the soonest, got an effective raking fire into her enemy.

Both ships now ran off free, wearing again, the English still to windward, though greatly injured. At fifty-five minutes past two, finding his berth too hot, the Englishman attempted to run Old Ironsides aboard, actually getting his jibboom into her mizzen-rigging. In this situation the good old craft punished her bold assailant very severely, nor did she let him get clear until the head of his bowsprit was shot away. Soon after, his foremast came down, and, in passing ahead, the two vessels ran so close together that the stump of the Englishman's bowsprit actually scraped over the Constitution's taffrail. In a moment the Constitution wore, and passing her enemy to leeward, wore again. The Java keeping off, the two ships once more ranged fairly alongside of each other, during which time the Englishman's mizzen-mast came down, leaving nothing standing on board him but his main-mast, and of that, the yard was shot away in the slings.

By this time the Java's fire had ceased, and Bainbridge, supposing her to have submitted, boarded his main-tack, and passed out of the combat, luffing directly athwart his adversary's bows. Standing on, a short distance to windward, the Constitution came to the wind, and passed an hour in securing her masts, and reeving new running-rigging. At the end of that time, an ensign was seen flying on board the Java, when Bainbridge wore short round, and ran down directly across his enemy's forefoot. This evolution was sufficient, and before a gun was fired the English flag was lowered, for the second time, to Old Ironsides!

The prize was the Java, 38, Capt. Lambert, with a large number of supernumeraries in her, bound to the East Indies. Her commander was mortally wounded, but her first lieutenant reported her loss twenty-two killed, and one hundred and two wounded. This was a very severe loss, though Bainbridge thinks it was considerably greater. He says her loss was certainly sixty killed, and one hundred and one wounded. It is probable that more were killed, or died early of their wounds, than were reported by the English, and that fewer were killed than Bainbridge supposed. The English say that the ship's company and supernumeraries amounted to three hundred and seventy-seven souls, while the Americans affirm that they found a muster-roll in the ship, that was made out several days after she had sailed, and which had on it considerably more than four hundred names. All this is of little moment, as

three hundred and seventy-seven men were quite enough for such a ship, no one who understands vessels ever supposing that the Java was equal in force to the Constitution.

It was the manner in which Old Ironsides invariably did her work, that excited the admiration of the knowing. On this occasion she had shot out of her adversary every spar she had (the mainmast coming down before she struck), while she herself could carry royals!

In her action with the Java, the good ship suffered more than she did in her previous engagements. She had nine killed and twenty-five wounded. Among the latter was Bainbridge himself, and Aylwin, the junior lieutenant, the same officer who was wounded in the combat with the Guerriere, died of hurts received in this battle. The ship, herself, was not much injured. Some of her spars were wounded, and a few shots struck her hull; but the great cause of surprise to the Americans was to know where all the enemy's shot had gone.

In consequence of the water's being so smooth, the Java was not much injured below the water-line. She might very well have been taken into port, but the experiment would have been hazardous on many accounts. She was without spars, far from America, the sea was covered with English cruisers, and the nearest countries were much under the control of English influence. Keeping all the circumstances in view Bainbridge removed all his prisoners, and two or three days after the action, he ordered Hoffman to blow up this prize, too, and return to St. Salvador. Here he landed his prisoners, among whom were Lt. Gen. Hyslop, with his staff, and several supernumerary sea officers.

As Old Ironsides rejoined her consort, the Hornet, the utmost anxiety prevailed on board the latter vessel, on the subject of the result of the action. The vessel in company with the Java previously to the battle, was an American prize, which had stood on toward St. Salvador, and fallen into the hands of the Hornet, off the port. Her prize-crew, of course, related the fact, that the Java had left her to engage an American frigate, but could say nothing of the result. Lawrence had great confidence in Old Ironsides, but as he approached her, he kept every thing ready for flight should it be necessary. It could be seen that stoppers were on the standing rigging, and that the ship had been in a warm combat; but where was the prize? It was possible, that the English had got hold of the good old craft, and had sent her in, to decoy the Hornet under her guns. The signals read well, but

