Newark post., 1910-07-06

France at war with each other made |
existence miserable for neutrals. and
finally Congress passed law authoriz-
ing american war ships to capture |
French cruisers The redress proved
effective: for the two countries Iha.
had united TO establish the indepepd- |
ence oi the american colonies, con
cluded that it was high time to ter
inmate hostilities and be at peace. On
July II, W., Commodore John Rod
gers was born in Hartford county.
Maryland. Entering The navy he
first came into prominence in connec-
ton with the capture of the French
frigatc L'lnsurgeHte. by the American
frigate Constellation. The battle was
fought off the West Indies on Febru-
ary 9, l7oo. When the Frenchman
lowered his colors Commodore Trux-
tun sent First Litutenant John Rod
gers and Midshipman David Porter
with eleven seamen to board the prize
and superintend the transfer oi the
prisoners. While thus engaged heavy
storm accompanied by intense dark
ness arose and separated the two FIJI
gates. Imagine the plight of the thir.
teen Americans, who were obliged to
guard i73 prisoners and at the same
time navigate a badly crippled ship
But Rodgers was a man of remark
able physical strength and courage
and Porter was equally resolute. The
prisoners were ordered to the hold,
| and two American sailors with cooked
| pistols stood guard, ready to shoot
down the first man who dared to show
his face at the hatchings For three
days the americans endured the strain
without being able to get wink of
! sleep, until they made the port OF St.
Kits. Perhaps this feat wcs respon-
sible for Rodgers promotion TO be
captain. y brilliant naval ca. eer ap-
peared to be opening to him, espec-
tally as war with Great Britain was
inevitable. And he had tht honor Cf
firing the first shot cf the war OF 1912
As the ranking officer % squadron
consisting of the President. the United
States. the Congress. the Hornet and
the Argus. he set sail IRON New York
on June 81, 1912, his object being to
intercept a fleet OF British merchant
men sailing from Jamaica On the
23rd the squadron sighted and gave
chase to the British frigate Be,vidcra,
whose crew had not heard the declar-
alton OF war. \ little after o'clock
i'll the afternoon the President, BY
superior sailing, drew up within strik-
ing distance OF the Belvidera, where
upon Commodore Rodgers aimed and
fired the first gun, the ball striking the
stern OF the British irigate Shots
were exchanged between the two fri
gates, the President edGing closer
and closer to the enemy. when an un-
fortunate accident occurred on the
President. One of her 24-s burst.
| killing two men and wounding several
others, among whom was the Commo-
dore, who was thrown violently to
: the deck, the fall breaking leg TAX
, ing advantage OF the confusion the
, Belvidere fired Jew parting shots
into the President, and by tightening
managed to draw off and escape in the
darkness. That piece of misfortune
= marked the beginning of series ot
5 failures that Acknowledgements through
I out the war Try as he would, he
1 could never lay his ship alongside o
= an enemy, and all his efforts to cap.
4 .ture iBritisl merchantmen likewise
failed He had the i'll fortune to com
{ mand the President, whose reputation
I
h peake. But he persstently stuck tc
: his duty, devoted TO his country ant
v rejoicing i'll the success of the irfan
0 navy. even though the most that h,
II contributed towards its success wa
N the capture of the British book o
private signals and Instructions, there
c by putting American commanders OF
y guard against British squadrons: 10
n the captured book gave the list oi tn
II British cruisers stationed on tn
l. American coast. 1t was no fault OF hi
l. that he was not given new com
|, mand, for as the war progressed but
r few American frigates were able t,
slip by the blockading squadrons, an,
v those whose frigates were capture,
II by men who had actually met an
d triumphed over the enemy. Aiter tn
l. war Rodgers was appointed Presden
o OF the Board of Naval Commissioner
t. and served in that capacity for twenty
h noe years. He died in Philadelphi
i August Ist, 1888, at the age of o..
81 w T pnMA NJ