The Enquirer

Copy of a letter from Com. Decatur to the Secretary of the Navy, dated H. B. M. ship Endymion, at sea, January 18, 1815.

SIR,

The painful duty of detailing to you the particular causes which preceded & led to the capture of the late U. S. Frigate President, by a squadron of his Britannic Majesty's ships, (as per margin) has devolved upon me. In my communication of the 14th, I made known to you my intention of proceeding to sea on that evening. Owing to some mistake of the Pilots, the ship in going out grounded on the bar, where she continued to strike heavily for an hour and a half; although she had broken several of her rudder-braces, and had received such other material injury as to render her return into port desirable, I was unable to do so from the strong westerly wind which was then blowing. It being now high water, it became necessary to force her over the bar before the tide fell; in this we succeeded by 10 o'clock, when we shaped our course along the shore of Long-Island for 50 miles, and then steered S. E. by E. At 5 o'clock, three ships were discovered ahead -we immediately hauled up the ship and passed two miles to the northward of them. At day-light, we discovered 4 ships in chase, one on each quarter and two astern, the leading ship of the enemy, a razee--she commenced a fire upon us, but without effect. At meridian, the wind became light and baffling, we had increased our distance from the Razee, but the next ship astern, which was also a large ship, had gained and continued to gain upon us, considerably ; we immediately occupied all hands to lighten ship by starting water, cutting away the anchors, throwing overboard provisions, cables, spare spars, boats, and every article that could be got at, keeping the sails wet from the royals down. At 3, we had the wind quite light ; the enemy, who had now been joined by a brig, had a strong breeze, and were coming up with us rapidly. The Endymion, (mounting 50 guns, 24 pounders on the main-deck) had now approached us within gun-shot, and had commenced a fire with her bow guns, which we returned from our stern. At 5 o'clock, she had obtained a position on our starboard quarter, within half point blank shot, on which neither our stern or quarter guns would bear ; we were now steering E. by N. the wind N. W. I remained with her in this position for half an hour, in the hope that she would close with us on our broad-side, in which case I had prepared my crew to board, but from his continuing to yaw his ship to maintain his position. it became evident that to close was not his intention. Every fire now cut some of our sails or rigging. To have continued our course under these circumstances. would have been placing it in his power to cripple us, without being subject to injury himself, and to have hauled up one to the northward to bring our stern guns to bear, would have exposed us to his raking fire. It was now dusk, when I determined to alter my course south, for the purpose of bringing the enemy abeam, and although their ships astern were drawing up fast, I felt satisfied I should be enabled to throw him out of the combat before they could come up, and was not without hopes, if the night proved dark, (of which there was every appearance) that I might still be enabled to effect my escape. Our opponent kept off at the same instant we did, and our fire commenced at the same time. We continued engaged, steering south, with studding-sails set, two hours and a half, when we completely succeeded in dismantling her. Previously to her dropping entirely out of the action, there were intervals of minutes, when the ships were broadside and broadside, in which she did not fire a gun. At this period, (half past 8 o'clock) although dark, the other ships of the squadron were in sight, and almost within gun-shot. We were of course compelled to abandon her. In resuming our former course, for the purpose of avoiding the squadron, we were compelled to present our stern to our antagonist -but such was his state, though we were thus exposed, and within range of his guns for half an hour, that he did not avail himself of this favorable opportunity of raking us. We continued this course until 11 o'clock, when two fresh ships of the enemy. (the Pomona and Tenedos) had come up. The Pomona had opened her fire on the larboard bow, within musket shot ; the other about two cables' length astern, taking a raking position on our quarter ; and the rest (with the exception of the Endymion) within gun-shot. Thus situated, with about one-fifth of my crew killed and wounded, my ship crippled, and a more than four-fold force opposed to me, without a chance of escape left, I deemed it my duty to surrender.

It is with emotions of pride I bear testimony to the gallantry and steadiness of every officer and man I had the honor to command on this occasion. and I feel satisfied that the fact of their having beaten a force equal to themselves, in the presence and almost under the guns of so vastly a superior force, when, too, it was almost self-evident, that whatever their exertions might be, they must ultimately be captured, will be taken as evidence of what they would have performed, had the force opposed to them been in any degree equal.

