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2015THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Commodore

U. S. NAVY.

WITH PORTRAIT AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

BOSTON.

A. WILLIAMS & CO., 283 WASHING TON

PUBLISHED FOE THE NAVAL INSTITUTE,
ANNAPOLIS, MD.

1880.

LIBRARY

OF THE

PWEfiOTF' C"From, the Original Painting "by Ary Schef:fer.

The Melio type, f.riteing- Co 2ii Stemotast BostonTHE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OF

Commodore Charles lorris,

I • a

U. S. NAVY.

WITH PORTRAIT AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.

BOSTON.

A. WILLIAMS & CO., 283 WASHINGTON STREET.

PUBLISHED FOR THE NAVAL INSTITUTE,

ANNAPOLIS, MD.

1880.Copyright, 1880,
By J. R. Soley.

press of

Claremont Manufacturing Company.B

M 8 744™ I

PREFACE.

Charles Morris was born July 26, 1784, at Woodstock, Connecticut,
where his family had long resided. The first of his ancestors who set-
tled in America was Richard Morris, who came from Wales to Boston
in 1630. He had previously been in military service, and after serving
as " ancient," and later as lieutenant, to Underhill, he succeeded
to the command of the fort built for the defense of Boston. He also
appears to have taken a part in the religious disputes of the day, and
for his advocacy of Mrs. Hutchinson's tenets, he, was banished to
Exeter, with others, for a short time. Having made his peace wit£
the authorities, he was recalled, and resided in Boston and Roxbury.
His son Edward married in the latter place, and settled himself on a
farm in what is now the town of Thompson, on the confines of Wood-
stock, in Connecticut. His descendants spread themselves in the
neighboring towns of Worcester County, as cultivators of the soil.
Charles Morris, the sixth in descent from Richard, was born in 1762,
and in 1783 married Miriam Nichols. Their son Charles, born the
next year, was the future commodore.

Young Morris passed the first fifteen years of his life in Connecti-
cut and Vermont. He was taught the rudiments of knowledge by his
father; but he had little or no regular teaching after he was ten years
old, and his time for the next five years was chiefly spent in working
on a farm. His leisure time was passed in reading every thing he
could lay hands on, and the strong inclination which showed itself
thus early continued through life. He entered the Navy in 1799 as
an acting midshipman, at the suggestion of his father, who held an
appointment as purser. He received his warrant the next year, and
from that time till his death he was actively employed almost without
intermission. Entering the Navy at the most trying period of its
history, when it had little support or encouragement from the govern-
ment, and was almost unknown to the country at large, and when its
internal organization was loose and imperfect, he lived to see it in the
height of its prosperity, long after it had won its way to public esteem
and honor. A large share in the active work of promoting the growth

8480404

PREFACE.

and well-being of the service during this period belonged to Morris.
For more than fifty years, all his time, and thoughts, and energies were
devoted to this object; and such was the esteem in which he was held
by his contemporaries, that he was, during most of the time, in posi-
tions where his influence could make itself strongly felt. Like most
of the men of talent in the service at that time, his early promotion
was rapid. He became a lieutenant at twenty-three and a captain at
twenty-eight; and before he was thirty he had been well-seasoned in
two hard fought naval wars. In the war with Tripoli it was his good
fortune to belong to Preble's squadron; and he thus got his early
training in the same school with Hull, Decatur, Stewart and Mc Don-
ough. The outbreak of the war of 1812 found him the executive
officer of the Constitution, and his name comes down to us with that
of Hull, sharing the honors of the first great victory of the war, the
capture of the Guerri&re. His subsequent career, though less event-
ful than the first few years, was marked hy the same zeal, the same
activity, the same earnest desire to do his best in every station that
he filled. As a member of the Board of Navy Commissioners, he
had, for more than twelve years, a voice upon every important ques-
tion of naval administration; and, while the natural balance of his
mind kept him from going to extremes, his early advancement to posi-
tions of influence and command had freed him from the excessive
conservatism and unwillingness to take responsibility that are so often
found in men who have spent their best energies in subordinate sta-
tions. His last sea-service was from 1841 to 1844, when he com-
manded a squadron, first in Brazil and later in the Mediterranean.
On his return he was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Construction.
From 1847 to 1851 he was on special ordnance duty, and, in 1851, he
became Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography. He died
Jan. 27, 1856, at the age of seventy-two, at Washington, continuing
the labors of his office till within a few days of his death. During
his naval career of fifty-seven years, he had been twenty-one years
at sea, and less than three 3<ears off duty.

We are fortunate in having the record of the best part of Morris's
career from his own hand. The autobiography, which appears for the
first time in these pages, was prepared by him, not with any view of
publication, but simply to tell his children the story of his life. It is
to their kindness that the Naval Institute is indebted for the posses-
sion of the manuscript and the permission to make it public. A few
passages, relating to purely personal and domestic matters, have beenPREFACE.

5

omitted, and a few have been added to explain or supplement the
narrative, none of the foot-notes forming part of the original manu-
script. As a sketch of the development of the Navy from 1800 to
1840, when the narrative closes, and as the testimony of a prominent
actor in some of the leading events in which the Navy has taken part,
its value to the service is apparent at a glance. As the biography of
one who was thought by many of those who knew him the foremost
man of the old Navy, one who united judgment and self-control, in
the highest degree, with courage and zeal, and who was as successful
in the office as upon the quarter-deck,—and as the modest record of
a blameless life,—it may not be without its lessons for the Navy of
to-day.

J. R. S.

U. S. Naval Academy,

June, 1880.THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

COMMODORE CHARLES MORRIS, U. S. N.

About May, 1799, a letter was .received from my father informing
us that he held an appointment as purser in the Navy, and that he
could obtain an appointment for me as acting midshipman, if I would
join him soon at Norfolk, Virginia, which he strongly recommended.
This proposition was, of course, the subject of consultation with our
friends. Its importance was so little understood, and the Navy then so
little known and appreciated in that part of the country, that our
friends were unanimous in their advice that I should remain, rather
than expose myself to the moral dangers and profitless hardships
which they supposed were the necessary attendants on a sea life.
Fortunately my mother judged more wisely, and had the fortitude to
recommend my acceptance of the offer, though it separated us from
each other. For myself, entirely ignorant of everything connected
with the Navy, I was ready to comply with the wishes of my parents,
and probably with vague hopes of some future but unknown advan-
tages. Little time was necessary to complete the few preparations
that we could make, and, on the 1st of June, I took leave of my affec-
tionate and excellent mother, and, with my small bundle on my shoul-
der, turned my back on friends and acquaintances to seek my fortune
in the world, much in the style and condition of some of the heroes of
nursery tales. Two days' walk carried me to Providence, where I
was kindly received, by my father's uncle, William Wilkinson, and
remained till a passage offered for Norfolk, in a coasting sloop. We
had a rough passage of fourteen days, during eight of which I experi-
enced all the distressing and depressing effects of sea-sickness. When
this had passed I derived much encouragement and considerable infor-
mation respecting naval duties from the master of the sloop. He had
been impressed, and had served some years in the British Navy, and
was able and willing to give me useful information relative to the occu-
pation, duties, and prospects of midshipmen, and in that way to
prepare me, in some small degree, to enter upon the duties.8

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

On my arrival at Norfolk I had the good fortune to find the U. S.
ship Baltimore, to which my father was attached, lying in the harbor.
He soon introduced me to the captain of the ship, Samuel Barron,
from whom I received an order to act as midshipman from the 1st of
July, 1799, and immediately entered upon the duties which connected
me with a profession in which I have since passed my life. The Bal-
timore was dismantled very soon after I joined her, and the officers
mostly dispersed. My father repaired to Washington to settle his
accounts, and I lived on shore to attend a school, with a view of
• gaining some knowledge of the theory of navigation, as it was then
e:pplaine$ by Mr. Hamilton Moore. My instructor was both ignorant
and indolent, and my time was consequently spent to very little advan-
tage for the few weeks I was with him.

Early in September my father was ordered to the frigate Congress,
recently launched at Portsmouth, N. H., and directed me to join him
there with his baggage. As my connection with the Baltimore had
ceased when she was paid off, no permission was necessary from others
to leave Norfolk, which I did soon after in a coasting schooner bound
for Warren, Rhode Island. Thence I proceeded by land to Ports-
mouth, a journey, at that time, of three days, by the mail stage. At
this place I rejoined my father, who lodged in the same house with the
captain of the Congress, James Sever. From him I received another
order to act as midshipman in the Congress. The ship was not in a
situation to require the attention of the officers for some weeks, during
which time I was employed by the captain, in the absence of a clerk,
to copy out all the requisitions for the ship's equipment and stores.
By this employment I at least learned the names of articles used in a
ship of war, which was of some service to me afterwards. The equip-
ment of the ship was so far advanced that she could be removed to
Boston in November, where everything was completed before the Twiddle
of December. The captain had selected me for one of his aides, the
other being Henry Wadsworth, who was afterwards blown up in the
Intrepid, with Somers, in the harbor of Tripoli. It was our duty
alternately to go to Boston from President's roads daily, in the morning,
for the captain, and to take him back again in the evening—a duty of
some severity, when we had to contend against a keen December NW.
wind and an ebb tide, but one for which my former life had prepared me.

