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A History Of American Privateers
By Edgar Stanton Maclay
1899
CHAPTER V
CAPTAIN THOMAS BOYLE
For a privateersman to match his ship success fully against a regular war vessel is sufficient distinction in itself to mark her commander as a man of extraordinary daring. To be twice successful in such an encounter is remarkable even for the commander of an American private armed craft. A number of our privateersmen have won this distinction; but few have equaled, in this particular, the success of Captain Thomas Boyle. He had the enviable honor of twice worsting a cruiser and of several times putting up a good defense against government war craft. Even in the light of the proverbial daring of American privateersmen, Captain Boyle's career in the War of 1812 was extraordinary and well worthy of extended notice. He has been described, by one who knew him well, as being a quiet, unassuming man, who said little but did much; "always annoying the enemy wherever he chanced to steer, sometimes on the coasts of Spain and Portugal, and, anon, in the British and Irish Channels, carrying dismay and terror to British trade and commerce, in defiance of their fleetest frigates and sloops of war, which strove again and again to capture him, but never were able. He appeared frequently to tantalize and vex them as if for mere sport, and at the same time convince them that he could out-maneuver and out-sail them in any trial of seamanship."
When this commander put to sea, early in the war, he knew that he might be called upon to defend his ship against the attacks of British cruisers, but he did not count upon the interference of other foreign naval powers. Our regular cruisers sometimes experienced the covert sympathy of Spanish and Portuguese officials at the several ports in which they were compelled to enter, and, as will be seen, our privateers, on one occasion at least, felt the full force of their broadsides. Captain Boyle began his extraordinary career in this war in the privateer Comet, of Baltimore. Several of our privateers had borne this name in the struggle for independence, and had met with considerable success, so it is not surprising that we find one of the most successful private armed craft in the second war with Great Britain bearing this lucky name. Before hostilities broke out this vessel, a stanch schooner, had been engaged in the merchant service, and, like all merchantmen of her class in those troublous times, she had been constructed quite as much with a view to speed and fighting as stowing away cargo. The Comet had been selected for the privateer service because of her splendid sailing qualities and her ability to carry a heavy armament.
In her first cruise, which began in July, 1812, she had a desperate engagement with the British merchantman Hopewell, a ship of four hundred tons, carrying fourteen guns and a crew of twenty-five men. She was from Surinam bound for London, laden with seven hundred and ten hogsheads of sugar, fifty-four hogsheads of molasses, one hundred and eleven bales of cotton, and two hundred and sixty bags and casks of coffee and cocoa—a prize well worth fighting for. The vessels quickly came to close quarters, and the English surrendered only after one of their number had been killed and six wounded—nearly a third of the crew. The Hopewell, with her cargo, was valued at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. She had been one of a squadron of five vessels that had left Surinam, the Hopewell having become separated from her consorts two days before her capture. Another of the Comet's valuable prizes was the ship Henry, of four hundred tons, coppered to the bends and mounting four 12-pounders and six 6-pounders. She was from St. Croix bound for London, and had on board seven hundred hogsheads of sugar and thirteen pipes of old Madeira wine, the vessel and cargo netting her captors more than one hundred thousand dollars. The Comet also took the ship John, of four hundred tons, carrying fourteen guns and a crew of thirty-five men, from Demerara for Liverpool. She was laden with cotton, sugar, rum, and coffee, besides a large quantity of old copper and dyewood, the entire cargo and vessel being worth at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars—fifty thousand dollars of which went into the Treasury of the United States in the form of bounty.
In one of his prizes Captain Boyle found a copy of "Recommendations by their Lordships of the Admiralty," which shows what extraordinary measures were resorted to by the English to check the dreadful ravages wrought by American cruisers and privateers on British commerce: "The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty recommend that all masters of merchant vessels do supply themselves with a quantity of false fires, to give the alarm on the approach of an enemy's cruiser in the night, or in the day to make the usual signals for an enemy being chased by or discovering a suspicious vessel; and, in the event of their capture being inevitable, either by night or by day, the masters do cause their gears, trusses, and halyards to be cut and unrove, and their vessel to be otherwise so disabled as to prevent their being immediately capable of making sail."
