Volume Ii Part 10 (1/2)

CHAPTER XII.

Cruise of the Const.i.tution -- Action with the Cyane and Levant -- Chased by a British fleet -- England's views of neutral rights and the law of nations -- Her honor and integrity at a discount -- Singular escape of the Const.i.tution -- Recapture of the Levant under the guns of a neutral port -- Lampoons on the English squadron for its contemptible conduct -- Decatur -- Capture of the President -- The Hornet captures the Penguin -- Chased by a s.h.i.+p of the line -- Narrow escape -- Cruise of the Peac.o.c.k -- Review of the American Navy -- Its future destiny.

Naval warfare did not cease with the peace, for it was a long time before all our cruisers received notice of it.

The old Const.i.tution, when Bainbridge gave up the command of her in 1813, was put on the stocks to undergo repairs, and did not get to sea again till 1814, when, under the command of Captain Stewart, she cruised southward, without meeting any vessel of her own size.

[Sidenote: 1814.] She took the Nector, a war schooner of fourteen guns, and a few merchantmen, and returned to Boston. On the 17th of December she again put to sea, and cruised off the coast of Portugal.

[Sidenote: Feb. 20, 1815.]

Not meeting with the enemy, Captain Stewart, on the 20th of February, 1815, stood off south-west towards Madeira, and in the afternoon made two strange sail. He immediately started in pursuit of the nearest, hoping to overtake her before she could join her consort. The moment, however, the stranger discovered the Const.i.tution, he stood away under every st.i.tch of canva.s.s he could spread. The Const.i.tution also ”set studding sails alow and aloft,” and under a perfect cloud of canva.s.s, bowled along at a tremendous rate. At length the main royal mast of the latter gave way in the strain, which gave the stranger so much the advantage that he effected a junction with his consort. The two then hailed each other, ”came by the wind, hauled up their courses,” and cleared for action. They were the Cyane, carrying thirty-four guns, and the Levant, twenty-one--the crew of the former numbering one hundred and eighty men, the latter one hundred and fifty-six.

They manoeuvered for some time to get to the windward, but finding this impossible they awaited the approach of the American, who had now set his colors. It was a bright moonlight night, and the two English vessels presented a beautiful spectacle, as they lay rising and falling on the long swell, gallantly turned at bay. As the Const.i.tution approached, they cheered, and fired their broadsides. No answer was given. In stern and ominous silence the invincible frigate moved on, and ranging up about three hundred yards distant from the Cyane, delivered her broadside. So ready and eager were the men to fire, that when the order was given, the whole broadside was like the report of a single gun. She had taken her position to windward, and so as to form with the two vessels nearly an equilateral triangle, and in this masterly position flung her heavy metal against both alike. From the first gun the action became fierce and the cannonading incessant.

After the lapse of fifteen minutes the fire of the enemy slackened, and Captain Stewart, unable to see their whereabouts, from the cloud of smoke that enveloped his s.h.i.+p, ordered the cannonading to cease till it pa.s.sed off. In three minutes it lifted and rolled away before the wind, and he saw that the vessels had changed their position, the Levant being abeam, while the Cyane was evidently endeavoring to cross his wake and give him a raking fire. Instantly delivering a broadside to the vessel abeam, he by one of those sudden and prompt movements on which the fate of a vessel or an army often turns, threw his mizen and main sails flat aback, ”shook all forward,” let fly his jib sheet, and backed so swiftly astern[9] that the vessel was compelled to tack or be raked herself. While doing this the other s.h.i.+p attempted to cross his bows for the same purpose. The Const.i.tution was again too quick for her, for as if by magic the yards swung round to the hearty ”Yo, heave oh!” of the sailors--the sails filled, and bowing to the breeze, she shot ahead, compelling the vessel to ware under a tremendous and raking broadside, which cut her up so terribly that she had to run out of the action to repair damages. He had scarcely delivered this crus.h.i.+ng blow when he was told the largest s.h.i.+p was waring. He instantly gave orders to ware also, and crossing the enemy's stern, raked her as he pa.s.sed. He then ranged up alongside, when she struck, and Lieutenant Hoffman was put in command of her.

[Footnote 9: Vide Cooper.]

The Levant, in the mean time, having repaired her rigging, hauled up again to seek her consort, when she met the Const.i.tution coming down.

She immediately bore away, receiving as she did so, a raking broadside. The Const.i.tution followed in her wake, firing, and following so close that the ripping of the enemy's planks, as the shot tore through them, could be distinctly heard on her decks. This, of course, could not be endured long, and a gun was soon fired to leeward, in token of submission.

The loss of the enemy, in this action, was between sixty and seventy, while that of the Const.i.tution was only fifteen. The latter, however, was hulled thirteen times, showing very accurate firing by moonlight.

The masterly manner in which Captain Stewart handled his vessel, so that, large and unwieldy as she was, he thwarted every manoeuvre to rake him, and raked both his enemies successively, proved him to be a thorough seaman and an able commander.