Late in December we went round to Newport, where we met the
Essex frigate, commanded by Captain Edward Preble, and a number
of merchant ships that the two frigates were to convoy to, or towards,FIRST CRUISE IN THE CONGRESS.

9

India and China. The complement of officers was now completed,
and comprised a captain, three commissioned lieutenants, one acting
lieutenant, a master, surgeon, purser and marine officer, in the ward-
room, a surgeon's mate, eight midshipmen and a clerk, in the cockpit
and steerage. Captain Sever had held a subaltern's commission in
the army for a 3rear or two before the close of the war of the Revolu-
tion, where he had acquired some knowledge of military discipline.
He had afterwards made several voyages to Europe, in most of them
as master of vessels belonging to his relatives. He had also made
one or two cruises in the sloop Herald before he was appointed to the
Congress. He was well-educated, ver}r austere and distant in his
manner, not very amiable in temper, rigid in his discipline, and very
punctilious in all matters of military etiquette. I believe he was
rather deficient in seamanship, but remarkable coolness and self-pos-
session in trying situations enabled him to decide and direct what was
proper to be done better than most of his officers who better under-
stood their profession practically. All of our commissioned lieuten-
ants had commanded merchant ships to India or the NW. coast of
America. They were good seamen, but, with one exception, had few
qualifications as officers. The master had passed many years in the
British Navy, and some of them as a master. He had all the defects
of the lieutenants united to a greater want of general knowledge and
an entire loss of all presence of mind when assailed by any sudden
danger. The marine officer and surgeon were well informed, and of
good manners. All the midshipmen were older than myself,—several
of them over twenty years of age,— and some of them already accus-
tomed to a sea life in the merchant service. They were all warranted,
also, except myself. Four of them had been prepared sufficiently to
enable them to commence a collegiate course of study, and all had
been much better educated than myself.

I had the pleasure of again meeting my mother at Newport, where
she passed a fortnight, and I had permission to remain on shore
during her stay. Her advice, united to her strong hold on my affec-
tions to give it weight, had a powerful and beneficial influence on my
conduct, at that period of my life, when I was about to be exposed to
strong temptations, of which I had no previous knowledge, and to
which if I had yielded they would have plunged me into early ruin.
It had the effect, also, of rousing some ambition to endeavor to prove
myself worthy of her regard and affection, by my conduct as an officer,
as well as in other relations.10	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

The arrangements of our little squadron were completed in time for
us to leave Newport on the 6th of January, 1800, with strong but
favorable winds which carried us rapidly to the eastward. By the
10th the wind had shifted to the southward, and on the 11th had
increased to a heavy gale ; and early in the evening we lost sight of
the other vessels, which had been already much separated. In the
hope that the Essex might close, the Congress lay to for the night,
making frequent signals, but it was afterwards learned that the Essex
bore up early before the gale.* The rigging of the Congress had been
necessarily fitted in cold weather, and, being new, the great change
of temperature and the strain brought upon it by the gale stretched it
so much during the night that after the deadeyes of the lower rigging
had been brought together, it was necessary to prop the rigging to give
it any regular tension. The masts were made from single sticks of
white pine, and, notwithstanding all exertions to support and relieve
them, the mainmast was found to be badly sprung near the deck,
shortly after daylight. Having the morning watch I had been early
on deck, but my total ignorance of everything connected with the sea
left me entirely free from any apprehension. In fact, though the gale
was then quite as severe and the sea as high and threatening as I
have seen them since, I supposed it to be nothing unusual, because the
waves were not literally " mountains high," as described in the tempests
of which I had read. As the morning advanced, however, the danger
of the masts, the lowering down of the main yard, the presence on
deck of the captain and all the sea officers, and their apparent anxiety
and frequent consultations, began to have their effect on my own mind
and to induce a belief that there was more than usual danger. I had
little time, however, for such reflections, as the mainmast was carried
away about 8 A.M., carrying with it the head of the mizzenmast. I
became entangled in the maintopgallant brace and was carried up by
it nearly as high as the mizzentop, and when disengaged fell upon
deck, striking upon my head. I was taken up, stunned and insensible,
with my right arm broken near the shoulder, and otherwise much
bruised. The foremast and bowsprit of the ship were lost about 4
P.M., when she was left to the mercy of the gale for some hours, until
.arrangements were made that enabled a small sail to be set, under
which she was put before the gale until it moderated.

* The Essex continued on her cruise, and was thus the first American Bhip-of-
war that doubled the Cape of Good Hope.FIRST CRUISE IN THE CONGRESS.

11

The concussion of the brain that resulted from my fall left me
insensible for several days, during which but little hopes were enter-
tained of my recovery; but consciousness was at last restored, and
when the ship reached Hampton roads, at the close of February, I
had so far regained my strength as to be able to come on deck.

Our naval establishments were then without supplies, or any of the
conveniences for equipping or refitting ships, and the Congress was
necessarily detained until new masts, rigging and sails could be made
and fitted. As there was not much active duty for the officers, I was
allowed to remain on shore till my health was re-established, which
required six or eight weeks.

The loss of the ship's masts, representations from one of the lieu-
tenants, and newspaper reports of unseamanlike conduct in Capt.
Sever during the gale, induced that officer to request a court of in-
quiry on the subject. This court exonerated him from all blame.
The masts had been made from single sticks of white pine and were
found to have been quite defective at the heart; and all proper exer-
tions were proved to have been made for securing them which the
state of the weather would allow. The statements of the lieutenant
were not sustained by the testimony of others, nor fully by his own,
when under the obligations of an oath. So far as I can recollect the
force of the gale, and after comparing it with those I have seen since,
I am disposed to concur in the opinion of the court. The severity of
Capt. Sever's discipline, as it was then considered, had rendered him
very obnoxious to many of the officers, who were impatient under
restraint or control, and these, through their friends and others, had
been able to excite a very general and strong prejudice against him,
which was not diminished by his austere and reserved manner in his
intercourse with those into whose society he was thrown.

By the time I resumed my duties on board, many changes had taken
place among the officers. All the lieutenants were new. All had
commanded merchant vessels, and, as with their predecessors, were
unwilling to give that ready and full obedience to orders which the
captain required, and which was due from them. Several of the mid-
shipmen also left the ship and some of them then left the service.
These were replaced by others, and an additional number ordered. I
had been fortunate enough to please Captain Sever, and on one or
two occasions to receive special approbation. This, and probably the
injury I had received in the late gale, procured for me his recommend-
ation to the Department for a warrant, which bore date May, 1800,12	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

and was delivered to me soon after by Captain Sever, as p&rt of
the dessert of a dinner to which he had invited me.

My previous appointment had no stable foundation and depended
entirely on the pleasure of the captain. It only made me the compan-
ion, but not the official equal, of other midshipmen, and gave no claims
for further advancement. By my warrant the whole path of profession-
al promotion was laid open before me, and it now depended mainly
upon my own exertions to advance upon it. I felt truly grateful to
Captain Sever for this great favor, received through his intervention,
and it kindled my ambition to prove myself worthy of it by a close
and cheerful attention to my duties. My relative standing had been
changed by other causes. Among the midshipmen who had recently
joined the ship, there were several who were as little acquainted with
mathematical subjects as myself, and with less disposition to supply
their deficiency. They were fond of gross pleasures, and had means
be}'ond their pay by which they could gratify them; and they found
in their duties little that was agreeable and much that was irksome
and repulsive. It was not very difficult to occupy a position which
should appear to advantage when contrasted with them. By hard
study and the aid of a petty officer I was able, before the ship sailed,
to master the elementary studies embraced in Moore's Navigation, so
far as to find the ship's place by dead reckoning, and to keep an ordi-
nary journal. Strange as it may appear at this day, these small
acquirements placed me on a level with the greater portion of the
lieutenants at that time.

So short a time had then elapsed since the commencement of our
Navy, that almost all the commissioned officers had been appointed
from the merchant service. Chronometers were unknown in the
Navy; sextants were very rare, and their use still more so. The nav-
igators who could ascertain the longitude by lunar observations were
few in number, and the process of the calculations a mystery beyond
ordinary attainments. It may be easily conceived that in such a
school, even under the most favorable circumstances, little theoretical
knowledge could be acquired by the midshipmen when embarked.
That an}^ should have been sought could hardly be expected, where
no aid was given, and where the want of that knowledge was consid-
ered as no cause for reproach.

The Congress was made ready for another cruise, and left Hampton
roads July 26, 1800, for Cape Frangois,* in San Domingo, for the

* Now commonly known as Cape Haitien.SECOND CRUISE IN THE CONGRESS.

