesty's
sloop of war Peacock. After this action she
returned to the United States, and arrived at
! Holmes Hole, in March 1918, having been alb
sent one hundred and 45 days. In a few days
she proceeded to New York; and captain James
Biddle succeeded captain Lawrence in the COM
mand other May 1918.
The Hornet was again soon prepared for sea,
and joined the squadron under commodore De-
catur which was chased into New London harbor
in June, and blockaded there; Capt. Biddle OBJ
tanned permission to attempt to escape in the Hor-
net, and succeeded in evading the British squad
ron, and Joined force in New York, intended
to cruise under Commodore Decatur in the East
Indies. In January 1914, the Hornet sailed in
Company with the Peacock, but separated from
that ship, when out a few days. She then pro-
ceeded to the Island of Tristan d'Acunha, their
first place of rendezvous, and arrived there on
the esd of March. On that day, she fell in
with and captured his Britannia Majesty's sloop
of war Penguin. A few days after this action,
she was joined by the Peacock and Tom Bow
line; the latter being a store ship was convert
ed into a cartel and detached for st. Salvador,
with prisoners.
On the 18th of April, the Hornet left the island
of Tristan d'Acunha for the Cape of Good Hope,
and on the 2sth she was chased by a line of bat
tie ship; during the chase (which lasted 36 hours
she fired many shot into the Hornet, at the dis
lance of not more than three quarters Of a mile.
The Hornet arrived at St.SalvadOr in June, with
out guns, boats, anchors Or cables, it having been
found necessary to throw them overheard during
the chase. After gettinga supply of necessaries
she left the above place for the United States,
and arrived in New-York on the 5Oth of July,
when in consequence of the ratification of peace,
she was laid up in ordinary until the year 1918.
In that year she was again put in commission,
and Capt. George c. Read ordered to her, as her
commander. She sailed for the West Indies in
February, and after cruising there for some time,
proceeded to the North Sea and the Baltic, and
hrou,bf hopno f-o,o ronophoron omr Copo,l 70