the prize-crew of the ship retaken, gave marvellous accounts of the Java, and of her all-powerful, double-jointed crew, and so many men might have been thrown on board our ship, as to have swept her out of our grasp! This feeling prevailed on board the Hornet, until the vessels were near enough to distinguish countenances, when the number of well-known faces that appeared above the Constitution's hammock-cloths settled the matter. Hearty cheers soon proclaimed that it was a meeting between friends. As soon as Lawrence got on board the Constitution, he told Bainbridge that the English sloop-ofwar, in the port, had hove short, and it was thought, intended to come out that night. If such had been the plan, the arrival of Old Ironsides, with the crew of the Java as prisoners, was argument enough to cause it to be abandoned. Willing, however, to give Lawrence a chance, Bainbridge remained as short a time at St. Salvador as possible, sailing for home, Jan. 6th, 1813, and reaching Boston, Feb. 27th.

Old Ironsides carried the news of her own success. No one believed that the capture of an isolated ship, here and there, could have any great influence on the result of the war, in a mere material sense; England had too many frigates, and America too few, for such occurrences to conduce essentially to direct conquests, but indirectly they were of vast weight. The moral effect of Hull's victory cannot readily be estimated. Great it was, beyond all doubt, and here was a second success by the same ship, bringing the vessel itself into the account as particeps gloriæ. Until the return of the Constitution from this cruise, the Constellation had been the champion of the navy. Her two battles in the French war eclipsed any thing else that had been done by any other vessel of her size, then in existence, but the Constellation's exploits would not compare with those of Old Ironsides. The former ship had captured one French frigate, and beaten off another; but the Constitution had taken two Englishmen ! The difference was essential, and considering all things, even the glorious little Enterprise, one of the most successful cruisers to the very last, that ever floated, could scarce be thought to compete with Old Ironsides. Here was the war only seven months old, and, in that brief space, the eyes of the country were drawn on that ship, by the chase, worth a victory any day, and the combats with the Guerriere and the Java! Three such exploits in so short a time, were sufficient to give any ship a name, and the nation had not forgotten the achievements of Preble before Tripoli.

It seemed to make no difference who commanded, the old barky was always successful; always in harm's way, and always getting out of the scrape with credit. Preble, Hull, or Bainbridge; each, and all had been victorious on the decks of this staunch old ship. Jack began to think that if he wanted a victory and prize-money, he had only to ship on board Old Ironsides.

There was one singular exception to the rule, however, which it may be well to mention. One of the Hornet's lieutenants, Mr. Ballard, was anxious to share in the luck of Old Ironsides, after the capture of the Java, while Lawrence was willing to try the luck of John Shubrick, who had now been in the chase and the two battles, and an exchange was made, off the port of St. Salvador. Both parties may be said to have succeeded, in a certain sense; for John Shubrick was in the Hornet, when she took the Peacock, and Ballard, by sticking to his new ship, subsequently shared in her honors.

A new commander was now given to the Constitution, in the person of Charles Stewart, Bainbridge being transferred to a ship of the line then building. Some other changes also took place among her superior officers. Henry E. Ballard became her first lieutenant, Parker having been promoted and attached to the Siren. John Shubrick had left the ship off St. Salvador, and did not return to her; but his brother, William Branford Shubrick, was transferred from the Constellation, Stewart's last ship, to Old Ironsides. Mr. Hunter also was attached to her. Hoffman stuck to the old craft, going through the whole war in her, and sharing in all her honors. Morgan quitted her also. The crew was principally transferred, and a new one was shipped. When the ship was ready to sail, which was not until the ensuing winter, in consequence of the extensive repairs she required, her lieutenants were as follows, viz. :-H. Ballard, 1st; B. V. P. Hoffman, 2d; W. B. Shubrick, 3d; Hunter, 4th; Winter, 5th; Taylor, 6th; the two last, acting. Hickson was the sailing-master. The present General Henderson commanded her marine guard.

When Stewart had got a new crew, and was ready to go out, it was already winter. The ship shaped her course for the West Indies, old cruising ground for both vessel and commander, passing along our own coast. In this cruise Old Ironsides had no action, though she came near engaging a frigate off the Mona Passage, which was afterwards ascertained to be La Pique, 36. The English vessel got off in the night, by running through the Mona

passage. She captured a vessel of war, however, in the Pictou, a schooner of 14 guns. Following the coast, Capt. Stewart returned to Boston. As he reached the capes, he fell in with the Juno, 38, and Tenedos. 35, both under the orders of Capt. Upton, which vessels pushed him hard, chasing him into Marblehead. After remaining a short time in this port, the frigate went out and proceeded to Boston, giving the blockading force the slip.

