Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-10-26
NlSti,I.E 4 y Eot =.
Correspondence uflhe Boston Atas. =
QUEBEC, September.
Ina 10 TIE british Fisats Prfsidenf-Aardi

ffiuHicS al anchor ~ llt - Vi'lS''t'
Quebec. 'rhis display OF Iofee may hot have Teen
wholly accidental at hi, time and tn uaquiet
spir prevailing throughout the Canadas may nave
been instrumental ia calling ii forth. The Pique
sailed on Wednesday. leaving behind the Forte
and the President. Having some curiosity 10 see
III remains OF one OF onr old national ship, we this
afternoon went down TO the King, Quay, with the
view of finding some convenience 10 tie ffcsl-
dent. While we were ia vain looking round for
boat. we saw Tn; frigac's barge approaching the
shore, and mailing the young mildly, who sat IN the
stern, we told him that We desired To 90 on board.
He politely offered Us a seat by his side, and then
ordering his men 10 push off, soon found
selves upon the broad deck of the Frgair. We
bad brought no letter of introduction 10 any OF the
officers, and were unacqnainted with single midi
yldual ON boatd but Oh informing the first lien-
tenant that we were American ecntemcn, DESTROYS
of sceing The ship. he received with much cour-
tesy and cordially, and although there Scse-
rai parties OH deck, who bad come upon the same
Grand vet to Us he devoted the whole OF his attcn-
ton, showing us every part otthe fiigatc and ten
derne to MS its inequalities. We had every rca-
SON 10 be eraticd with our visit.
This is the first cruise Of the President, since
her rcitmcnt. She has in her much of the
timber Of the old ship, and her keel is the
same. She is still remarkable Tor her superior
sailing. Her model has not been changed. She
mouuls ilty-two GUNS, and has a crew of $50 mem
ilcr nlI complement is 100. Every parl OF the
ship i, ia fine order; a;,l the utmost cleanliness i.
every where seen, from the cock pit To the Adn-
rails cabin. The mcn were engaged in various oc-
cupations-hc middies were many OF them at their
desks, probably engaged in writing home'--and
the centinclS were pacing their narrow rounds.
Admiral Sir George Cochburn, who commands ON
the Brazilian station, has his head quarter, ON
board the President. Hi, family are at present
with him.
After showing Us all the objects of interest abou,
the irg,te, Mr.. Currie the frs lieutenant ordered
the glg to be manned To wait pleasure. We
soon afterwards took our leave, very tayorablv i-
pressed with every thing We bad seen. The cur
rent OF The river is very strong at Quebec and as
We entered the gig, its force in the Difficult
~ with which the oarsmcn struggled against it,
As we looked back upon the President, we
could not iurbear INDUCING in some painful rcco-
lecilonS. On her deck, the heroic Decatur had
uodden previous 10 her capture and there those
gallant spirits, Babbitt, Hamilton and Howell who
fell IN the action, had been sccn in the prime
Of their days and in the faliness of hone. II
is not worth while to 90 into a detail of the
engagement Suffice it to say, that the no.
bic ship sailed from New Norl, in February,
1910, opona cruise 10 the Pacific Ocean In
crossing The bar at Sandy Hook, she struck, and
lay humping upon it till near morning She got
oil with the tide, but il then too late to escape
the cnemy's squadron, which was watching her de-
parure. When day light appeared danger en-
comprised her nall sides The only resource
was To escape by her we'll known superiority of
saing.- his was tried, but 10 no purpose Hn.l
keel had been injured on the bar and she was OH :,
crwise SO much crippled, that her sailing was area !
y impcded. 1t was clearly perccp'iblc, that 4.
Endy mion, the hcadmoSt lrigaIe of the host; A.
squadron, a ship ofcqual size With the presid. "a,
wax rapidly gaming upon hcr.--l 'ndcr those SIR
cnmsances, Decatur gave orders 10 prepare Tor
action, hoping that he might succeed IN disma,, inc
the Endymion, or Gripping her, 50 that he sht
'till have chance to escape. \ running fiott of
aboat an hours duration enSnod in whici, al
though the President was much damaged, hrr on
ponrnt was entirely disabled and must have
struck her co'orS had not the other portion of the
squadron, consisting OF the Pomonc and Trnrdo7
irgate, come TO her rescue.-There being no al.
tentative. but To continue the engagement at such
unequal odds-a iigatc of nearly the same size on
either sie--or to surrender, Decatur ordered a
gun to lie fired lccward, and the fac OF the Presi-
dent 10 he Struch.
/ Soon after the commencement of she eneaqc-
I mennt, Decatur bad conceived tie intrepid desiun
+ OF running his SLIP along side of the Endymion.
carrying her by boarding, abandoning the Prcsi.
dent To the foe, and escaping by the swift Saline Of
/ the fndymIon. The word was passed for the pur-
pose, but at the moment, the British commanders
as II suSpccth9 the manu,usrc, wore ship and thus
defeated the enterprise, which must have proved
successful, and winch would have stood without
parallel IN the annals of naval warfare The can
> turcd ifIgatc was conveyed to Bermuda where she
was repaired and ordered To ENGLAND Oobr mr.
rival she was found To be unfit for service. and was
m, AL nj, 81.