The Comet returned from her first cruise in November, 1812, and hasty preparations were made to refit and get her to sea again. A strong force of British war ships blocked Chesapeake Bay so completely that it was some weeks before Captain Boyle ventured to run the gantlet. The night of December 23, 1812, coming on dark and boisterous, Captain Boyle quietly passed the word round that the attempt would be made that evening. Accordingly, soon after dark, the schooner slipped her moorings and sped rapidly down the bay. For several hours it seemed as if the venture would be entirely successful, for no trace of a British war craft was to be found, but shortly before daylight the Comet received a broadside from a frigate which the thick weather had concealed from view. Little or no attention was paid to this, and the privateer slipped out to sea with only a little rigging damaged and one spar hurt. The last was soon fished, and with repaired rigging the Comet headed south, and in two weeks was off Cape St. Roque, and on January 9, 1813, appeared off Pernambuco.
On that day Captain Boyle spoke a trading vessel just out of the port, and learned that in a few days some English vessels were about to sail, with valuable cargoes. This determined him to hover in that vicinity and make a dash for prizes. On the 11th he spoke the Portuguese brig Wasa, from St. Michael for Pernambuco, and then stood on and off shore, maintaining a careful watch for any indication of the vessels leaving the harbor. At one o'clock on the afternoon of January 14th his vigilance was rewarded by the discovery of four sails standing out of the harbor. They proved to be a ship and three brigs. Instead of making directly for them, the privateer stood away so as to give them an opportunity to get an offing where it would be easier to cut them out.
By three o'clock the vessels were upon the wind, standing southeast about thirty-six miles from land. This was the time for the privateer to strike, and, bearing up, she made all sail in chase. By five o'clock the splendid sailing qualities of the American schooner had enabled her to draw up on the enemy very fast, and by six o'clock their lead had so decreased that Captain Boyle was able to make them out clearly. But just about this time the fourth sail was discovered to be a large man-of-war brig. This was an unexpected result of the chase; for Captain Boyle had been informed, through reliable sources, that no English war craft was in port, so that when he saw four instead of three sails coming out he supposed that another merchant vessel had joined the squadron, which would only make his capture the more valuable. The announcement that the fourth vessel was a heavy war brig somewhat disconcerted his plan of action, which was to close on the merchantmen under cover of night and take them one after another. Captain Boyle, however, was not a man to be frightened off by a few cannon, and although he was aware that the merchantmen were well armed, and were capable of giving the war brig material assistance, he called all hands, cleared the decks for action, and, loading his cannon with round and grape shot, boldly stood for the cruiser.
By seven o'clock the Comet had gained a position close abeam the brig when the American colors were hoisted. The brig responded with Portuguese colors, and her commander hailed and said that he would send a boat aboard. Anxious to discover if the stranger really were a Portuguese, and, if such, what her object could be in sailing as an escort to English merchantmen, Captain Boyle hove to. Soon a boat put off from the side of the brig and came alongside the Comet, and an officer, dressed in Portuguese uniform, stepped aboard. He reported that the brig was a regular war ship of the Portuguese Government, carrying a crew of one hundred and sixty-five men and mounting twenty 32-pounders—doubtless an exaggeration made to intimidate the privateers-men. The Comet carried fourteen guns, and had a crew- of about one hundred and twenty men. The officer furthermore said that the three vessels in the brig's company were English, and, being under the protection of the brig, must not be molested by the privateer. Captain Boyle replied that his ship was an American cruiser, and as such he had a right to attack the English vessels, and that if the Portuguese attempted to interfere the Comet would open with her guns.