It is with extreme pain I have to inform you that Lieuts. Babbit. Hamilton and Howell fell in the action. They have left no officers of superior merit behind them.

If, sir, the issue of this affair had been fortunate, I should have felt it my duty to have recommended to your attention, Lieuts. Shubrick and Gallagher. They maintained throughout the day, the reputation they had acquired in former actions.

Lieut. Twiggs, of the marines, displayed great zeal, his men were well supplied, and their fire incomparable, so long as the enemy continued within musket range.

Midshipman Randolph. who had charge of the forecastle division, managed it to my entire satisfaction.

From Mr. Robinson, who was serving as a volunteer. I received essential aid, particularly after I was deprived of the services of the master, and severe loss I had sustained in my officers on the quarter-deck.

Of our loss in killed and wounded I am unable at present to give you a correct statement; the attention of the Surgeon being so entirely occupied with the wounded, that he was unable to make out a correct return when I left the President, nor shall I be able to make it until our arrival in port, we having parted company with the squadron yesterday.

The enclosed list, with the exception, I fear, of its being short of the number, will be found correct.

For 24 hours after the action, it was nearly calm, and the squadron were occupied in repairing the crippled ships. Such of the crew of the President as were not badly wounded, were put on board the different ships; myself and a part of my crew, were put on board this ship. On the 17th, we had a gale from the eastward, when this ship lost her bowsprit, fore and main-masts, and mizen top-mast, all of which were badly wounded, and was in consequence of her disabled condition, obliged to throw overboard all of her upper deck guns; her loss in killed and wounded must have been very great.

I have not been able to ascertain the extent. Ten were buried after I came on board, (36 hours after the action;) the badly wounded, such as are obliged to keep their cots, occupy the starboard side of the gun deck, from the cabin bulk head to the main-mast.

From the crippled state of the President's spars, I feel satisfied she could not have saved her masts, and I feel serious apprehensions for the safety of our wounded left on board.

It is due to Capt. Hope to state that every attention has been paid by him to myself & officers, that have been placed on board his ship, that delicacy & humanity could dictate.

I have the honor to be, with much respect, sir, your obedient servant,

STEPHEN DECATUR.

The hon. Benj. W. Crowninshield, Secretary of the Navy.

British squadron referred to in the letter :

Majestic, razee
Tenedos
Endymion
Dispatch, brig.
Pomone

List of killed and wounded on board the U. States' Frigate President :

KILLED--Lieuts. F. H. Babbit, A. Hamilton, E. F. Howell: Henry Hill, Samuel Gaines, Samuel De Coster, Hy. Lamphiere, Michael Barton, John Weary, John Briggs, Chas. Conway, Wm. Smith Sd. William Keeler, James Chapman, Geo. W. Swift, Francis Deo, Edward Jones, Amos Peasley, Wm Barrett, Charles Pratt, Thos. Kelley. Andrew Sestrom, Wm. Moore, Aaron Lynn.

WOUNDED--Sailing Master Rogers, Mr. Robinson, Midshipmen Dale and Brewster, Master's mate Parker, Jos. Fitch, Jno. G. Jeffrey, Jas. Nickerson, Wm. Nisbet, Jno. Butler, Wm. Rogers, Alexander Gordon, John Linscot, David Jacob, James Hill, John Regan, John Melville, Samuel Turner, Thos. Gore, D. Lamphiere. Ml. Madder. Ralph Ashwood, Thos. Davis, John Moran, Jas. C. Nicholson, Saml. Davis, Hans. Harvey, Alex. Murray, Stephen Hammond, William Hill, Wm. Eggell, Jas. Mathews, Stewart Griffin, John Keating, John Perry, Jos. Potter, Jno. Paterson, John Haynes, Nathl Dutton, John Meigs, Nathl. Bliffins, Wm. Keys, Adam Hyler. Frs. Joseph, George Coleman, Rhomanty Rhodes, Wm. Smyth, Jacob Darling, John Gore, Jas Anderson, Wm. Davidson, Jos. Tuck, John Ryan, Wm. Williams, Thos Coleman.