[Sidenote: 1815.]

The Const.i.tution proceeded with her two prizes to Port Praya, in St.

Jago, where she arrived the 10th of March. The next day while Lieutenant Shubrick was walking the quarter-deck, he heard one of the prisoners, a mids.h.i.+pman, exclaim: ”There is a frigate in the offing!”

This was followed by a low subdued reprimand from an English captain.

Shubrick's suspicions were awakened, and he looked earnestly seaward.

A heavy fog lay close on the water, diminis.h.i.+ng into a haze as it left the surface, so that the spars of a s.h.i.+p could be seen, while her hull was obscured. Through this he saw the dim outlines of the sails of a large vessel, evidently standing in, and immediately went below and reported the circ.u.mstance to Captain Stewart. The latter ordered him to call all hands and make ready to go in chase of her. Shubrick had scarcely given the orders when he saw the sails of two other vessels above the fog. Stewart gave them one glance and saw immediately they were heavy men-of-war. Though in a neutral port, and by the law of nations safe from attack, he was well aware that it would not avail him. So low had the honor of the English nation sunk in the estimation of independent States, that weak neutral powers knew they would not be allowed to afford the protection which it was their right and duty to extend, while our naval commanders had ceased to expect the recognition of those rights, guarantied by the usage of civilized governments. Captain Stewart immediately signalled the Cyane and Levant to put to sea, and cutting his own cables, not waiting even to take in his boats, he ordered the sails sheeted home. In ten minutes the gallant frigate was standing out of the roads, followed by her prizes.

This silent declaration that men could no longer rely on the honor and good faith of his majesty's officers, in respecting the law of nations or the rights of neutral powers, was one of the most cutting rebukes that could have been uttered. It was well that Captain Stewart rated these qualities so low, or he doubtless would have been attacked and overcome, though, under the guns of the battery of the port. No doubt the Const.i.tution would have fought worthy of her old renown, and like the Ess.e.x, in the Bay of Valparaiso, gained more honor in her death than in her life.

As Stewart stood out to windward, the three vessels, which he afterwards learned to be the Leander and Newcastle of 50, and the Acasta of 40 guns, crowded all sail in chase. Stewart then cut adrift his cutter and gig, towing astern, and set every sail that would draw.

Under the north-east trades that were then blowing, the Const.i.tution was soon rus.h.i.+ng along at a tremendous rate, outsailing all her pursuers but the Acasta. But Stewart, perceiving that the Cyane was steadily losing ground, and if she kept her course must evidently be captured, made signal for her to tack, which was instantly obeyed. Not a vessel, however, was detached in pursuit, as he had expected, but the whole three kept on after the Const.i.tution and Levant. In an hour and a half the Newcastle got within gun-shot, and began to fire by divisions, rending the fog with flame, but leaving the Const.i.tution unharmed. A half an hour after, Stewart, who with his gla.s.s in his hand had incessantly walked the quarter-deck, watching the movements of the enemy and their progress, saw that the Levant, if she held her course, would soon be captured, made signal for her to tack also.

The foam rolled with a seething sound from the bows of the Const.i.tution as she rushed rapidly through the water, but it was evident that the Acasta, which had fallen in her wake, could outsail her. An engagement with this vessel was apparently inevitable, and unless Stewart could prolong the chase till she was drawn so far from the others as to enable him to close with and carry her before they came up, he must be taken. But to his astonishment the whole three turned in pursuit of the Levant, leaving him to sail away unmolested.

[Sidenote: April 10.]

The Cyane, in the mean time, had disappeared in the fog, and finding that she was shut out of view, changed her course, and escaping the enemy, finally arrived safely in New York. The Levant, however, was not so fortunate. Seeing herself closely pressed, she put back to port, and though receiving the enemy's fire, stood on till she anch.o.r.ed within 150 yards of the sh.o.r.e, and under the very guns of a powerful battery. Disregarding her position which rendered her inviolable, the three vessels continued to approach, firing as they did so, throwing their shot even into the town, doing considerable damage. Lieutenant Shubrick, finding that the battery would not protect him, and that the enemy had no intention of respecting the neutrality of the port, struck his flag. The firing, however, continued for some time after.

The English officer, when he came on board to take possession of her, supposed she was an American vessel, but to his great chagrin found that the whole squadron had succeeded, after a chase of several hours, in recapturing a prize in a neutral port.

”Old Ironsides” swept proudly onward over the ocean, remaining unconquered to the last, the glory of the navy and the boast of the land.

The news of the victory over the Cyane and Levant, and the after chase, reached New York from St. Bartholomews, without giving the results, and it was feared for a time that she had fallen into the hands of the enemy. When her safety was ascertained the exultation was great, for she was a great favorite, and had become deeply fixed in the affections of the people. As she came sweeping up Boston harbor, crowds gathered to the sh.o.r.e, answering with deafening cheers the thunder of her guns, as they broke over the bay.