In order that there should be no misunderstanding in the case, Captain Boyle insisted upon the officer seeing his papers from the American Government authorizing the Comet to capture English vessels. Captain Boyle then informed the officer that the privateer would capture the merchantmen if she could; that they were upon the high seas, the common highway of all nations; that the Portuguese brig had no right to interfere, and that the ocean, of right, belonged to America as much as any other power in the world. To this the Portuguese replied that he would be sorry if anything disagreeable took place; that his brig had received orders to protect the merchant vessels, and would do so at any hazard. Captain Boyle said that he also would keenly regret if "anything disagreeable" took place between his vessel and the brig, but that if the latter became the aggressor he would promptly fire into her before leaving. The officer remarked that the merchant vessels were well armed and strongly manned, and would support the brig in case of battle, to which the American commander replied that he valued their strength very little, but would soon give them all the opportunity they wanted to test it.
The Portuguese then returned to his brig so as to give the result of his interview with Captain Boyle to his commander. Before he left the Comet he promised to return shortly. After waiting in vain some time for the boat to report, Captain Boyle spoke the Portuguese, asking if they intended sending their boat back, to which they replied that they would speak the convoy first, and that, in the meantime, the Portuguese commander would be much obliged if Captain Boyle would send his boat aboard. Entertaining some doubt as to the sincerity of this request, Captain Boyle replied that he did not make a practice of sending his boat away at night, and would not do so in this case. He then avowed his determination of attacking the English vessels at once. He said this with such distinctness as to leave no chance for him to be misunderstood. The Comet accordingly began to forge ahead, and in a short time came up with the ship and ordered her people to back their main topsail. Having too much headway Captain Boyle drew ahead of the ship, but finding that little or no attention was paid to his order he shouted that he would be alongside again in a few minutes, and if by that time his order were not obeyed he would pour a broadside into them.
True to his word, Captain Boyle a few minutes later, or at about half past eight, tacked, with the Portuguese man-of-war close after him, and ran alongside the ship. By that time one of the merchant brigs also was close to the ship, and the Comet opened fire on both of them. All the vessels at the time were carrying a press of sail, but the privateer, from her superior sailing qualities, was obliged to tack frequently in order to keep her place at close quarters. About this time the Portuguese man-of-war opened fire with round and grape shot, to which the Comet replied with her long torn and broadside guns. The bright moonlight enabled the gunners to take good aim; but in a short time such volumes of smoke collected around the vessels that it was difficult to distinguish one vessel from another. This was a circumstance that operated greatly in favor of the Americans, for they were sure of hitting an enemy no matter which vessel their shot struck, while the English and Portuguese soon became confused by the smoke, and were unable to distinguish between friend and foe.
Caring nothing about the Portuguese except to keep him at a distance, Captain Boyle tenaciously held a position close to the British merchantmen and kept up a heavy fire on them. The English vessels occasionally separated, so as to give the man-of-war a chance at the Americans, but the gunnery of the Portuguese was so bad that little damage was occasioned by it. In this way the battle was maintained until a little after midnight, when a voice from the ship was heard announcing that they had surrendered, as their vessel was cut to pieces and unmanageable. Shortly afterward the merchant brig also surrendered, being much cut up. But as Captain Boyle was about to take possession of the latter the Portuguese man-of-war fired a broadside which came near sinking the boat in which the boarding party was proceeding to the prize and compelled it to return to the Comet. Captain Boyle then devoted all his attention to the man-of-war, and after some heavy firing induced her to sheer off, the privateer following and capturing the third English vessel, which, like its consorts, was badly cut up.
But the victory of the Americans was still far from being assured; for the Portuguese, although driven away, persisted in remaining within gunshot, and threatened to come to close action at the first opportunity. Fully aware of his danger, Captain Boyle hastened to take possession of his second prize, the merchant brig, but in doing so passed the ship and ordered her commander to follow. The Englishmen then called out that their ship was in a sinking condition, having many shot holes between wind and water and with nearly all their rigging cut away. They intimated, however, that they would carry out the order with all possible dispatch. At half past one in the morning the Americans took possession of the merchant brig and placed a prize crew aboard. The Portuguese, however, followed the Comet closely, endeavoring to prevent her from securing the other vessels. This compelled Captain Boyle to fire an occasional broadside at the cruiser, so as to keep them at a more respectful distance. At one time they fired into the brig held by the Americans, but could not induce the prize crew to surrender.
