Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-10-21
a Trick Of War.


tally got possession of some Of the sig
nails of the British navy, which he put
into the hands of Commodore Rodgers;
and he thus concludes his article:
Soon after the conclusion of peace, d.
ming with Commodore Rodgers, at his
house in Washington, he related to ne
the following circumstance, which give
nearly in his own words
1 acknowledged the receipt Of your
letter, he observed, "and was determin.
ed to have the signals made on board,
and to try the experiment, none of my
officers understanding for what purpose
they were intended. I cruised some time
without meeting an enemy, until one af-
ternOOn We fell in with a schooner. We
hOisted the British ensign, which was
answered by displaying another, aud at
the same time signal at her maintop-
gallant and masthead, which immedi-
ately discovered was like one of those
you had given me. From the list of
English frigates, selected the number
of the Sea Horse, one of their largest
class, and known to be on our cost, and
hOisted it. She bore down at once and
came under our stern; ordered her to
heave to, and I would send a boat on
board of her.
This order was Obeyed, and I des-
patched lieutenant to bring her signal
book enjOining on him and the crew, the
strictest secrecy respecting our character.
He was politely received by the captain,
whose schooner proved to be the "High-
flyer" Our lieutenants coat attracted
his attention, not being of the latest
London fashion, although the crown and
anchor was on the button; but casting
his eye on the frigate, seeing the British
ensign, and now and then the red coat of
a marine appearing above the hammock
netting, his mind was apparently set at
rest.
The lieutenant informed him that he
was requested to bring his signal book
on board the Sea Horse, in order to have
some alterations made, as there was a
rumor that the Yankees had possession
of something ike the signals, and it was
therefore necessary to change the num-
Der. This ruse had the desired effect,
and our lieutenant returned with the
book, which placed me in command of
the tchole correspondence of the British
Nary. I then sent the gig for the cap
tain, requesting him to come on board
and bring any dispatches he might have
in charge.
"On reaching our deck he seemed sur
prised at the size of the vessel, praised
her cleanliness, and the order in which
everything appeared; admired the red
coats of the marines, and on being invi-
ted into the cabin, handed me bundle
of dispatches for Admiral Warren, who,
he observed, must be within forty miles
to leward. I ordered refreshments, and
in company with several of my officers,
we entered into general conversation.
Il asked him what object Admiral
Warren had in cruising in that neighbor-
hood? He said, to intercept American
privateers and merchantmen, but partic-
ularly to catch Commodore Rodgers, who
he understood ,had command of one of
the largest and fastest sailing frigates in
the American Navy! I inquired of him
what kind of a man this Rodgers was,
and if he had ever seen him? He said
no; but he had understood that he was
an odd character, and rather hard to
catch. After conversing on several 9TH
er subjects, abruptly put this question
to him:
"Sir, do you know what vessel you are
on board Of?'
"Why, yes, sir, be replied, "on board
his Majesty's ship Sea Horsel
Then, sir, you labor under very
great mistake. You are on board the
United States t1ligate President, and I am
Commodore Rodgers, AZ your service"
"The dying dolphin never assumed
greater variety of cOlOrs than did this
poor fellows race "Sir," said he, ''you
are disposed to be humorous, and must
be joking" I assured him it was no
joke, and to satisfy him on that head,
handed him my commission. At the
same moment the band struck up Yam
kee Doodle, on our quarter deck; on
reaching which, he saw the American
ensign flying, the red coats of the ma
rines turned blue, and the crown-and-
anchor button metamOrphosed into the
eagle.
"This affair."" observed the Commo-
dore, "was of immense importance to
our country. We obtained in full the
British signals; the operations of Admi-
raj Warren, by the non-receipt of his
dispatches, we're destroyed for the sea-
son; and it probably saved the frigate,