Part 3 of 7 - Ibiblio

218 ATLANTIC THEATER
Prize Master' I enclose you a letter intended to have been sent by the
Prize Ship Nancy. after writing the enclosed letter I fell in with & cap.
tured the British Brig Brothers having 62 prisoners on board captured
by the American private Armed Schooner the Rossie Joshua Barney
Esqr Comdr on board of which Brig I put 25 prisoners making in all 87
under the command of Midn McKnigh [Stephe n D. McKmght] whome
I furnished with a passport as a Cartel & instructions to proceed to St
Johns Newfoundland for the purpose of effecting an exchange of
prisoners.' I have the honor to be &c. &c.
D Porter
JANUARY AUGUST 181 2 219
LS , DNA , RG4 5, CL, 181 2, Vol. 2, No. 178.
1 A/trt was t h~ first British warship to Ix ta lu:n by a U .S Navy ship in this war . Sources vary as
10 Altrt's armam~nt at th~ lim~ Sh~ was on~ of twd ... ~ colliers that had b«'n purcha~d for the
Roya l Navy in 1804 She originall y had ix-en filled wit h 16 18 -pound carronades. BOlh Wi lliam
Jamn . Th~ Naval /-Iu tory ofertat Brltam , 6 ... ols (London , 1886). V' 363 66, and William L.
Clown, Th~ Royal Navy, If HIStory. 7 \'o l ~ , ( London. 190 1). V I 31 32. 32n . agr«, Iha l al Ih('
lime of the engag~m('nl she fough t wi th h~r original armament Theodore R()05("\'elt . Th~ Nal.ol
War of /812 (New York . 1882), p. 80. disagr~ . stating thai A/trl wascarrying 20 18 pound car·
ronadt'S 201 Ih(' limf' of capture.
2 _ In a duplicat(' da l ~d 17 Aug .. Porter added the following 'Illhis point . "T heA/ert was OU I
for the purpou: of ta king th(' H ome/!!!" Po rt ~r 10 Hamilton. 17 Aug 18 12. DNA. RG45 , CL.
1812 . Vol 2 , No. 181
LS , DNA , RG45, CL, 1812, Vol. 2, No. 169.
I Bl ank in I h ~ manuscript.
2 Porter indudr-d a dt'tailt'd list of priz~ takt'n in his let ler of' Sept 1812 . Stt pp. 4-4 6- 47.
3 Barney. on Ihis highly succ~ful cruiK. had already captured fi\-(, enemy ships. His R OMII!
~ook Brothers on I A ug . and rd('a~ her after pU lling his prisoners on boa rd under parole wi th
InSl rUCllons to make for 51 Johns. Porter retook Broth ers on , Aug. and converted her into a
prize cand This mann('r of errf'Cling an txchange was quitt' irregular, as British Admiral Sir
John ') Duckworth )a lf'r pointed OU I in a lener to 5«relary oflhe Navy Hamilto n_ S~ Oavid 0
Poner MemOIr of Commodore Dallld Portu oj Iht Unlled Sta/~s Navy (Albany. NY , 1875),
pp 95 96 .
Sir,
C"" I liN D AVID P O RTER TO S ECRETA RY OF T H E N AVY H AMILTON
U.S. Frigate Essex
At Sea Augt 15th 1812
Lat 40 0 N Long 38° 10 ' W
I have the honor to inform you that H B M Sloop of War the Alert
Capt L P Laugharn [Thomas L. P. Laugharne] yesterday at 12 oclock
AM ran down on our weather quarter gave three cheers and commenced
an action (if so trifling a skirmish deserves the name) and in
eight minutes struck her colours with 7 feet water in her hold and three
men wounded.' I need not inform you that the Officers and crew of the
Essex behaved as I trust all Americans will in such cases, and it is only
to be regretted that so much zeal and activity could not have been
displayed on an occasion that would have done them more honor. The
Essex has not received the slightest injury.' I have the honor to be [&c.]
C A I'TAIN D AVID P ORTER TO SECRETARY OF T ilE NAVY HAMILTON
U S Frigate Essex
At Sea Augt 20th 1812
Sir,
Finding myself much embarrassed by the Alert , and from the great
number of prisoners we have already made (about 500) I concluded
that before our arrival in America the number would be considerably
augmented, and as I found my provisions low , water getting short, and
being well satisfi ed that a plan had been organized by them for rising
on the ship in the event of an engagement, I considered it in the interest
of my country to get clear of them as speedily as possible, par·
ticularly as I was well assured that immediately on their arrival in St
Johns, an equal number of our countrymen would be released and find
a sure and immediate conveyance home. 1 therefore drew up written
stipulations corresponding with the accompanying letters; threw the
Guns of the A leTt overboard, withdrew from her all of the men belong.
ing to the Essex , appointed LieutJ [James] P Wilmer to command her
as a Cartel, put all the prisoners on board her and dispatched her for St
Johns with orders to proceed from thence to New York with such
Americans as he may receive in exchange.
At a more suitable opportunity I shall do myself the honor to lay
before you copies of every paper relative to this transaction, and
sincerely hope that my conduct in this affair may meet with your
approbation.
D Porter