13

purpose of protecting our commerce with that port, which was then
valuable.* The monotony of this service was only broken by two
visits to the harbor of the Cape, and two to that of Cape Nicolas
Mole, with a short cruise as far to windward as San Juan, in Porto
Rico. On our return to the latter place, a circumstance left a strong
impression on my mind as indicative of the presence of mind of Cap-
tain Sever and our gunner. The French privateers, which were then
rather numerous in some parts of the Carribean sea, had not visited
our station to enliven us by a chase. We, however, fell in with one
as we were running down from Porto Rico, which, on being pursued,
led us, intentionalty or otherwise, directly towards a shoal known as
the Silver Keys. In the eagerness of pursuit the danger of our course
was probably forgotten, the attention of all being engrossed by the
chase, in which we were gaining upon the privateer. While I was
watching her movements with others on the forecastle, the gunner,
who was at my side, quietly told me to look at the water under and
near our bows. My attention being thus directed, rocks were visible,
which, to appearance, were very near the surface. The gunner then
told me to go quietly to the captain, who was on the quarter-deck,
and tell him what I had seen, but not to mention it to others. This
was quickly done. Captain Sever told me to remain by him, and turn-
ing to the officer of the deck directed him to u ready about," and, as
soon as ready, to tack; and when about, to keep her off two points,
by which to gain her former track. Then for the first time the cap-
tain looked over the side of the ship, and the officers and crew knew
the danger in which we had been placed. This course prevented all
danger from confusion, either in the mind of the directing officer, or
in the labors of the crew. The privateer being of very light draft of
water was able to continue her course and escaped.

Another time, when we were collecting a convoy of merchant vessels
with which to proceed to the United States, the ship had been lying to
during the night, and from some cause had very unexpectedly got so
near the Caicos reefs, that at early daylight the cry of " Breakers,
close ahead !" was given by the lookouts. The deck was in charge of
the master, who was a skillful seaman, but whose presence of mind
was so'•entirely destroyed b}~ the imminence and suddenness of the
danger that he could do nothing towards extricating the ship from it.

* The hostilities between the United States and France which broke out in
May, 1797, were not brought to a final close until February, 1801.14

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

I was on deck at the time and felt justified, under the circumstances,
in calling the captain without orders from the officer of the deck.
Waking from sound sleep, he came immediately on deck, took the
trumpet from the bewildered master, and wore the ship, but so near to
the breakers that a stone might have been cast into them from the ship.

Another evidence of the great advantage of coolness and self-pos-
session was given by Captain Sever before our cruise was closed.
When approaching our coast we met with a very furious gale blowing
from east to south-east, which brought us to a close-reefed maintop-
sail. In the middle watch the gale shifted, almost in an instant, to
the north-west, and taking the ship aback, gave her such a sternboard
as drove the sea through the cabin windows, with force enough to car-
ry away a part of the cabin bulkhead. The master was again in charge
of the deck, and again helpless and useless. The captain, who had been
roused by the shock, was immediately on deck ; and taking the trump-
et, he restored order and soon extricated the ship from her dangerous
situation.

As France was at this time the common enemy of the "United States
and England, signals had been arranged by the commanding officers
of the respective squadrons, by which their national vessels could be
recognized, and thus prevent unnecessary chasing, or hostile collision
through mistake. These signals were generally interchanged, when
necessary, in courtesy and good feeling. On one occasion, however,
during this cruise, we met with a frigate of our own force, whose com-
mander chose to exhibit something of the arrogance which was at that
time and for some 3-ears afterwards but too common with English
naval officers. When the English frigate was discovered, the usual
private signal was shown by the Congress, but no answer was returned.
It was kept flying while the ships approached, until they were so near
to each other that it could not be misunderstood, but the frigate made
no reply. When we were quite near, she shortened sail, and it could
be seen that the tompions were out of her guns. Our crew were, as a
matter of course, brought to quarters, and when at a proper distance
we shortened sail. The Englishman appeared to have been waiting
for this to make all sail again by the wind, which we also did, as fast
as it could be done with our men at quarters ; and th^n the other again
shortened sail, and hove to. We again followed his motions, and
ranging within hail, the names of the respective ships were exchanged.
He then filled and stood on. Our ship was soon put under the same
sail, and we followed nearly in his wake. It was soon evident thatSECOND CRUISE IN THE CONGRESS.

15

we outsailed the other, and after a short time the English ship tacked ;
we passed to leeward beyond his wake and tacked also. In about
half an hour we came up on his weather quarter, and passed along to
windward of him, within hail, both ships at quarters, until we had passed
a little ahead of him, when our ship bore up and passed across his
bows, almost touching his flying jib-boom, and went on her way.
The conduct of Captain Sever on this occasion gave pleasure to all of
us. The object of the English captain was evidently to annoy and
trifle with us, if not to insult us, and the movements of our ship with
reference to his were as much like treading on toes as circumstances
would permit.

For the greater part of this cruise I was stationed in the maintop,
with Henry Wadsworth, from the other watch, as my associate. The
duties which were then required of midshipmen were calculated to
make them sooner and better acquainted with the details of a seaman's
duty than the more relaxed system of later days.* Besides being
obliged to take an active personal share in the ordinary duties, they
were frequently exercised collectively in managing the sails and yards
of the mizzenmast. By this training I learned something of practi-
cal duties, and by application, when leisure offered, I was able to keep
up an ordinary journal, construct a chart, and mark upon it the ship's
track.

The ship returned to Boston in March, 1801. Peace having been
restored between the United States and France, the ships were recalled
home, and preparations commenced for discharging their crews, plac-
ing them in ordinary, and reducing the officers to the numbers which
had been designated for a peace establishment. While the ship was
waiting for orders, leave was granted to me for an absence of a fort-
night, of which I availed myself to visit my mother. I was recalled
at the end of a week, as the ship had been ordered to Washington
and would sail soon.

The ship was delayed by head-winds so that we did not reach Wash-
ington till late in May. We passed the frigate United States in the
lower part of the Potomac. About 10 o'clock in the morning of a
beautifully serene day, we passed Mount Vernon. Every one was
on deck to look upon the dwelling where Washington had made his
home. Mrs. Washington and others of the family could be distin-
guished in the portico which fronts the river. When opposite to the

* It must be remembered that this was written about 1840.16	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

house, by order of Captain Sever, the sails were lowered, the colors
displayed half-masted, and a mourning salute of thirteen guns was
fired as a mark of respect to the memory of Washington, whose life
had so recently been closed, and whose tomb was in our view. The
general silence on board the ship and around us, except when broken
by the oannon's sound, the echo and re-echo of that sound from the
near and distant hills, as it died away in the distance, the whole ship's
company uncovered and motionless, and the associations connected
with the ceremony, seemed to make a deep impression upon all, as
they certainly did upon me. When the salute was finished the sails
were again set, thte colors hoisted, and we proceeded up the river.
The frigate New York had preceded us, without saluting, but we found
her grounded on the bar at the entrance of the eastern branch of the
Potomac, and the Congress, passing her, was the first ship of war that
reached what has since become the Navy yard at Washington. The
frigates New York and United States joined us a few days afterwards.

After a visit to the ships by President Jefferson and the members of
his cabinet, the crews were paid off and the ships dismantled. There
was only one house at that time standing in the quarter of the city
near the Navy yard. Tents were pitched and shanties erected among
the bushes which covered the slope of the hill, by persons from Balti-
more who came to supply the wants of the sailors. The " Six" and
the 4'Seven" buildings, the shell of what was intended for a hotel,
where the General Post-Office now stands, a low tavern on Pennsylva-
nia Avenue, the President's House and its yard, enclosed with a rail
fence, and the south wing of the Capitol, surrounded by building-
rubbish, were then the principal if not the only buildings in the city
of Washington.

The arrangements for the ships were completed early in June, and
on the 4th those officers who had been selected to be retained in ser-
vice, from the officers belonging to the ships present, were notified of
their retention, and furloughed or ordered on other duty. My own
orders directed me to join the frigate Constitution, in Boston, after the
expiration of a furlough of three months. In the reduction of the
officers as required by the law, thirteen captains were selected (of whom
five had been promoted) from twenty-eight then in the service, seven
masters commandant were discharged, thirty-six lieutenants were re-
retained from one hundred and ten, of whom seventeen had been
promoted from midshipmen, and one hundred and fifty-nine mid-
shipmen from three hundred and fifty-five. So great a reductionREDUCTION OF THE NAVY.

17

undoubtedly deprived the service of some valuable officers, but relieved
it of many who were never worthy of belonging to it. Political pref-
erences probably had some influence in the selection of the captains,
but the selection generally was admitted to be quite as judiciously
made as could have been expected.

The necessity which existed at the commencement of the Navy of
drawing the commanders and lieutenants entirely from the merchant
service, introduced many who had few or none of the higher qualifica-
tions proper for their new situations. For the commanding officers,
some of those who had been employed in the Naval service during
the War of the Revolution were still available and were secured, and
these were generally of higher character than the other commanders or
the lieutenants. Of these latter a very large proportion were not only
men of no refinement, but vulgarly profane and grossly intemperate.
Very many of the midshipmen had attained an age at which their hab-
its of thought and action had become too firmly established to be
easily changed, and gave little promise of any future usefulness.
A majority of those with whom I had been associated were of this
character, and of the others several preferred to leave the service
rather than continue in it with the few inducements which it then
offered. Captain Sever, who was violent in politics, was among those
who were dropped. Only one of the eight lieutenants, and three of
all the midshipmen, who had been attached to the ship, were selected,
of whom the lieutenant and one of the midshipmen resigned the next
year.