Dec. 17th, 1814, Ironsides went out again with Stewart, and substantially the same set of officers and men. She now went off Bermuda, thence viâ Madeira into the Bay of Biscay. England was now at peace with all the world but America. From the Bay of Biscay the old barky went off Lisbon to look for Englishmen, and came near chasing an English 74 up to the rock. This ship, the Elizabeth, hearing in Lisbon that the good craft was off the coast, came out immediately in quest of her, but the bird had flown. While off Lisbon, a large ship was run alongside of, in the night, and after some hailing, two or three shot were fired into her, to compel answers, when it was ascertained she was a Portuguese.

Defeated in his hopes of finding any thing where he was, and quite aware of the imprudence of staying long in any one place, Feb. 20th, Stewart up helm and stood off to the southward and westward, for twenty or thirty leagues. At 1 P. M. of that very day, a stranger was made on the larboard bow, and to leeward. The Constitution hauled up a little and made sail in chase. It was not long before another vessel was seen to leeward of the first, which, at 2 P. M., was made out to be a ship. All three vessels were now standing on the same tack, on bowlines, gradually nearing each other. At 4 P. M., the nearest of the strangers up helm and ran down to speak his consort, which was the commanding vessel, as it appeared in the end. Seeing this, Old Ironsides squared away in chase, setting every thing that would draw, alow and aloft. For an hour or more the two weathermost ships were thus running off, nearly dead before the wind, while the most leewardly vessel was luffing to close.

It may render the relation more clear if we at once say, that the two strangers proved to be the Cyane, 20, and Levant, 18. British vessels of war; the former mounting 34, and the latter 22 guns. The Cyane was commanded by Capt. Falcon, and the Levant by the Hon. Capt. Douglas, a son of Lord Douglas, who was the child that gave rise to the celebrated "Douglas cause," at the close of the last century.

Stewart could see that the nearest vessel was frigate-built, and had reason to suppose that both were enemy's ships of war. They had made signals to each other, and the ship to leeward soon ran off before the wind also, but under short canvas, to allow her consort to close. It is now understood that the ship to windward had signalled to the commanding vessel, an American frigate which was "superior to one, but inferior to us both," and that Capt. Douglas kept away under the impression that a night action might enable him to get some advantage in manoeuvering. Stewart, who could not know this, supposed their object was to escape, and he crowded on his old craft until her main-royal mast came down. The chase gained after this accident.

At half-past five the two English ships were so near together that it was impossible to prevent a junction, and Old Ironsides, then rather more than a league distant from them, began to strip and clear for battle. A few minutes later, the Englishmen passed within hail of each other; soon after which they both hauled by the wind, with their heads to the northward, and shortened sail. It was evident they were clearing ship and intended to fight. As Old Ironsides was travelling towards them all this time, they soon fancied themselves in a state to weather on her, and both, at the same instant, set their main courses, and made all other sail in a tautbowline. But it would not do; the good old craft was too much in earnest to be out-manoeuvered in this wise, but came down so fast that in a few minutes they hauled up their courses again, and formed in line, the commanding ship, or the Levant, leading. At 6 P. M., Stewart let the enemy see the stars and stripes for the first time. On this hint the English set their own ensigns, and, five minutes later, Ironsides ranged up abeam of the Cyane, distant about a cable's, length, passing ahead with her sails lifting, until the three vessels lay about equi-distant from each other. In this masterly position the Constitution let fly her first broadside, receiving those of her enemies.