By two o'clock the moon was down, and, as the weather blew up squally, Captain Boyle became separated from his prizes. The Portuguese man-of-war at that time was standing southward in the direction of the prize brig and ship and was soon lost to view. Captain Boyle now deemed it prudent to remain until daylight by his prize, which proved to be the brig Borces. From the master of this vessel it was learned that the other vessels of the convoy were laden with wheat.
For the remainder of the night the Comet kept near her prize, and as day began to dawn the Portuguese man-of-war was discovered bearing down on her. The privateer promptly hove about and stood for her, when the war brig tacked and made signals for the convoy to make for the first port. Observing that the English ship and second brig seemed to be in a very distressed condition, Captain Boyle determined not to take possession of them, but to watch their maneuvers. Both of them bore up before the wind, making for land in company with the man-of-war, the last appearing to be much damaged. The Americans followed the three crippled ships, and could see that extraordinary exertions were being made to keep the ship and the brig afloat. With great difficulty the three vessels gained the harbor of Pernambuco; the ship, which proved to be the George, Captain Wilson, of Liverpool, with her masts tottering and her cargo destroyed so that she had to be dismantled; and the brig, the Gambia, Captain Smith, of Hull, in much the same plight. The man-of-war was seriously damaged, besides having her first lieutenant and five men killed and a number wounded. Among the latter was her commander, who had his thigh shattered by a cannon ball and died shortly after reaching Pernambuco. Several American gentlemen, a few months after this action, happened to be in Lisbon when this man-of-war brig was there. They visited her, and reported that she was " a very large vessel, with high bulwarks and a very formidable battery."
Scarcely had the Portuguese gained the harbor of Pernambuco with her crippled convoy when Captain Boyle, with his rich prize, was again scouring the high seas in search of British merchantmen. He soon had the good fortune to seize the Scotch ship Adelphi, of Aberdeen, of thirty-six tons, from Liverpool bound for Bahia. She was laden with salt and dry goods, and, although well manned and armed with eight long 12-pounders, her commander made no serious resistance. The prize was manned and ordered to the United States. Subsequently the Comet was chased by the British frigate Surprise, which was justly regarded as being one of the swiftest vessels on the station. By superior seamanship Captain Boyle effected his escape and continued his successful cruise in the West Indies.
At daylight February 6, 1813, while some twelve miles off the island of St. John's, Captain Boyle discovered two brigs to leeward and made all sail in chase of them. The nearest craft was soon made out to be armed, and Captain Boyle sent his men to quarters. By six o'clock this brig hoisted English colors, fired a gun, but, observing that she was in the presence of a vessel of superior force, promptly hauled down her flag. She was the Alexis, of Greenock, from Demerara, laden with sugar, rum, cotton, and coffee. Placing a Mr. Ball and six men aboard, and receiving most of the prisoners in the Cornet, Captain Boyle ordered her to the United States, and made sail for the second brig. By eight o'clock a third brig, apparently a war ship, was discovered standing to the southeast. From his prisoners Captain Boyle learned that these vessels were a part of a convoy of nine sail that had left Demerara for St. Thomas some days before, and that most of them had got into port the preceding night, but that the man-of-war then in sight, and named the Swaggerer, with two brigs, had failed to make the harbor.
Learning this, Captain Boyle prepared to give the brig he had been chasing a broadside as he passed her, hoping to compel her to surrender before the man-of-war could aid her. At nine o'clock the Comet showed her colors, and being nearly up with the chase received the enemy's fire, which was promptly returned. The effect of this was to induce the Englishmen to surrender, but before the Americans could get aboard the British master, in pursuance with the "recommendations" of the Admiralty, already noted, caused his topsail and jib halyards and other rigging to be cut away, in addition to the damage done by the American shot—which was considerable—hoping thereby so to cripple his ship thus it would be impossible for the Americans to get her under sufficient sail to escape the man-of-war.
