The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-04-17


attention to his orders while the en-
emy were in chase. Captain Hull
has great pleasure in saying, that
Notwithstanding the lcugth Of the
chase, and the officers and crew be.
ing deprived of sleep, and allowed
but little rcfrcshment during the time,
not a murmer was heard to escape
them"
CAPTURE OF THE GUERRIEEE.-On
the second day of August, the Con.
stitution again set sail, pursuing an
an castcrly coutsc. She passed near
the coast as far dawn as the Bay of
Funday; then ran off Halifax snd
Capt. Hull stcercd toward Nenw.
foundlarnd, passed the Isle OF Sadcs,
and took Z station off the Calf of St.
Lawrence. to intercept the Canada
trade. While cruising here, he cap
tnred tow merchant vessels. On the
18th, he chased a convoy Of FIVE sail,
captured One of them, and prevented
the prize ship of all American priya-
tccr from being rctakcn. Having re.
cclvcd information that the British
squadron were of the Grand Bank,
and not far distant, he changed his
cruising ground, and stood to the
Southward.
On the memorable 10th Of August,
at two =. NJ. he Constitution being
in latitude, fortyone degrees and fot-
ty-two minutes north, and ffty.hve
degrees ond thirty.three minutes west
Longitude, vessel was discovered to
the southwark. The Constitution in.
stantly made all sailin chase, and soon
gained on her. At three p. N. it could
plainly be perceived she was o ship,
on the starboard tack, under easy
sail, close hauled to the wind. At
half past throc, she was ascertaincd
to be frigate. The Constitution
continued the chase. Atabout three
miles distance, captain al ordered
tho light sails 10 be saa in, 5i,e
70 81 erSaaa ~ n 4 .!sEstlgsSl EEs 4 81 'as 1
now backed her main-top san, and
waited for the Constitution to come
down. AS soon as the Constitution
was ready for action, she bore down,
intending to bring Immediately to
close action the British frigatc, which
had about this time hoisted three
English ensigns i'll token of defiance.
AS soon as the Constitution came with
in gun-shot, the British frigate fired
her broad.side; then filed away, wore,
and gave broad side on the other
tack. They however, produced no
effect, her shot fell short. The Brit.
ish frigatc man9uvrcd and wore sev.
cral times about three quarters of an
hour; in order to obtain raking po-
sition. But not succeeding in this,
she bore up under her top.sails and
jib with the wind on the quarter
Captain Hull Immediately made sail
to bring his ship up with her. AT five
minutes before six, p. NJ, the Con
stitution being along side, within pis-
tol-shot, he ordered brisk firing to
be commenced from all her guns,
which were double -shottcd with round
and grape shot; and so we'll directed
and so warmly kept up was the Amer
lean fire that, in fifteen minutes, the
mizzen,mast of the British frigatc
went by the board, and her main
yard in her slings. Her hull was
much injured; and her rigging and
sails torn to pieces. The fire was
keptnp, in the same spirited manner,
for fifteen minutes longer, by the
Constitution. She had now taken a
position for raking, on the bows of
the British frigate; when the latter
could only bring her bow guns to
bear on the Constitution. The grape
shot and fire arms Of the Constitution
completely swept the decks of the
British frigatc. Thirty minutes after
the commencement OF the acton by
the Constitution, the mainmast and
foromast Of the British frigatc went
by the board, taking with them every
spar except the bowsprit. She then
struck her colors, which had been
fastened TO the stamp Of the mizzcn,
mast. The Constitution then Sc. fore
and mainsails, and hauled tn the
eastward to repair damages. All
her braces, great part of her stand
ing and running rigging, and some
of her spars, were shot away. At
seven 2. NJ. she stood under the lee
of the prize, and sent boat on board.
which returned at eight with Cap.
tain Dacrcs, Commander of the frtg.
ate. She was the Guerricrc, rating
thirty-oight, and mounting forty.nine
guns. The hall of tho Guerricre
was 50 much shattered, that few
more broadsidcs would have sunk her.
She had fifteen men killed, sixty-onc
vnun6cd on1 ywcnI- Cow. ,,;ss;,