The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-11-04

dent chance to escape from the squadron
The President was therefore kept dead be-
fore the wind, the two ships running par
allel lines, aud both maintaining heavy
fire for two and a half hours. The Eng
lish ship suffered in this cannonade very
severely, being so much cut up aloft that
she fell as;ern, while the American ship
was under royal studine sails, and in a
condition to chose position which would
have soon compelled the former to surren-
der. BY this time night had set in, and
it was very dark. The enemy's vessels
astern were in sight and the President was
Obliged TO resume her course easterlv, to
avoid a force SO superior. Accordingly,
the American fGigat was hauled up, com
ing rs she did SO, under the broadside of
her now silent antagonist. The President
run of southeast, but in consequence Of
tue Injuries which she had received while
on and during an action ofnearIy ten hours
the enemy were enabled to close At II
L. NJ. the Pomone had placed herself on
the weather bow Of the American frigate,
tIom which position she poured in broad
side; the Ienedos was closing on the quar-
ter, and the Majestic was within gunshot
as:en The President was of course oblip-
ed to submit, which she did to the squad
ron. Captain Decatua delivered his sword
to the commander Of the Majestic, the sen
lor officer present.
Tie British press, at the time, claimed
that the President had been captured by
the Endyfnion, but the facts did not admit
nf h., =, Il
had not only slenced her antagonist, bat
had so crippled her aIoft that she was
completely disabled for all the purposes of
combat, while the former was under her
canvass, capable Of taking any position
she might chose. The fact is, that when
the President hauled up to escape from
the Endymlon' three consorts, the British
irigate was af the mercy of her American
antagonist. The former did not fire a gun
at the latter, after she passed out of the
tight to get away from the Pomone and
Ienedos, and these last named frigates, in
the pursuit of the American frigate, left
the End ymion far astern. Indeed, when
the Pomone opened her fire on the Presi
dent, the End ynon was long wav out of
range, and did not, in consequence of her
disabled condition, rejoin the squadron un-
til many hours after the action had ternli.
mated.
The British navy never had cause to
feel ashamed Of its cooduct in battle when
defeated by American arms British ships
had always been defended with conspicu-
Gus yalor; bat to be beaten at all at sea,
was most mcrt.ty lng, and the press OF
England was ingenious, not to say unscru-
pulous, in the invention of excuses for dis
asters and magnifying victories. The cap
ture of the President is a case in point. 1t
was, for time, boldly asserted, that the
American ship was taken by single fri
gate of equal force, and the British govern
meut endorsed the Misrepresentation, by
nestowing upon Captain Hope The medals
Of victory That officer fought his ship
with gallartry, but he could not Justly
claim to be victor over the President; his
ship lay disabled, out Of gunshot when the
American ship yielded to the superior
force, which almost encircled her.
An old British admiral once rcbuked
some young officers, who were exulting
over the capture of the President. 'Bah,"
said the just old veteran, she was mobbed.'
Courier.