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Washington, District Of Columbia
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Commodore Stephen Decatur's letter to the Secretary of the Navy on March 6, 1815, provides details on the January 1815 capture of USS President by British squadron, including enemy ship roles, his parole, and commendations for medical staff and wounded Midshipman Renard Dale.
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In my official letter of the 18th January, I omitted to state, that a considerable number of my killed and wounded was from the fire of the Pomone, and that the Endymion had on board, in addition to her own crew, one Lieutenant, one Master's-mate, and 50 men belonging to the Saturn, and when the action ceased, was left motionless and unmanageable until she bent new sails, rove new rigging and fished her spars, nor did she rejoin the squadron for six hours after the action, and three hours after the surrender of the President. My sword was delivered to Capt. Hayes, of the Majestic, the senior officer of the squadron, on his quarter-deck, which he with great politeness immediately returned I have the honor to enclose you my parole, by which you will perceive the British admit that the President was captured by the squadron. I should have deemed it unnecessary to have drawn your attention to this document, had not the fact been stated differently by the Bermuda Gazette on our arrival there, which statement, however, the editor was compelled to retract through the interference of the Governor and some of the British officers of the squadron.
The great assiduity of Dr. Trevett and Surgeon's Mates Dix and Wickes, to the wounded, merit the highest approbation. The only officer badly wounded is Midshipman Renard Dale, who lost a leg, a circumstance to be particularly regretted, as he is a young man possessed of every quality to make a distinguished officer.
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Location
At Sea, New York, Bermuda
Event Date
18th January 1815
Story Details
Decatur corrects omissions in his prior report on the USS President's capture by British squadron, details enemy ship conditions and reinforcements, describes sword surrender and return, encloses parole admitting squadron capture, notes retraction of false Bermuda Gazette report, and praises medical staff while regretting Midshipman Dale's leg loss.