Captain Boyle saw the trick, and promptly sent First Officer Cashell and several men aboard to take possession and repair damages as rapidly as possible. Meantime most of the prisoners were sent aboard the Comet and secured below. All this time the man-of-war was rapidly approaching, and, her rigging and decks full of men, could be made out distinctly. Seeing that he must either run or fight a vastly superior force, Captain Boyle sent Mr. Gilpin and seven men to aid Mr. Cashell, ordering them to get up what sail they could, and make their way through the passage between the islands of St. John's and St. Thomas. Mr. Cashell followed out the order as well as he could, while the Comet advanced toward the Swaggerer as if to offer battle. Not that Captain Boyle intended to make his ship an easy prey for the cruiser, for he fully realized that he was in the presence of hopeless odds, but he hoped to divert the enemy's attention from his prize to himself, and then trust to his skill and seamanship to escape. The reason for thus exposing his own vessel to capture was because the prize had an unusually valuable cargo. She was the packet Dominica, of Liverpool, from Demerara bound for St. Thomas, and was laden with rum, sugar, cotton, and coffee.
Captain Boyle allowed the Swaggerer to come within long gunshot of the Comet, when he put his vessel through a series of maneuvers, with a view to test the relative speed of the two vessels. Finding that he could easily outpoint and out sail the Englishman, he began to tantalize the Swaggerer by sailing under her nose, "at long balls," and tempting her into the continuance of a hopeless chase, during which time the Dominica was making the best of her way through the passage. Captain Boyle kept up these tactics until about noon, when, seeing that his prize was at a safe distance, he headed the Comet northward so as to pass round to the windward of St. John's, the Swaggerer still in hot pursuit.
By two o'clock in the afternoon the Comet had so increased her lead that she was fully four miles to windward of the enemy, and no one aboard the privateer felt the least alarm for the safety of the schooner. At that moment a sail was reported on the weather bow, and an hour later it was seen to be a schooner running before the wind. Changing his course a little, Captain Boyle ran alongside, and, after firing several musket shots, induced the stranger to surrender. She was found to be the schooner Jane, from Demerara to St. Thomas, laden with rum, sugar, and coffee. Meantime, the Swaggerer had been tumbling along, far in the rear of the swift Comet, in a hopeless effort to overtake her. Her lumbering efforts to reach the swift privateer only afforded amusement for our officers, and after coolly transferring the prisoners to his own ship and placing Prize-Master Wild and six men aboard the Jane, with instructions to go through the passage between Tortola and St. John's, Captain Boyle leisurely resumed his course and soon ran his enraged pursuer out of sight.
Finding that he was overburdened with prisoners Captain Boyle made for the United States, and on March 17th, in spite of the vigilance of the British blockading squadron, gained Chesapeake Bay and arrived in Baltimore. Some of the other prizes taken by the Comet were the schooner Messenger, from the West Indies, laden with rum and molasses, which was sent into Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Vigilant, a tender to the British admiral of the Windward Island squadron, which also was sent into Wilmington. Nine of the vessels taken by the Comet were divested of their most valuable articles and sunk, as there was too much risk in attempting to send them into port. The Comet, in 1814, had a fierce action with the 22-gun ship Hibernia, of eight hundred tons, having on board a large complement of officers and men. After a running fight lasting eight hours the Englishman escaped, having sustained a loss of eight men killed and thirteen wounded to three men killed and sixteen wounded on the part of the Americans. The Comet put into Porto Rico for repairs where she found one of her prizes. Being short of provisions her prize master asked for a supply. Instead of granting the request, the local authorities seized her and gave her to the British. In all, the Comet is credited with twenty-seven prizes.
