The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-11-10

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now hauled up, passing to the north
ward of the ships in sight. At day.
light another vessel was observed.
The American frigate now had four of
the enemy in chase-one on each quar-
ter and two astern. They were the
squadron before referred to viz: Males
tic, Endymion, Pomone and Tenedos,
the ship nearest the President being
the former vessel. The Majestic fired
two or three broadsides, without doing
any injury. ia
The wind was light and variable
during the forenoon, and the English
ships, with the exception of the Endy-
mion, were gradually dropped astern.
The Endymion-a twenty-four pound
frigate, as was also the President
however, had closed with the Ameri-
can frigate, and an effort was made to
improve the sailing of the latter, by
throwing over some of the heavy stores
with which she was deeply laden for a
long cruise. The air at thistime was very
light and nearly aft But about p.
M. a change in the wind occurred which
gave great advantage to the Endy-
mion; it continued light with the
American frigatez while the enemy's
squadron was coming down with fresh
breeze, within range, and opened fire
with her bow guns; the President re-
piled with her stern chasers, the object
of each being to cripple his antagonist.
1t was remarked on board the Presi-
dent that her shot were thrown with so
little momentum, that they could be
traced with the eye until they struck
No great damage, however, was suf-
fered by either ship during this stern
chase. ..s -; ,6.aa.
1t was not until five p. NJ, when the
Endymion had so far gained on the
American ship as to be on her lee quar-
ter, that the cannonade became at all
effective. The President could not
bring gun to bear, while she was her.
self subjected to a severe fire within
point blank range, which did great
damage aloft. The American COM
nander entertained the expectation
that his enemy would range up along
side, and lay the President aboard ;
but Captain Hope was not disposed to
surrender any of the advantages which
the wind had given him. His purpose
was to cripple the American ship, and
thus insure her capture for his con-
sorts, the ;Pomone and Tenedos, were
not very far astern, and were fast COM
ing up. The Endymion, accordingly,
by yawing, maintained her position of
safety to herself, and annoyance to the
President.
Escape by flight had now become
hopeless, and Commodore Decatur re-
solved to make the effort of laying him.
self aboard the Endymion, and carrying
that ship in a handto hand fight, go off
with her, leaving his own ship with the
enemy in exchange. With this object
in view, the helm of the President was
put up, which brought her head to the
southwark, the wind being aft. But
the Endymion kept away at the same,
time, and the two ships coming abeam
of each other, delivered their broad
sides. The attempts Of the President
to close were unsuccessful, as her an
tagonist sheered away whenever she
began to haul near. The Endymion
being the fastest vessel, was enabled to
accept or refuse close combat, rs she
might elect. Com. Decatur seeing that
he could not get alongside his enemy,
as long as the latter chose to avoid him
resorted to the only plan left, which of
fered possible chance for escape. He
directed his efforts to crippling the En-
dymion, and throw her out of action,
giving the President chance to escape
the squadron. The President was,
therefore, kept dead before. the wind,
the two ships running parallel lines,
and both maintaining heavy fire for
two and a-half hours. aa
The English ship suffered in this can
nonade very severely, being so much
cut up aloft that she fell astern, while
the American ship was under royal
stndding- sails, and in condition to
choose a position which would have
soon compelled the former to surrender.
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 easterly, to avoid a
force SO superior. Accordingly, the
American frigate hauled up, coming,
as she did so, under the broadside of
her now silent and disabled antagonist.
The President ran off southeast, but
in consequence of the injuries she had
received, while on the bar and during
an action of nearly ten hours, the ene-
my were enabled to close. At IL P.
NJ, the Pomone had placed herself on
the weather bow of the American frig-
ate, from W which position she poured in
broadside; the Tenedos was closing
on the quarter, and the Majestic was
within gun-sllot. astern. The Presi-i
dent was of course obliged to submit,
which she did to the squadron. Com.
Decatur delivered his sword to the
commander of the Majestic, the senior
officer present.
The British press, at the time, claim
ed that the President had been captur-
ed by the Endymion, but the facts did
not admit of caviI. The fire of the
American ship had not only silenced
her antagonist, but had so crippled her
aIoft, that she was completely disabled
for all the purposes of combat, while