For about a quarter of an hour the firing was very warm and unremitted, but at the end of that time, the enemy grew less active in his cannonading. Stewart now ordered his people to stand fast and let the smoke rise from the surface of the water, in order to get a better view of the state of things to the leeward. In a very few minutes this was obtained, and it was found that the Levant lay directly under the frigate's lee, while the Cyane was luffing to cross her wake, if possible. Old Ironsides now let the ship

abeam have all her guns, and then backed astern, as if plying in a tides-way, and compelled the Cyane to keep off to avoid being raked. As it was, she got it abeam. The Levant was not idle, but, in her turn, she now luffed and tried to tack, in order to cross the frigate's forefoot, but the busy old craft was too nimble for her. Filling every thing, Stewart shot ahead, forced the sloop of war to wear, under a raking broadside, in order to keep clear of him, and to run off to leeward to get out of the range of his shot. The Cyane, perceiving the state of things, wore ship, when the Constitution came round too, and so quick as to rake this adversary, as she came by the wind. The Englishman came up as high as he could and fired his broadside, but, finding Old Ironsides closing on his weather quarter, he hauled down his ensign. Hoffman immediately took possession of him. As soon as this was done, Stewart went to look for the Levant.

In running to leeward, Capt. Douglas had no intention of abandoning his consort. He had found his berth too warm, and very wisely got out of it, as fast as he could; but having repaired his most material damages, as well as he was able, he had hauled up to look for her.

He met the Constitution about nine, there having been an intermission in the combat, of some duration, in consequence of this separation. The Levant knew nothing of the fate of the Cyane, and her commander probably thought the Yankee was running away from her, when he thus met him. Each vessel brought the wind abeam, and they crossed each other, on opposite tacks, firing in passing. The Levant was satisfied this would never do, but up helm and tried to escape. Old Ironsides followed, firing her chase guns with great deliberation and effect. Captain Douglas soon saw that every shot struck him and raked him, and he came by the wind, and fired a gun to leeward, in token that he gave it up. Shubrick was sent to take possession.

This combat was remarkable for its brilliant manoeuvering. It is seldom that one vessel can fight two, at the same time, without being raked. This Stewart did, however, not only escaping from all the attempts of the enemy to get this advantage over him, but actually raking both of his adversaries, each in his turn. Taking the evolutions all together, it would not be easy to find an action in which a ship was better handled. Nor did the enemy neglect his duty. Old Ironsides was several times hulled, and her loss was three killed and twelve wounded. The English loss is uncertain, no English report of the ac

tion having been made, and there being supernumeraries in each ship. Forty-two wounded were found in the two ships, and the slain have been variously computed at, from thirty-five, down to ten or twelve. No officer was hurt on board the Constitution. This action, it will be remembered. was fought in the night, though there was a moon for a part of the time. The light of the moon proved of great service to one poor fellow. In the heat of the combat, a man at one of the forecastle guns fell, at the precise moment when a shot entered near him. He was reported dead, and an order was given to pass the body across the deck, and to throw it overboard. A midshipman and two men were thus employed, but were baffled in endeavouring to pass the shoulders through a port. The midshipman sprang over into the fore-chains to assist, when he saw some muscles of the supposed dead man's face twitching, and he ordered the body drawn back, and passed below to the surgeons. Before the Levant struck, the man was back at his gun, fighting as well as the rest of them. He was subject to fits and had fallen in one, but recovered in time to return to his quarters. The story should be told, as a warning against haste in such cases. Thousands are buried alive, on shore, and living men are sometimes committed to the deep in the hurry of seafights.

Stewart went to Port Praya, with his prizes, arriving there on the 10th March. In the mean time Ballard had been put in the Levant as prize-master, as due to his rank, and Shubrick went back to the frigate, acting as her first lieutenant. This change was not made, however, until the last came near losing his life on board the prize. It had been found necessary to get a new mizzen-top-mast aloft, the night possession was taken, and the spar came down in consequence of the mast-ropes parting. In descending, the head of the top-mast struck Mr. Shubrick on the head, and left him senseless for hours. Nothing saved his life but the fact that he wore the boarding cap, with which he had left his quarters, to take charge of the prize.

A vessel was chartered at Port Praya, for a cartel, and about a hundred of the English prisoners were sent to fit her for

sea.

In this state of things, and the very day after the arrival of Old Ironsides at Port Praya, occurred one of the narrowest escapes from her enemies it was ever the good fortune of this lucky ship to run.