So great had been the success of Captain Boyle in the Comet that soon after his return from his last cruise he was placed in command of the formidable privateer Chasseur, in which craft he achieved his greatest renown. This vessel probably was one of the best-equipped and manned privateers that sailed in this war. She was familiarly called the Pride of Baltimore, mounting sixteen long 12-pounders and usually carrying a complement of one hundred officers, seamen, and marines. Speaking of her sailing qualities a Baltimore paper said: "She is, perhaps, the most beautiful vessel that ever floated on the ocean. Those who have not seen our schooners have but little idea of her appearance. As you look at her you may easily figure to yourself the idea that she is almost about to rise out of the water and fly into the air, seeming to sit so lightly. She has carried terror and alarm throughout the West Indies, as appears by numerous extracts from the West Indian papers received by her. She was frequently chased by British vessels sent out on purpose to catch her. She was once pretty hard run by the frigate Bareosa; but sometimes, out of sheer wantonness, she affected to chase the enemy's men-of-war of far superior force."
In his first cruise in this formidable vessel Captain Boyle captured eighteen merchantmen, nearly all of them of great value. Some of these were the sloop Christiana, of Kilkade, Scotland; the brig Reindeer, of Aberdeen; schooner Farorite, laden with wine; the brig Marquis of Cornwallis; the brigs Alert and Harmony, from Newfoundland; the ship Carlburg, of London, from Jamaica, laden with cotton, cocoa, hides, indigo, etc. (the goods taken from this vessel were valued at. fifty thousand dollars); the brigs Eclipse, Commerce, and Antelope; the schooner Far, the ships James and Theodore; and the brigs Atlantic and Amiens. The Chasseur brought into port forty-three prisoners, having released on parole one hundred and fifty.
Captain Boyle's favorite cruising ground was in the British Channel and around the coasts of Great Britain. He seemed to act on the principle, which led Farragut to immortal fame half a century later, namely: "The nearer you get to your enemy the harder you can strike." By thus " bearding the lion in his den " the Chasseur had some exceedingly narrow escapes, but always eluded the enemy by her fine sailing qualities and by the superb audacity of her commander. At one time the privateer was so near a British frigate as to exchange an effective broadside with her, and not long afterward she was completely surrounded by two frigates and two brigs of war. In making a dash to escape, the Chasseur received a shot from one of the frigates, which wounded three men, but in spite of the danger she finally eluded the enemy.
The "superb audacity" of Captain Boyle has already been mentioned, not that it was peculiar to him, for it was shared more or less by all our privateersmen, but because it was exhibited by him on this cruise in a unique and emphatic manner. It had been the custom of British admirals on the American stations to issue "paper blockades," declaring the entire coast of the United States to be blockaded. Several of these "paper blockades" had been recently issued by Admiral Sir John Borlaise Warren and by Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane. On the strength of these foolish proclamations British cruisers were withdrawn, at will, from the ports blockaded and transferred to other points along the coast without—at least in the estimation of the English admirals—in the least invalidating the blockade. To show the absurdity of these proclamations, Captain Boyle, while cruising in the English Channel, sent by a cartel to London the following proclamation, which he "requested" to be posted in Lloyd's Coffee House:
"By Thomas Boyle, Esquire, Commander of the Private Armed Brig Chasseur, etc.
PROCLAMATION:
Whereas, It has become customary with the admirals of Great Britain, commanding small forces on the coast of the United States, particularly with Sir John Borlaise Warren and Sir Alexander Cochrane, to declare all the coast of the said United States in a state of strict and rigorous blockade without possessing the power to justify such a declaration or stationing an adequate force to maintain said blockade;
I do therefore, by virtue of the power and authority in me vested (possessing sufficient force), declare all the ports, harbors, bays, creeks, rivers, inlets, outlets, islands, and seacoast of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in a state of strict and rigorous blockade.
And I do further declare that I consider the force under my command adequate to maintain strictly, rigorously, and effectually the said blockade.
And I do hereby require the respective officers, whether captains, commanders, or commanding officers, under my command, employed or to be employed, on the coasts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, to pay strict attention to the execution of this my proclamation.
And I do hereby caution and forbid the ships and vessels of all and every nation in amity and peace with the United States from entering or attempting to enter, or from coming or attempting to come out of, any of the said ports, harbors, bays, creeks, rivers, inlets, outlets, islands, or seacoast under any pretense whatsoever. And that no person may plead ignorance of this, my proclamation, I have ordered the same to be made public in England. Given under my hand on board the Chasseur.