My father was retained till the following November, during which
time he was employed in settling his accounts with the officers of the
Treasury. Hitherto I had received the benefit of his supervision since
I had joined the Navy. I was now to be separated from him and left
to my own guidance. With a tolerable wardrobe and one hundred
and fifty dollars, I was given to understand that I must thenceforward
depend on my pay for support, unless misfortunes not occasioned by
my own misconduct should render further assistance necessary. The
full pay of a midshipman was then about two hundred and thirty dol-
lars a year, and the furlough pay half that amount. Under the most
favorable circumstances, rigid economy and abstinence from all pleas-
ures which depended on expense were indispensable ; and when on fur-
lough, as I then was, the difficulties of preserving a decent appearance
were of course greatly increased. Freedom from debt and the feeling
of pecuniary independence consequent on such freedom, was a very18

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

early and a very strong desire with me, and has continued through life ;
and it has always been difficult for me to imagine a sufficient motive
for any one to sacrifice that independence for any personal gratification
not indispensable for health. This feeling naturally deprived me of
many amusements in which my associates frequently indulged. I do
not think, however, that my non-participation operated to my injury,
even in their opinions, whilst in a manner it compelled me to seek oth-
er amusements attended with little or no expense. These I found in
reading, for which I had retained my fondness, or when opportunity
offered, in the society of families with whomT had formed an acquaint-
ance, and thus slightly increased my too small store of knowledge, and
acquired a little familiarity with the usages of society. Subsequent
observation tended to confirm me in these courses. It was sufficient-
ly apparent that those who wasted their time and mone}^ in the gros-
ser gratifications of sense, or the idle display of vanjty, neither ac-
quired the confidence of their superiors, nor the respect of the general-
ity of their acquaintances. Those, on the contrary, who sought to
improve their minds, and to increase their professional and general
knowledge; who showed a preference for respectable and intelligent,
and especially for domestic society,—hardly failed to inspire esteem,
and to gain an interest with the worthy, wjiich was not only a source
of great present gratification, but at the same time strengthened all
their better feelings and principles, and gave new and strong securities
for their future good conduct. When I recur to the sad fate of many
young men whom I have known to enter the Navy with bright hopes,
fine talents, and without any marked vices, but who have been insen-
sibly and gradually led by the example and persuasions of others into
habits of expense, idle amusements, sensual indulgence, and eventual
intemperance, to public disgrace and a miserable death, I cannot feel
sufficiently grateful to that kind Providence which preserved me
through the temptations of youth.

In my journey from Washington to Providence some of my late
messmates were companions, and with them a few days were given to
visiting objects of interest in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York.
The steam machinery for raising water for the city of Philadelphia was
at the junction of the present Broad and Market streets, and was not
a short ride from the settled part of the city. The City Hall in New
York, not then finished, was quite in the upper part of the city, and
there were many small houses of wood in Broadway between the
Battery and Trinity Church.PROFESSIONAL STUDIES.

19

Although anxious to revisit my mother I remained in Providence
six weeks, during which, under the instruction of Professor Wirt, I
renewed my previous studies in Moore's Navigation, and mastered
the mystery of ascertaining the longitude by lunar observations,
according to the rules contained in that treatise. Of the principles on
which the calculations were founded I still remained perfectly ignorant,
and had no proper appreciation of their importance. Instead, there-
fore, of pursuing my studies further, I considered myself entitled to
no small credit -for having delayed my visit to my mother so long, and
hastened to pass a few happy weeks with her and the rest of the chil-
dren. These soon passed, and I joined the Constitution at Boston,
then under command of Commodore Talbot, conformably to my orders.
The ship was stripped, and had been opened for examination and
repair. The wardroom officers resided on shore, and Commodore
Talbot soon resigned, and the midshipmen lived on board without the
supervision of superior officers, and without regular occupation. For-
tunately my uncle, Noadiah Morris, who had been the secretary of
Commodore Talbot, was near me, and procured me another furlough,
which allowed me to return to my home.

During my absence from home, my father, having left the Navy,
had returned and purchased a house in the village of Woodstock,
Connecticut. A building for an academy had been commenced, and
was completed during the winter, and a school was opened under the
direction of a good instructor. I joined this school early in the spring
of 1802, and remained in it about nine months. My father, however,
decided to dispose of his purchase and remove to a small farm, near
a brother of his in Montgomery County, New York. This removal
took place in October, 1802, and I accompanied the family thither.

In the spring of 1803 I proceeded to Woodstock, with the intention
of resuming my studies until called into service. For the moment, I
engaged in study again at the academy. This was very unexpectedly
interrupted, about the middle of May, by an order from Commodore
Preble to join the Constitution at Boston without delay. By the 20th
of May I reported to the Commodore for duty.*

* Preble had just before been appointed to command the squadron fitting out
against Tripoli. The Tripolitan war, which had been begun by the action of the
Pasha of Tripoli in May, 1801, had been prosecuted thus far by the United States
with little success. Two squadrons had been sent out, the first under Dale, and
the second under R. V. Morris, without making any serious impression on the
enemy. The third squadron was commanded by Preble, and sailed in 1803. It20	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

The commodore bad been recently appointed to the command, the
ship was preparing to be hove out and coppered, the crew had not
been collected ; and only two or three of the officers had joined. For
those who were present there was consequently full and laborious
^employment; which was fortunate for me, as it had the effect of
relieving, in some degree, the deep depression of spirits from which I
had suffered much whilst my future prospects had been so entirely
uncertain. Though improved, still these prospects were not of a very
cheering character. I seemed to myself peculiarly isolated, unknown
to the commodore or any of the officers, and without any influential
friends to aid my own exertions- The uncle who had formerty been
with Commodore Talbot was, however, soon selected by Commodore
Preble as his secretary, with the nominal appointment of chaplain, as
was then usual. I had then the benefit of his society and counsel,
which, with active duty and the consciousness, which was soon attained,
that I could fairly compete with the other midshipmen in all profes-
sional duties, and with most of them in general information, restored
my cheerfulness, and brighter hopes for the future were indulged.

A very violent and easily excited temper was one of the prominent
characteristics of Commodore Preble, from the undue expression of
which, when he was greatly excited, no officer cou\d escape. Irresolu-
tion, no less than contradiction, was an offence in his eyes, and decision
of action as well as obedience of orders was necessary to preserve
his fa^prable opinion. The ship was refitted at a wharf in Boston,
while many of her former stores were in the Navy yard at Charles-
town. The commodore one day directed me to repair to the Navy
yard daily and send to the ship such articles as should be required
from time to time. As only a small part of the crew had then been
collected, 1 inquired how many should be taken for the service; to
which I received the reply, in no mild tone, "None; get your men
where you can find them." I thought best to take him at his word,
$n$3 engaged ten or twelve men ; and when the work was completed
presented to the commodore for approval an account for their wages.
This produced another outbreak, with the inquiry as to how I had
dared to incur such an expense without his orders ; but on being re-

was composed of the Constitution, flagship, Commodore Preble; Philadelphia,
Captain Bainbridge; the brigs Argus, Lieutenant Decatur, and Siren, Lieutenant
Stewart; and the schooners Nautilus, Lieutenant Somers, and Vixen, Lieutenant
Smith. The schooner Enterprise, Lieutenant Hull, of Morris's squadron, remained
with Preble, Hull and Decatur exchanging commands.CRUISE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

21

minded of his former conversation he gave his signature and dis-
missed me with courtesy.

