“Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Court,– By my letter to Vice-Admiral Sawyer, and the narrative of the principal officers, I trust that you will be satisfied that every exertion was used in defending the ship, as long as there was the smallest prospect of resistance being useful. In my letter, I mention the boarders being called: it was my intention, after having driven back the enemy, to have boarded in return; and in consequence I ordered the first Lieutenant down on the main-deck to send every body up from the guns; but finding his deck filled with men, and every preparation made to receive us, it would have been almost impossible to succeed. I therefore ordered the men down again to their quarters, and desired Mr. Kent to direct part of his attention to the main-deck, the second Lieutenant being killed. The main-mast fell without being struck by a single shot, the heart of the mast being decayed; and it was carried away solely by the weight of the fore-mast[1]. Though every thing was was done, we could not succeed in getting the ship under command; and, on the enemy wearing round to rake us, without our being able to make any resistance, and after having used every exertion, to the best of my abilities, I found myself obliged to order the colours to be struck; which nothing but the unmanageable state of the ship (she lying a perfect wreck) could ever have induced me to do, conceiving it was my duty not to sacrifice uselessly the lives of the men, without any prospect of success, or of benefit to their country.
“On the larboard side about thirty shot had taken effect, nearly five sheets of copper down; the mizen-mast had knocked a large hole under her starboard counter, and she was so completely shattered, that the enemy found it impossible to refit her sufficiently to attempt carrying her into port, and they set fire to her as soon as they could get the wounded out. What considerably weakened my quarters was, permitting the Americans belonging to the ship to quit their guns, on the enemy hoisting the colours of that nation, which, though it deprived me of the men, I thought it was my duty to do.
“I felt much shocked, when on board the Constitution, to find a large proportion of British seamen among her crew, many of whom I recognized as having been foremost in the attempt to board.
“Notwithstanding the unlucky issue of the affair, such confidence have I in the exertions of the officers and men who belonged to the Guerrière, and I am so aware that the success of my opponent was owing to fortune, that it is my earnest wish, and it would be the happiest period of my life, to be once more opposed to the Constitution, with them under my command, in a frigate of similar force to the Guerrière.
“I cannot help noticing, that the attachment of the ship’s company in general to the service of their King and Country, reflects on them the highest credit; for though every art was used to encourage them to desert,- ↑ The main-mast had been struck by lightning some months previous to the action.