THOMAS BOYLE
By command of the commanding officer.
J. J. STANBURY, Secretary."
Quite in keeping with Captain Boyle's audacity is the memorial presented by the merchants, of St. Vincent to Admiral Durham, in which it is stated that the Chasseur had blockaded them for five days, doing much damage, and requesting that the admiral would sent them at least "a heavy sloop of war." The frigate Bareosa was sent. The memorial gave a pitiful account of how the Chasseur was frequently chased "in vain," at one time by three cruisers together. It then quotes a letter from Martinique stating that this vessel was permitted to supply herself with a new boom, that the captain was treated very politely, that on Sunday he dined with M. Du Buc, the French intendant at the island, "a fine companion, truly, for the governor of such a colony as Martinique." The memorial further complained that the Chasseur ventured within gunshot of the forts of St. Lucia to cut out the transport Lord Eldon, and probably would have done it but for the sloop of war Wolverine, which hove in sight; that the Chasseur burned two sloops "in the face of the island"— possibly a West Indian form of the expression "under their noses"; that she hoisted the Yankee stripes over the British ensign "and played many curious pranks"; and other complaints in the same tenor. The Chasseur arrived in New York from her European cruise in October 1814.
It was in his last cruise in this war that Captain Boyle gained his greatest reputation for daring and success on the high seas. On February 26, 1815, when the Chasseur was about thirty-six miles to windward of Havana and some twelve miles from land, a schooner was discovered, about eleven o'clock in the morning, to the northeast, apparently running before the wind. This was the English war schooner St. Lawrence, Lieutenant Henry Cranmer Gordon, which, as we remember, was the American privateer Atlas, Captain David Maffitt, captured by boats from Rear-Admiral Cockburn's squadron in Ocracoke Inlet, July 12, 1813, the Atlas having been taken into the British service under the new name. The St. Lawrence proved to be a valuable addition to the enemy's fleet, taking an active part in their many expeditions along the coast and acting as a dispatch boat, in which service her fine sailing qualities gave her every advantage. Here we have an admirable opportunity to compare the relative merits of American and British man-of-warsmen; for the St. Lawrence; being built and equipped by Americans, deprives our friends, the English, of their oft-repeated cry that our vessels were better built, etc. The Chasseur carried fourteen guns and one hundred and two men, as opposed to the St. Lawrence's thirteen guns and seventy-six men. Both vessels were schooners. When sighted by Captain Boyle, the St. Lawrence was bearing important dispatches and troops from Rear-Admiral Cockburn relative to the New Orleans expedition.
Captain Boyle promptly made sail in chase, and soon discovered the stranger to be a war craft having a convoy in company, the latter being just discernible from the masthead. By noon the Chasseur had perceptibly gained on the chase, which to the Americans appeared to be a long, narrow pilot-boat schooner with yellow sides. When she made out the Chasseur she hauled up more to the north, evidently anxious to escape. At half past twelve Captain Boyle fired a gun and showed his colors, hoping to ascertain to what nation the chase belonged, but the later paid no attention to the summons, and in her efforts to carry a greater press of sail her fore-topmast was carried away.
At the time this happened she was about three miles ahead. Her people promptly cleared the wreck away and trimmed her sails sharp by the wind. Owing to this accident the Chasseur drew up on the chase very fast, and at one o'clock the latter fired a stern gun and hoisted English colors. As the stranger showed only three ports on the side nearest to the Chasseur, Captain Boyle got the impression that she was a "running vessel " bound for Havana which in all probability was poorly armed and manned. Acting on this impression he increased his efforts to get alongside, confident of making short work of her. This mistake of the Americans was encouraged by the fact that very few men were seen on the deck of the stranger.