The equipments of the ship were completed in time to leave Boston
on the 14th of August, having on board as passengers the Consul-
General to Algiers, Colonel Lear, and his wife. We had nothing of
interest on the passage until near the entrance of the straits of Gib-
raltar, when, upon a ver}' dark evening, with very light winds, we sud-
denly found ourselves near a vessel which was evidently a ship of war.
The crew were immediately but silently brought to quarters, after^
which the commodore gave the usual hail, "What ship is that?''
The same question was returned ; in reply to which the name of our
ship was given, and the question repeated. Again the question was
returned instead of an answer, and again our ship's name given and
the question repeated, without other reply than its repetition. The
Commodore's patience seemed now exhausted, and, taking the trumpet,
he hailed and said, "I am now going to hail you for the last time.
If a proper answer is not returned, I will fire a shot into you." • A
prompt answer came back, "'If you fire a shot, I will return a broad-
side.' ' Preble then hailed, " What ship is that ?'' The reply was,
"This is His Britannic Majesty's ship Donnegal, eighty-four guns,
Sir Richard Stfahan, an English Commodore. Send your boat on
board." Under the excitement of the moment, Preble leaped on the
hammocks, and returned for answer, "This is the United States ship
Constitution, forty-four guns, Edward Preble, an American Commo-
dore, who will be damned before he sends his boat on board of any
vessel!" And, turning to the crew, he said, "Blow your matches,
boys!" The conversation here ceased, and soon after a boat was
heard coming from the stranger, and arrived with a lieutenant from
the frigate Maidstone. The object of this officer was to apologize for
the apparent rudeness which had been displayed. He stated that our
ship had not been seen until we had hailed them ; that it was, of
course, very important to gain time to bring their men to quarters,
especially as it was apparent we were not English, and the}7 had no
expectation of meeting an American ship of war there ; and that this
object had induced their delay and misrepresentation in giving the
ship's name. These excuses were deemed satisfactory, and the ships
separated .v

This was the first occasion that had offered to show us what we
might expect from our commander, and the spirit and decision which
he displayed were hailed with pleasure by all, and at once mitigated22

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

greatly the unfriendly feelings which the ebullitions of his temper had
produced. We arrived at Gibraltar on the 12th of September, and
there learned that a new enemy had arisen in the Emperor of Morocco,
one of whose cruisers had captured an American vessel a few days
before, but had fortunately been met by the Philadelphia, Captain
Bainbridge, who had secured both vessels and brought them to Gib-
raltar.* A few days after our arrival, Commodore R. V. Morris came
in, on his way to the United States, having been recalled for imputed
neglect of his duties. Some exchanges of officers were made between
the ships, and among those who joined us was my old messmate,
Henry Wadsworth.

A short visit was made by the ship to Cadiz, and upon her return to
Gibraltar, she was met by the New York, Commodore Rodgers,t and
the John Adams, Captain Campbell. With these vessels and the
schooner Nautilus Commodore Preble proceeded in the Constitution
to Tangier, to coerce a renewal of our treaty with Morocco. Before
the Squadron sailed, I had been detached with others to the Moorish
prize, the Mirboka, where we found Midshipman McDonough from
the Philadelphia.

While we were thus lying in the harbor a circumstance occurred
which furnished an opportunity for the display of the insulting arro-
gance of a British captain, a quality which had become almost pro-
verbial, in their intercourse with the vessels of other nations. Three
men who had been sent from the Philadelphia to the prize managed to
desert from her. Mc Donough and myself were sent into Gibraltar to
search for them. They were at last discovered together not far from the
mole, which sheltered the English naval establishment; but they dis-
covered us also and immediately separated and fled. Two were soon
secured by us, and we learned that the other had entered the dockyard.
We requested a sentry who was near to take charge of our prisoners,
to which he assented, probably mistaking us for English officers. We

* The Mirboka was captured by Bainbridge, off Cape de Gata, having in com-
pany the brig Celia of Boston, which she had seized near Malaga a few days
before, in direct violation of the treaty then existing between the United States
and Morocco. The Mirboka carried orders from the Governor of Tangier to cap-
ture all American merchantmen that she might meet. She was finally restored by
Preble to the Emperor, on his re-affirming the treaty, and disavowing, the acts of
the Governor of Tangier.

f Commodore Rodgers remained in command of the Mediterranean squadron
during the interval between Morris's departure and Preble's arrival.CRUISE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

23

then went into the dockyard, where we found the other deserter in a
ship's boat, from whose officer he had claimed protection as a British
subject. To our request for his delivery, the officer stated the necessi-
ty of his referring the decision to his commander, but at the same
time he politely offered to take us on board with him, that we might
obtain it. He belonged to the frigate Medusa, Captain Sir John Gore.
When we arrived on board, we remained on the quarter-deck while
the English lieutenant went to make his report to the captain. We
were thus detained nearly half an hour, during which time no one
entered into conversation with us or offered any civility. On the con-
trary, when Mr. McDonough asked for some water to allay his thirst,
he was directed to the scuttle-butt by the mainmast. The captain
came on deck while McDonough was thus absent, which left me to
commence the conversation. When th^claim for the man was made,
on the ground of his being a deserter from our service, the captain
replied that he had avowed himself to be a British subject and as such
had claimed protection. It was urged in answer that if such was real-
ly the fact, he must have practised a deception on our officers, as we
did not enter English subjects if we knew them to be such; and that
his word ought to have as much weight in one instance as in the other,
in the absence of all proof. The captain said he should retain him,
and remarked that the man had stated that there were many other
English in the Constitution. Feeling excited by the manner of Cap-
tain Gore, I replied that it was possibly true, but I thought not. He
remarked, "We shall take steps to make you give them up," and I re-
plied that I did not think they would. "We have done such things
before as taking men from your ships of war,'' was his next remark;
and I answered that they would not do it again. A formal demand
was then made for the man, to which as formal a denial was given.
A request was then made for a boat to land us, as we had come on
board by the invitation of his officer, and this was granted. During
our absence, our national character had been ascertained by the officer
of the guard, and the men we had left in charge of the sentry had been
released. The commander of the prize, and subsequently the com-
mander of the Siren, repeated the demand for this deserter, but
without success.

Peace having been concluded with Morocco by Commodore Preble,
the prize was ordered to join him at Tangier, where she was returned
to the Moors. The difficulty respecting the deserter having been
reported to the commodore, I was sept for to relate the circumstances24	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

to him. The repetition of the conversation roused all the violence of
his passion, which, in the absence of the real object, fell upon me.
As I could not believe myself deserving of this severe censure, I made
some remarks which only served to increase his anger, and I left the
cabin with the assurance of an immediate arrest. As a precautionary
measure I prepared a statement of the conversation with Captain
Gore, with McDonough's sanction to its correctness, as he had joined
tis in time to hear all but the very commencement.

No arrest was made, however, and my anxieties were relieved soon
after by an assignment to a special and very responsible service, with
instructions from the commodore himself. The Medusa had left Gib-
raltar before the commodore's return, and they did not afterwards
meet, which probably prevented some serious difficulties. The other
vessels of war at Gibraltar, nowever, were open in their arrangements
for. encouraging and facilitating desertions from our vessels, and to
this cause it was probably owing that Syracuse was selected by the
commodore as our rendezvous, in preference to Malta, where our
vessels had previously resorted for supplies.

On our passage from Gibraltar toward Malta, we met a British frig-
ate, from which we learned the loss of the frigate Philadelphia, and
the capture of her officers and crew by the Tripolines. This was a
severe blow. The really efficient force of the squadron for all offen-
sive operations against the city was diminished nearly one half, and
the capture of so many of our people strengthened the means of the
enemy to insist on terms of peace that would be more in his favor than
he could otherwise have expected. When we arrived off Malta letters
were sent out to the commodore from Captain Bainbridge, which gave
all the particulars of this sad disaster.* The ship proceeded to Syra-
cuse, accompanied by the Enterprise, Lieutenant Decatur, which we
had met near that place.

Arrangements were made for landing spare stores and provisions at
this place, as the port of rendezvous for the squadron. Another mid-
shipman and myself were placed in charge of these stores, and resided
on shore. This employment was very agreeable, but not very advan-
tageous. With no knowledge of the language or of the people, the

* The Philadelphia was maintaining alone the blockade of Tripoli, and on the
31st of October, while chasing a blockade-runner, she grounded on a shoal. In
this situation she was attacked by a division of Tripolitan gunboats, and surren-
dered, being unable to offer any resistance.SHORE DUTY AT SYRACUSE.

25

pleasure as well as the improvement to be gained from social inter-
course was very limited, whilst my separation from the ship dimin-
ished my opportunities for professional improvement. I endeavored
to learn the language, but I was soon after recalled on board, under
circumstances that again seemed to destroy my hopes of favor from
the commodore. In the attendance to our shore duties, my companion
and myself had agreed to take alternate days, during the absence of
the squadron, which had proceeded off Tripoli. The commodore
returned on a day when my companion should have been on the look-
out ; but he happened to neglect an early visit to the harbor, and the
morning was well advanced when I accidentally discovered the arrival
of the ship, and proceeded to receive orders. It so happened that the
receipt of articles had been delayed in consequence of our neglect,
and having first presented myself, the commodore neither asked nor
waited for any excuses, but publicly ordered me to rejoin the ship
immediately, as a punishment for my negligence. As m}^ companion
escaped all censure and was continued in his duties, I thought myself
treated with injustice, and my feelings strongly prompted me to ask
permission to leave the squadron; and if it could not be otherwise
obtained, to leave the service. The better judgment of my uncle and
his persuasions induced me, however, to continue, and to hope for
more favorable consideration; and I resumed my ordinary duties.
Subsequent events proved the wisdom of this decision, and showed
that the circumstances which, at the time, seemed most adverse to my
interest were to contribute most essentially to my advantage.

The arrangements for the destruction of the Philadelphia in the
harbor of Tripoli, were soon after determined upon and the officers
selected for the enterprise. It was my fortune to be among the num-
ber, which probably would not have been the case had I remained on
shore duties. The general arrangements and success of this expedi-
tion have become matters of naval history, but, as it was among the
earliest of the operations in the Mediterranean which gave reputation
to the Navy, and was the means of introducing me to the favorable
notice of my brother officers, a statement from me may have sufficient
interest to justify the repetition.

