Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-08-31
"ADMlaALTY OFFICE, Dec. 90, 1879.

"ADMIRALTY OFFICE, Dec. 90, 1919.
Copy Of letter from Captain J"hr
Surman Garden, late Commander of His
/ MaJesly's ship Macedonian, TO Johr
Wilson Croker, E-q, dated on b'ar'
'he American ship United States, at sea
The 28th October, 1912
II "Sr-lt is with the deepest regret
have l." acquaint YOU, for the information
Of my Lords Commissioners Of Admiral.
~, that Ills MaJesly's late ship Mace
| Jonian was captured on tle 2jih instant
by the United States sh ip United States
| Commodore Decatur commander. The
| detail IL as follows
"a short time after daylight, steering
/ y. w. by w. with the wind from the
souhward, in latitude 90 ~, and longi i.
iude 90 30 w, IN The execution of their
Lordships' orders, n sail was cen on the
lee beam, which Immediately stood for,
and made her 0ut to be large lrigate
! closed with her, and she CONNIE ncod
the action, which we returned but
from the enemy keeping Two points of
the w,Ed, | was not enabled to get M
close Ia her as could have wished.
Aiier an hours action, the enemy back
ed and came to the wind, and | was
then enabled to bring her to close battle
In this situation soon found the enemy :
force too superior To expect success, un-
less some very fortunate chance occur
red in our favor and with this hope J
continued The battle 10 two hours and
ten minutes f; when, having the mizzen
mast shot away by the board, topmasis =
shot away by The caps, mnin yard shot
IN pieces, lower masls badly wounded,
lower rigging all cni 10 pieces, small
proportion only o! the ioresal leIt to The
i"re.y yard all the guns on the quarter
deck and torecastle disabled but two,
and filled with wreck, two also ON the
main deck disabled, aud several shot
between wind aud water, very great
proportion of the crew killed and wound
ed, and the enemy comparatively in
good order, who had now shot ahead
and was abou, to place himself in a rak-
ing position, without our being enabled
to return the fire, being perfect wreck
and nnmanagcabIe log deemed il
prudent, though n painful extremity, to
surrender His Majrsty's ship; nor was
tins dreadful alternative rcsoried to I'LL
every hope OF success was removed,
even beyond the reach Of chance noi
I'LL, trust, their Lordships will be aware
every effort had been made agniDst the
enemy by my self, and my brave officers
and men nor should she have been
surrendered whilst man lived on board
had she been manageable. ! am sorry
To say our loss is very severe | find
by thus days muster, thirty six killc d,
three of whom fingered short time ai-
ter the battle; thirty six severely wound
ed, many of whom cannot recover, aud
'hlriy-two slightly wounded, who may
all do we'll total one hundred and four. /
"Ihe truly noble and aninating con
duct of The officers, and the steady brave
ry of my crew, to the last moment Of the
battle must ever render them dear to
their country.
"My first lieutenant, David Hope,
was severely wounded IN The head, tow
ards the close OF he battle, aud taken
below but was soon on deck again,
displaying that greatness of mind and
sxertlOn, which, though il may be equal
ed, can never be EXCEL cd. The ihird
lieutenant, john Buliord, was also wound
I'd, but not obliged to quit his quarters
second lieutenant, Samuel Motley and he
A 4
The cool and steady conduct of Mr.. |
" alker, the master, was very great du-
ling the bal,le,a also that of Lieu,enanls
Wilson and NIagil, Of the marines.
"On being taken on board the enc
my's ship, | ceased to wonder at the re-
suit of the battle. The United States is
built with the scanIling of a seventy four
gun ship, mounting thirty long twenty
four Founders English ship guns) on
her main deck, and twenty-five forty. two
FOUNDERS, caronades, with two long
twenty-iour Founders, on her quarter
leck and forecaslle, howhzor guns in
ler tops, and a travelling carrm,ade on
lcr upper deck, with n complement oil
our hundred and seventy eight picked
DeD.
"The enemy has suffered much in
nasts, rigging, and hull, above and be-
ow water. Her loss in killed and
Wounded | am not aware Of; but ] know
lieutenant aud six men have been
brown overheard.
JNo. S. CARDEv.
"To J. w. Croker, Esq, Admiralty"
Lord Churchill sen, the above letter,
With list of The killed aud wounded an-
exed, to inform my mother that the
nne of her son was not among the
umher The act shows how much he
ould sympaihize with a mothers feel
ngs.