The weather was thick, more particularly near the water, where lay a bank of mist, that could not be penetrated by the eye at any distance. A boat had just left the ship, with orders to tow the cartel off,

and the duty of the vessel was in some measure at a stand. Shubrick, on whom the discharge of the executive duties of the vessel had fallen, in his new character of first lieutenant, was walking the quarterdeck, deeply ruminating on the business before him, when he heard an exclamation from one of the English midshipmen, who was aft on the taffrail. The lad had spoken to Capt. Falcon, late of the Cyane, his words being, "Oh! Capt. Falcon, look at the large ship in the offing!" So intent was Shubrick on his own ruminations, that these words might have passed unheeded for the moment but for the an

swer.

"Hold your tongue, you little rascal," answered Capt. Falcon, in a low voice. This completely aroused the lieutenant, who, walking aft, saw, over the bank of mist, the upper sails of a large ship, that was apparently beating up to gain the harbor. After taking a good look at the stranger, Shubrick went below and reported the fact to the Captain. Stewart was shaving at the time, and without discontinuing the operation, he answered coolly, "Very well, sir. It is an Indiaman, or it may be a frigate-call all hands and heave short, and we'll go out and see what she is made of." Shubrick ordered "all hands up anchor," called, and then went on deck to take another look at the stranger, while the men were tumbling up, and manning the bars. He now saw the upper sails of two more large ships in the mist, above the bank, all three beating up for the roads. Capt. Stewart was immediately informed of this, and without a moment's hesitation he gave the order to "cut." It is probable that this prompt command saved the ship. A signal was made for the prizes to follow, and the duty went on in the most beautiful and cool manner. In fourteen minutes after the first ship was seen, and in ten after the order to cut was given, Old Ironsides was walking out of the roads under her topsails. Preparations of all sorts were made rapidly, and away all three of the ships went together, just clearing the shore, and passing at gun-shot to windward of the strangers; now known to be heavy vessels of war, though no one, as yet, had seen their hulls. They were thought to be two ships of the line and a large frigate. As the Constitution cleared the land, she crossed topgallant yard, boarded her tacks, and set her staysails. No sooner were the Americans abeam of their enemies, than the latter tacked, and all six of the ships stood to the southward and eastward, carrying every thing that would draw, with about ten knot-way on them.

As Ironsides drew into the offing, she

cut adrift two boats that were towing astern. As yet no one had seen the hulls of the enemy, though there could be no mistake as to their character. The mist seemed to settle, however, in the offing, lying nearer to the water, and the air become a little clearer aloft. The vessel that was taken for a frigate, weathered on every thing, her own consorts, as well as on the American vessels. The English officers, prisoners in the Constitution, could not conceal their delight, and confidently predicted the capture of Old Ironsides, and the recapture of their own vessels. They announced the chasing ships to be the Leander 50, Sir George Collier; Newcastle 50, Lord George Stuart, and Acasta 40, Capt. Kerr. The first two vessels were new ships on one deck, built expressly to overmatch the American 44's. The English prisoners were particularly confident "Kerr in the Acasta" would overtake the Constitution, which vessel they fancied could not sail, from seeing her jog along at an easy rate, in company with her prizes. Stewart kept her travelling on the present occasion, and it was not quite so easy a thing to come up with her, as hope had induced the prisoners to believe. One of the English captains was so sanguine as to get into the quarter-gallery, and make signs to the weatherly frigate, inviting her to come on, and exclaiming in the presence of American officers, "Capt. Kerr, I envy you your glory this day." With Stewart, himself, these gentlemen did not maintain much reserve, pretty plainly intimating that Old Ironsides had not the speed necessary to get clear of the "British Phoenix," as they termed "Kerr, in the Acasta."

Whatever may have been the fact, as regards our own honest old craft, it is certain the prizes were in a bad way. The Cyane was a short ship, mounting twenty-two guns on one deck and twelve above, and of course was not very weatherly. Stewart saw that the frigate, or supposed frigatefor no one had yet seen the hull of an Englishman-was weathering on her fast, and he made a signal for her to tack. Hoffman went round immediately, and passed his most dangerous adversary a short gun-shot to windward, on contrary tacks. Not a ship of the enemy went about. The "British Phoenix" stood gallantly on, endeavoring to get into the wake of the Constitution, and the Cyane was soon lost sight of in the haze. Hoffman was a practical, plain sailor, and knew perfectly well what he was about. Instead of running into port again, no sooner had the mist shut in the enemy, than he went about again, and continued making short tacks to windward for