A ketch which had been recently captured from the enen^, when
on her way to Constantinople with a present of slaves and other arti-
cles for-the Grand Yizier, was fitted to receive the persons who were
specially selected for the enterprise. She was about sixty tons
burden and was manned by sixty-four persons, -of whom Lieutenant26	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

Stephen Decatur had the command.* The brig Siren, Lieutenant
Stewart, was to accompany us, to assist with her boats and to receive
the crew of the ketch (which had been named the Intrepid), in case
of her destruction, which was considered probable. The officers were
told to take only a single change of linen, and no time was allowed to
prepare stores, as we embarked within an hour after receiving notice,
and sailed immediately, on the evening of the 3rd of February, 1804.
Combustibles had been previously prepared and placed in the vessel,
with ship's provisions for two or three weeks' supply. A Maltese had
also been obtained to accompany us as a pilot into the harbor, with
which he was well acquainted. We arrived in sight of Tripoli about
the 10th, but the wind was fresh from the westward, with strong indi-
cations of an approaching gale. After some consultation between
the commanders, the vessels anchored under cover of the night near
the entrance, and a boat was sent with the pilot to determine by ob-
servation if the entrance was practicable and safe, of which he had
expressed strong doubts. To my surprise I was ordered to go with
him. We went quite close to the entrance, where we found the surf
breaking entirely across it; and my own opinion concurred with that
of the pilot that no attempt ought to be made. It was, however, a
severe trial to make such a report. I had heard many of the officers
treat the doubts of the pilot as the offspring of apprehension, and the
weather was not yet so decidedly boisterous as to render it certain that
an attempt might not be made, notwithstanding our report. Should
such be the case and should it succeed, the imputations upon the pilot
might be repeated upon me, and, unknown as I was, might be the
cause of my ruin in the estimation of my brother officers. My sense
of duty and propriety, however, prevailed over these apprehensions,
and my report was decidedly against any attempt to enter the harboT
at that time, and sustained all the objections 6f the pilot. These
opinions were evidently received with much dissatisfaction by a major-
ity, and with some murmurs, but the attempt was abandoned for the
time, and the vessels weighed again to get beyond the view from the
town before daylight. This was not done without some difficulty, as
the gale increased rapidly. It continued for four or five days with

* The officers of the Intrepid were Lieutenant Decatur, commanding ; Lieuten-
ants Lawrence, Joseph Bainbridge, and Thorn ; Midshipmen McDonough, Izard,
C. Morris, Laws, Davis, and Rowe; and Surgeon Heerman. The Maltese pilot,
Salvadore Catalano, afterwards became a sailing-master in the Navy.DESTRUCTION OF THE PHILADELPHIA.

27

great violence, and drove us considerably to the eastward, and at
one time nearer the coast than was agreeable.

Our situation on board was far from comfortable. The commander,
three lieutenants, and the surgeon occupied the very small cabin. Six
midshipmen and the pilot had a platform laid on the water casks,
whose surface they covered when they lay down for sleep, and at so
small a distance below the deck that their heads would reach it when
seated on the platform. The marines had corresponding accommoda-
tions on the opposite side, and the sailors had only the surface of the
casks in the hold. To these inconveniences were added the want of
any room on the deck for exercise, and the attacks of innumerable
vermin, which our predecessors the slaves had left behind them. The
provisions proved to be decayed and offensive. Fortunately our
confinement did not continue long enough to affect our health or vigor.

On the morning of the 16th we again obtained sight of Tripoli, with
light winds, pleasant weather, and a smooth sea, and stood in for the
town. By arrangement the Siren kept far without us during the day,
and her appearance had been so changed as to lull all suspicion of her
being a vessel of war. The lightness of the wind allowed us to keep
up all appearance of an anxious desire to reach the harbor before
night, without bringing us too near to require any other change than
the use of drags, which could not be seen from the city. All the crew
were also kept below, excepting six or eight persons at a time, that
suspicion might not be awakened by unusual numbers; and such as
were visible were dressed as Maltese.

As the evening advanced our drags were taken in, so that we were
within two miles of the eastern entrance at dark, the Siren being some
three miles without us. The concerted arrangements were for the
ketch to wait for the boats of the Siren to join us after dark, that they
might accompany us to the attack ; but as the sun descended the wind
grew fainter, and there was good reason to apprehend that any delay
in waiting for the boats might render it very difficult for the ketch to
reach the ship. Decatur, therefore, determined to proceed without
waiting, and accompanied his decisioii with the remark, "Th'e fewer
the number the greater the honor/' One boat from the Siren, with
six men, had joined us a few days beforehand was still with us.

The final arrangements were now made, and the respective duties
of the several officers, which had been previously allotted, were again
specified and explained. The presumed number of our enemy was
stated, and the necessity for our utmost exertions enjoined upon us.28	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

The watchword " Philadelphia'' was issued, to be used as a means of
recognition; and as we advanced into the harbor strict silence was
enjoined and observed. The injunction, however, appeared to be
unnecessary. No one seemed disposed to enter into conversation,
but to be absorbed by his own reflections. My own thoughts were
busy, now reverting to friends at home, now to the perils we were
about to meet. Should I be able to justify the expectations of
the former by meeting properly the dangers of the latter? How
was I prepared for the death which might possibly be my fate ? These,
with others of a somber character, mixed with calculations to secure
a prominent position when boarding, passed rapidly through my
mind; and the minds of others were no doubt employed on similar
subjects. The officers and crew were directed to conceal themselves
as much as possible, excepting some six or eight. Most of the
officers could be distinguished by their dress, and they required con-
cealment more than the sailors. Fortunately, owing to the loss of
some articles, which had been replaced by loan from the crew, my
own dress corresponded to theirs, which enabled me to keep near
Decatur, who I supposed would naturally be among the first to leave
the ketch. The wind wafted us slowly into the harbor, the water was
smooth, and the young moon gave light enough to distinguish promi-
nent objects. One battery was passed, the^ Philadelphia was in view
near several smaller vessels, and the white walls of the city and its
batteries were before us. We steered directly for the frigate, and at
last the anxious silence was broken by a hail from her, demanding our
character and object. Then might be seen the eager movements of
the heads of the officers and crew who were stretched on the deck,
ready to leap forward at the word of their commander, but still resting
in silence. A conversation was kept up between the frigate and the
ketch through our pilot, acting under the dictation of Decatur. We
alleged the loss of our anchors during the last gale, which was true,
as a reason for wishing to make fast to the frigate till morning, and
permission was obtained; but just as the ketch was about coming in
contact with the frigate the wind shifted, blowing lightly directly from
the frigate, and it left us at rest abeam and about twenty yards from
her. This was a moment of great anxiety. We were directly under
her guns, motionless and powerless, except by exertions which might
betray our character. The Siren's boat was, however, in tow, and
was leisurely manned, and took a rope to make fast to the ship. She
was met by a boat with another rope, when both were united, and eachDESTRUCTION OF THE PHILADELPHIA.

29

boat returned to its vessel. This rope was passed along the deck and
hauled upon by the crew as they lay stretched upon it, and the vessels
gradually brought neafer each other. When nearly in contact the
suspicions of the enemy appeared to be aroused, and the cry of
"Americanos ! " resounded through the ship. In a moment we were
near enough, and the order "Board ! " was given ; and with this cry
our men were soon on the decks of the frigate. The surprise had
been complete ; there was no time for any preparation, and the enemy
made scarcely a show of resistance. A few were killed, one was made
prisoner, and the remainder leaped overboard and probably reached
their cruisers which were anchored near the ship. In less than twenty
minutes the ship had been carried, the combustibles distributed and
set on fire, and all our party again on board the ketch. By great
exertions, the two vessels were separated before the fire, which was
pouring from the ports of the ship, enveloped the ketch also.

Up to this time the ships and batteries of the enemy had remained
silent, but they were now prepared to act: and when the crew of the
ketch gave three cheers in exultation of their success, they received the
return of a general discharge from the enemy. The confusion of the
moment probably prevented much care in their direction, and, though
under the fire of nearly a hundred pieces for half an hour, the only shot
which struck the ketch was one through the topgallant sail. We
were in greater danger from the ship, whose broadside commanded
the passage by which we were retreating, and whose guns were loaded
and were discharged as they became heated. We escaped these also,
and while urging the ketch onwards with sweeps, the crew were com-
menting upon the beauty of the spray thrown up by the shot between
us and the brilliant light of the ship, rather than calculating any dan-
ger that might be apprehended from the contact. The appearance of
the ship was indeed magnificent. The flames in the interior illumin-
ated her ports and, ascending her rigging and masts, formed columns
of fire, which, meeting the tops, were reflected into beautiful capitals ;
whilst the occasional discharge of her guns gave an idea of some di-
recting spirit within her. The walls of the city and its batteries, and
the masts and rigging of cruisers at anchor, brilliantly illuminated,
and animated by the discharge of artillery, formed worthy adjuncts
and an appropriate background to the picture. Favored by a light
breeze our exertions soon carried us beyond the range of their shot,
and at the entrance of the harbor we met the boats of the Siren,
which had been intended to cooperate with As,'whose crews rejoiced30	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

at our success, whilst they grieved at not having been able to partici-
pate in it.