As neither Captain Boyle nor his officers anticipated serious fighting, the regular preparations for battle were not made. At 1:26 PM, the Chasseur was within pistol shot of the enemy, when the latter suddenly triced up ten port covers, showing that number of guns and her decks swarming with men wearing the uniform of a regular British man-of-war. Evidently they had been carefully concealed during the chase. It took the enemy scarcely five seconds to give three cheers, run out their guns, and pour in a whole broadside of round shot, grape, and musket balls into the Chasseur. For once, at least, the crafty Yankee skipper had been caught napping. He was fairly and squarely under the guns of an English man-of-war, so that either prompt surrender or fight were the only alternatives. It did not take Captain Boyle an instant to decide on the latter course, and, although taken somewhat by surprise, he made the best of the situation and returned the enemy's fire with both cannon and musketry.
Believing that his best chance for victory was at close quarters, Captain Boyle endeavored to board in the smoke of his broadside; but the Chasseur, having the greater speed at that moment, shot ahead under the stranger's lee. The latter put up his helm for the purpose of wearing across the privateer's stern, with a view of pouring in a raking fire. Perceiving the enemy's object, Captain Boyle frustrated the maneuver; by putting his helm up also. The Englishman now forged ahead and came within ten yards of the privateer, the fire of both vessels at that time being exceedingly destructive. At 1:40 PM, Captain Boyle, seizing a favorable moment, put his helm to starboard and called on his men to follow him aboard the enemy. Just as the two vessels came together W. N. Christie, prize master, jumped aboard the stranger's deck, followed by a number of other Americans, but before they could strike a blow the English surrendered.
The St. Lawrence, according to British accounts, mounted twelve short 12-pounders and one long 9-ponnder and had a complement of seventy-five men, besides a number of officers, soldiers, and civilians as passengers, who were bound for the British squadron off New Orleans. According to the report of her commander she had six men killed and seventeen wounded, several of them mortally. According to American accounts the English had fifteen killed and twenty-five wounded. The St. Lawrence was found to be seriously injured in the hull, while scarcely a rope was left intact, such had been the accuracy and rapidity of the Chasseur's fire. The privateer also suffered considerably in her sails and rigging, while five of her crew were killed and eight wounded, among the latter being Captain Boyle himself. In view of the fact that the action lasted only fifteen minutes these casualties reveal, better than words, the desperate nature of the encounter. The Chasseur mounted six 12-pounders and eight short 9-pounders—ten of her original sixteen 12-pounders having been thrown overboard when the privateer was chased by the British frigate Bareosa. They were replaced by the 9-pounders which had been taken from a prize.
"From the number of hammocks, bedding, etc., found on board the enemy," said Captain Boyle, in his official report to one of the owners of the Chasseur, George P. Stephenson, of Baltimore, "it led us to believe that many more were killed than were reported. The St. Lawrence fired double the weight of shot that we did. From her 12-pounders at close quarters she fired a stand of grape and two bags containing two hundred and twenty musket balls each, when from the Chasseur's 9-pounders were fired 6- and 4-pound shot, we having no other except some few grape." In closing his report, Captain Boyle speaks in the highest terms of the gallantry of his first officer, John Dieter, and of the second and third officers, Moran and Hammond N. Stansbury.
That night the masts of the St. Lawrence went by the board, and having no object in bringing home so many prisoners Captain Boyle made a cartel of his prize and sent the prisoners by her into Havana. After this gallant affair the Chasseur returned to the United States with her hold filled with valuable goods. She arrived in Baltimore, April 15, 1815, where it was learned that a treaty of peace had been signed. So well pleased were the British officers at the treatment they received from the Americans that Lieutenant Gordon issued the following memorial or certificate dated: "At Sea, February 27, 1815, on board the United States Privateer Chasseur: In the event of Captain Boyle's becoming a prisoner of war to any British cruiser I consider it a tribute justly due to his humane and generous treatment of myself, the surviving officers and crew of His Majesty's late schooner St. Lawrence, to state that his obliging attention and watchful solicitude to preserve our effects and render us comfortable during the short time we were in his possession were such as justly entitle him to the indulgence and respect of every British subject. I also certify that his endeavors to render us comfortable and to secure our property were carefully seconded by all his officers, who did their utmost to that effect."
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