The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-11-04
Admiral Hope--A "Reminiscences
of the War in 1912.


war with England in consequence of the
connection of Admiral Hope with both
affairs. The President was captured by a
British squadron off New Yor k, in Janu-
airy, 1915, one Of the ships being the frig-
ate Endymion, commanded by Captain
Hope, who as Admiral, was recently re-
pulsed 50 severely by the Chinese at Pei
The President was captured under the
following circumstances:
A small American squadron, consisting
Of the President IA guns Commodore
Decatur; the Peacock (1e guns Captain
Warrington; the Hornet (1S) Capt Bid
die, and a store ship, was collected in New
York in the fall Of 1914, destined for a
cruise to the East Indies. The squadron
did not get to sea until the middle Of Jan
uary, 1915, at which time a British force,
the Majestic ga, the Endymion 40 the
Pomone (36), and the Tenedos (3S), was
stationed off New York harbor, watching
the American vessels
\ heavy gale, on the 18Th, had driven
the enemy's ships to the southwark, and
on the 18th, at night. Commodore Decatur
dropped down to Sandy Hook with the
Pre:ident alone, intending. to run off tie
coast before the British ships could get
back to their station. The night was very
dark, and in attempting 20 cross the bar,
the pilot missed the channel, running the
ship on the sands, where She Law beating
heavily for two hours. At the top Of the
tide however; the frig.,te was forced into
deep water. BY this uutorfanate and ILL
timed miahap, the President was a GOOD
deal injure bat it was Impossible to return,
and Commodore Decatur determined to
run OFT to the uorthward and eastward
along tho land to avoid the enemy's squad
ron; winch might, at any moment, be ex
pected irow the leoward position; to which
It had been driven on the day previous
The ships head was according put to the
northward and eastward, on which course
she run for five hours, when she was head
ed 5. +. by f. About 5, on the following
morning a strange sail was made ahead
and within gun shot, and soon after two
other sails were made The President now
hauled up, passing to the northward Of the
ships in sight At day light another vessel
was ohscrued. The American frigatc had
no four enemies in cAase-ore on each
quarter ami ,wo astern They were the
squadron before referred TO viz. tho Ma-
jestlc, llndynion, pomone, aud Tenedos,
the ship nearest the President being the
former vessel. The Majestic fired two or
three broadeides, without doing any in
jury.
The wind was light and variable during
The afternoon, and the English ships, with
the exception Of the Endymion, were gra
duaIy dropped asgern. The Endymion-
twenty four FOUNDER frigate, as was also
the President-howcyes, had closed with
the American frigate, and an effort was
made to improve the sailing of the latter,
by throwing over some Of the heavy ores
with which she was heavily laden for
long cruise. The air was at this time very
light and nearly aft But about p II. a
change in the wind occurred which gave a
great advantage to the Endymion, it con
tinued light with the American frigate
while the enemy's squadron was coming
down with a fresh breeze, Soon after )
the Endymion got within range, and open
ed fire with her bow guns; the President
replied with hey stern chasers, the object
Of each being to cripple its antagonist. 1t
was remarked on board the President that
her shot were thrown with so little mo-
mentum, that they could be traced with
The eye until they struck. No great dam
age, however, was sustained by either
ship during the stern chase. 1t was not
until five j. NJ that the Endymion had
SO far gained on the American ship as to
be on her lee quarter, that the cannonaJe
became ct nil effective. The President
could not bring gun to bear, while she
was herself subjected to a severe fire with
in point blank range, which lid great dam
age aloft.
Tie American commander entertained
the expectation that his enemy would
range up alongside and lay the Presiden.
aboard, but Captain Hope was not dis
posed TO surrender any Of the advantages
which the wind had given him, His pur-
pose was to cripple the American ship, and
thus insure her capture; for his consorts,
the Pomone and Tenedos, were not very
far astern, and were fast coming up. The
Endymiou, accordingly by yawing, main
tained here position of safety, to herself
and annoy ance TO the President Escape
By flight had now become hopeless. and
Commodore Decatur resolved TO make the
effort Of laying himself aboard the Endy
mion, and carving that ship in a hand to
hand fight, 90 off with her, leaving bis