The plan of attack prescribed by our comftiander was for united
action to obtain possession of the ship, with the exception of a boat
to intercept communication to the shore, and for the surgeon and a
few men to secure the ketch to the ship. When possession was se-
cured, each lieutenant, with a midshipman and specified men, was to
receive a portion of the prepared combustibles, and distribute them in
designated parts of the berth-deck and in the forward store-rooms,
and a smaller party under a midshipman to do the same in the cock-
pit, and there await orders to set fire, that all might be done at the
same time and give all a chance for safe retreat. The party for the
cockpit was assigned to my charge. My object in keeping near Lieu-
tenant Decatur, when we were approaching the ship, was that by
watching his actions, I could be governed by these rather than by liis
orders when the boarding should take place. It was well that this
course was taken, for Decatur had leaped to the main chain plates of
the frigate, before the order to board was given. I had leaped with
him, and, probably more favored by circumstances, was able to reach
the deck by the time he had gained the rail. The enemy were already
leaping over the opposite side and made no resistance; but Decatur,
under the supposition that he was first on board, was about to strike
me, when I accidentally turned and stayed his uplifted arm by the
watchword and mutual recognition. On my way to my station, after
examining the cabin, and when passing forward, we met again under
similar circumstances. Passing through the wardroom, which I found
deserted, I awaited in the cockpit the men who had gone for the
combustibles. These were so delayed that we had none when the
order was given to set fire ; but, as they came a moment after, they
were distributed, and fire communicated before we left our station. In
the mean time the fire on the deck above us had communicated so
rapidly that it was with no small difficulty and danger that our party
reached the spar-deck by the forward hatchways. All the others had
already rejoined the ketch, except Decatur, who remained on the rail
till all others were on board ; and the bow of the ketch had already
swung olf from the ship when he joined us by leaping into the rigging
of the ketch.

The success of this enterprise added much to the reputation of the
Navy, both at home and abroad. Great credit was given and was
justly due to Commodore Preble, who directed and first designed it,OPERATIONS AGAINST TRIPOLI.

31

and to Lieutenant Decatur, who volunteered to execute it, and to
whose coolness, self-possession, resources, aiid intrepidit}' its success
was- in an eminent degree due. The accident of haying preceded
others a few seconds, when all were on board within a minute, gave a
prominence in public estimation to my own exertions, to which may
be ascribed favorable opinions that probably had a beneficial influence
on all m}^ subsequent professional life. I was not, however, vain
enough to feel that I deserved any particular merit from this accident,
and could not but be conscious that I really deserved more for my
faithful report against an attempt to enter the harbor when we first
arrived than for an accidental precedence which had not cost me half
the effort.

On our return to Syracuse the officers resumed their former duties.
A merchant brig, mounting ten 4-pounder guns, was detained a few
weeks after for breach of blockade, and fitted by order of Commodore
Preble to act as a cruiser, under the name of the Scourge. She was
under the command of Lieutenant Dent, the senior lieutenant of the
Constitution. Henry Wadsyrorth was appointed to act as first and
Ealph Izard as second lieutenant, and myself as master, on the 22nd
of April, 1804. By this appointment more responsible duties were
devolved upon me, which, at the same time, furnished means for
more rapidly increasing my professional knowledge, and excited me
more strongly to improve them.

We sailed from Syracuse early in May, for Tripoli, off which place
we continued as one of the blockading vessels till the arrival of the
commodore about the 1st of July, accompanied by two bornb-vessels
and six gunboats borrowed from the Neapolitan government (which
was also at war with Tripoli), and by some other vessels of our own
squadron.

The necessary preparations for attack, and some unfavorable
weather, occupied us till the 3d of August, on the morning of which
the signal was made to prepare for battle. The Scourge, being useless
for any offensive purpose, was anchored, and all the crew and officers,
excepting two or three persons, were distributed to other vessels. I
went to the Constitution. The daring attack by the gunboats under
Lieutenants Stephen Decatur and Somers, and the capture of three of
the enemy's gunboats against a superiority of nineteen to six, is a
matter of history. Some apprehension was felt that these boats might
be recaptured by the enemy, before our smaller vessels could cover
them, and I was allowed to take the barge and assist in towing them32	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

from under the fire of the batteries. When the firing had ceased I
took Lieutenant Stephen Decatur to the boat of his brother James,
who had been mortally wounded just as his opponent had surrendered.
The latter had escaped in the confusion which was caused by his fall.
We found him stiU alive, but apparently unconscious ; and he expired
just before we reached the ship on our return. I remained in the
Constitution assisting in the ordinary duties till the 7th ^f August,
when an attack was made on the town by the bomb-vessels and
gunboats only, when I accompanied Lieutenant Decatur, with Mc-
Donough, in his gunboat. The current swept us to leeward, and
prevented us from gaining the position which had been intended ; and
in endeavoring to change the direction of our line the vessels fell into
much confusion from their unmanageableness in a sea-way, and left
us exposed to the fire of the enemy for some time, without our being
able to return it. At one time they formed and bore up as though
they contemplated a close attack, but they soon hauled up again and
beat back to the harbor. Our attack was of little injury to the enemy ;
and we lost one of the prize boats, which was •blown, up, and her
commander, Lieutenant Caldwell, Midshipman Dorsey and eight men
perished with her. Two other persons were killed in other boats, and
six wounded, two of them mortally.

On the evening of this day the John Adams, Captain Isaac Chaun-
cey, joined the squadron from the United States. By her, intelligence
was received that a squadron was on its way to reinforce us, but under
the command of Commodore Samuel Barron, who, from his rank,
would necessarily supersede Commodore Preble. She also brought a
commission as captain for Lieutenant Decatur, as a reward for his
gallantry in the capture and destruction of the Philadelphia; but
there being no appropriate command for him, he continued in com-
mand of the gunboats.

The arrival of a superior officer to supersede Commodore Preble
was much regretted in the squadron. His zeal and activity, and his
watchful care of the interests and honor of the country, and the
adoption and vigorous prosecution of means, which afforded to officers
opportunities for gaining honorable distinction, had caused all to
forget or to pardon his violent ebullitions of temper, as a constitu-
tional infirmity beyond his control. The commodore was also hurt at
this requital of his exertions, which might easily have been avoided
by the selection of junior officers, if there had been a very strong
desire to continue him in the command; but it did not produce anyOPERATIONS AGAINST TRIPOLI.

33

relaxation in his exertions. The next day, the 8th of August, 1804,
I was appointed acting lieutenant of the brig Argus, Captain Isaac
Hull? and joined her the same day. On the 9th I went with a flag of
truce to take dispatches to the city, but was not permitted to pass the
gunboats ; still, I was able to discover some positions where gunboats
could be secure from some of the batteries.

I was ordered to succeed Lieutenant Joshua Blake, 4;he senior lieu-
tenant, in the command of gunboat No. 3, which was manned from
the brig. In an attack that was subsequently made, on the 3rd of
September, the gunboats were occupied by a very distant cannonade
which produced little effect and furnished no opportunity for individ-
ual distinction. The Constitution, however, made a vigorous attack
on the town and batteries, and received considerable injury in sails
and rigging.

On the 4th of September the ketch Intrepid, which had brought
stores to the squadron, was filled with a hundred barrels of powder
and a hundred and fifty loaded shells for the purpose of being taken
into the harbor and exploded, with a view to shatter the castle and
batteries, and destroy or injure the vessels. She was commanded by
Lieutenant Somers, and accompanied by my old messmate, Henry
Wadsworth, and Midshipman Joseph Israel and ten picked men. The
ketch left the squadron after dark. Every person was anxiously
awaiting the event, and about eleven the explosion took place, appar-
ently near the entrance, instead of the bottom of the harbor, as was
proposed. The concerted signal to denote the safety of the party
was then waited for with increased anxiety; but the watchful eyes of
all in the squadron looked for it in vain, till daylight came, and with
it the conviction that they had been captured or had perished. The
latter proved to be the fact. How, can never be accurately known ;
but the probability is that the explosion was premature and accidental,
though at the time the general feeling ascribed it to design rather than
to submit to disappointment and capture by boats supposed to have
met and assailed them.

The weather having become unsettled, and the ammunition and
other stores of the squadron being nearly exhausted, the gunboats
and bomb vessels, with the vessels of the squadron, excepting the Con-
stitution, Argus and Vixen, left the station on the 7th of September
for Syracuse. On the 10th, the frigate President, Commodore Barron,
and the Constellation, Captain Campbell, joined the squadron off
Tripoli. Commodore Barron considered the season too far advanced34	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

to justify any further attacks on the city, and on the 12th Commodore
Preble, in the Constitution, left for Malta, with three Greek ships
laden with wheat, that had just been detained for an attempted viola-
tion of the blockade. Of one of these ships I was placed in charge ;
and after our arrival at Malta I was allowed to live with the officers of
the Constitution, during the quarantine to which all the ships were
subjected. Commodore Preble left the squadron and returned to the
United States in the John Adams.*	*

On the 28th of October, I was ordered to the President, as her
junior lieutenant, by Commodore Barron, under whom I had com-
menced my naval career. We proceeded soon after to Syracuse,
where the commodore remained while the ship made a cruise off Tri-
poli under the command of Commander George Cox. The discovery
of a slight deca}^ in one of the lower masts and in some of the other
spars excited such a dread of danger in his mind that he left the. sta-
tion and returned to Syracuse. An exchange was then made by send-
ing him to the Essex, and Captain James Barron took the President,
which would leave him near his brother while the masts of the ship
Were under repair. These repairs occupied the greater part of the
winter.

Hitherto my opportunities in the squadron for reading or study had
been very limited. There were no books among the officers after I
joined the Scourge, and few in the squadron devoted any part of their
time to their use. It was my good fortune to find an exception in
Lieutenant Daniel Murray of the President, and to obtain his friend-
ship. He was a good classical scholar, well read on many subjects,
conversant with the French language, and at this time studying the
Italian. My fondness for reading had not been lost and it was now
not only encouraged but usefully directed by Mr. Murray, whose li-
brary was placed at my disposal. My subsequent improvement may,
in a great degree, be fairly attributed to his influence, and the ele-
gance of his manners, his cheerful and amiable temper, and his high
aijd firm principles furnished an example which excited a desire and
even an attempt to imitate. Be was five or six years my senior, and,

* The removal of Preble from his command, befcid^s being unjust to him, and *
entirely uncalled for by any necessities of the service* was a piece of bad policy
on the part of the government. Barron, apart from the state of his health, was
in no way comparable to\Preble as an officer. The ease with which a favorable
treaty was negotiated in 1805 was chiefly due to the hot work which Preble had
given the Tripolitans the year before.ASCENT OF MOUNT ETNA.

35

though highly estimated as an officer, the gloomy prospects of the
Navy, and his recent marriage, induced him to resign in 1811, and
devote himself to agricultural pursuits. He sustained his high char-
acter through life, but steadily declined all official stations, though he
might have represented his district in Congress, or filled the guberna-
torial chair of his state, at any time during many years prior to his
death* which took place in 1841.

We had the pleasure, for several weeks during this winter, of hav-
ing Washington Irving as a companion in our mess, from which par-
ties weite made to visit other cities in Sicily. The indisposition of
Commodore Barron had deprived him of any active participation in
the proceedings of the squadron, and on the 23rd of May, 1805, he
resigned the command of it to Commodore Rodgers, the next in rank,
On the 3rd of June, a peace was concluded with Tripoli by Colonel
Lear, who had been authorized by the President to negotiate.

After the resignation of the command by Commodore Barron he
made a visit from Syracuse to Catania and Mount Etna, and selected
several of the officers to accompany him. As one of the number I
had an opportunity of passing ten or twelve days on this excursion.
The Commodore selected the village of Mascalucia for his residence,
hoping for advantage to his health from its mild temperature, it being
situated at about an equal distance from the base and summit of the
mountain.

A party was soon made up to ascend to the crater. We- left
the village after an early dinner, and reached a goat-herd's cabin
in the woody region about 9 P. M. Here we halted for a few hours,
and, resuming our march by a path which kept us in Indian file and
led us occasionally along the brink of deep precipices, we found
ourselves at the foot of the crater by early dawn. We here awaited
the rising of the sun, as a position less liable to be obscured by the
smoke than upon the crater itself.

The morning proved unusually favorable, being perfectly clear, and
allowing us to view the sun rising, in appearance, out of the Adriatic
below us, while the full moon was sinking into the sea beyond the
Western shores of Sicily. Distances seemed to be nearly lost; the
Faro of Messina lay at our feet, and the eastern shores to Cape
Passaro, with the windings of the intermediate harbors, were liks
distant tracings on a map. The island itself, notwithstanding its
hilly character, appeared, from our superior elevation, like an unbroken
plain, variegated by the greater lights which rested on the elevations,36	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

and the shadows which the early rays of the sun threw beyond them.
After an hour or two passed in the contemplation of these novel
scenes, the ascent of the crater was commenced. Our path led us at
first across an old stream of lava, which resembled ice that had been
broken and driven together by some violent force, and when the cake
had been pressed into every variety of elevation and inclination, had
been fastened there by new congelation. In this broken surface the
edges of the lava were sharp or rough, and in many places required
the use of hands as well as feet to advance upon or over it. When
this was crossed we arrived at the upper cone, the surface of which
was composed of scoriae and lava stones which had been thrown from
the crater by its eruptions. The ascent was quite steep; and from
this cause, the looseness of the surface, and the rarity of the atmos-
phere, it was found to be very difficult. As we approached the
summit, it was found impossible to advance more than fifty or sixty
yards without stopping to recover strength and wind to go further.
Our party consisted of eight, and of these only five reached the edge
of the crater, the strength of the others having been exhausted at
from two to three hundred yards from it. At or near the point we
reached, the inner wall of the crater appeared to be nearly perpendic-
ular, and we could discover no limit to its depth. Heavy columns of
smoke ascended at short intervals, and the crater was not entirely free
from it at any time. The circumference of the crater at that time was
estimated by us at about three-quarters of a mile; but there is no
doubt that its dimensions and appearance are frequently changed by
the action of the forces within and below.

The peculiarity of this elevated and desolate region which struck us
with the greatest force was silence, more perfect and profound than
we had ever before witnessed or conceived. There was nothing there
endowed with life excepting ourselves,—neither bird, beast, nor vege-
table. Our descent from the crater was more rapid and less fatiguing,
but not entirely free from danger, as the large stones that were lying
in the scoriae were easily detached from their bed, and rolled down the
cone with great velocity, rousing others in their path, and sometimes
spreading wide enough to endanger any who should be in advance of
them. After recrossing the lava we mounted our mules again, and
reached the village in time for dinner.

At this place,.and just as I was leaving it to return to the ship, the
news of the peace reached us by Captain Bainbridge, who had taken
the earliest opportunity to visit Commodore Barron. The terms ofTHE TREATY WITH TRIPOLI.

37

this peace were satisfactory to the government, and probably were
preferable to renewed hostilities, the success of which might be doubt-
ful ; but there was a general feeling among the officers that with such
greatly increased forces a more formidable demonstration for attack
might have spared us the payment of even the small sum which was
granted by the treaty, and thus deprived the Pasha of all pretext for
boasting, of having obtained a ransom for the prisoners who had fallen
into his power.*

It was soon determined that the frigate President should return to
the United States with Commodore Barron. Some changes took
place among the officers, which left me the third lieutenant. Lieuten-
ant Murray joined the Essex, Captain Bainbridge. The greater part
of the officers who had been released from Tripoli took passage in the
President, which increased the wardroom mess to twenty-two.
Apprehending inconvenience from late sittings of so many unemployed
persons, the officers of the ship requested and obtained an order for
the extinguishment of all lights in the wardroom at 10 P.M., which
was soon adopted in the service as a general rule. A few days were
passed at Algesiras in obtaining supplies. When passing Tarifa,
with our colors flying, a few hours after leaving Algesiras, the Spanish
gunboats opened fire upon us, and threw many shot over us. As they
were covered from our fire, the only notice taken of their conduct was
to display the Spanish flag under ours,— a proper return for their
gratuitous insult.

Commodore Barron and our passengers left us at Hampton roads,
and the ship proceeded to Washington, where the crew were paid off.
Late in September the officers were placed on short leave of absence,
but were ordered to hold themselves in readiness for service. A short
time was spent among the friends of fellow officers who resided in
Alexandria and Baltimore, and a short visit to the famity of Lieuten-
ant Murray at Annapolis, which I had promised him to make. I
determined to devote a portion of my present leisure to the study of
the French language and to general reading, and selected Providence,

* The treaty was signed June 4, 1805. It stipulated for the exchange of pris-
oners, man for man, and for the payment of $60,000 by the United States as a
ransom for the excess of American prisoners in the hands of the Tripolitans.
About three hundred Americans were held prisoners in Tripoli at the time, and
we had captured about one-third of that number of Tripolitans. The treaty made
no stipulation in regard to other payments, in the form of annual tribute or
otherwise.38	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS,

where I had a few early acquaintances, as a residence. Here I found
an able instructor, and the kindness of several families soon gave me
access to a society of young persons, many of whom were distin-
guished for their acquirements and talents, as well as for the charm of
their social qualities.

The reputation which had been gained by the Navy in the Mediter-
ranean operated here as a favorable introduction for the officers who
had been employed^ there, and the attentions which fell to my share
might have affected me injuriously, if a consciousness that they were
given first to the officer and not to the individual had not kept all
vanity in check. The attentions were, however, gratefully received,
and naturally excited a wish to deserve them by the prudence apd
propriety of my conduct.

My studies and my pleasures were interrupted early in February by
an order to repair without delay to New York, for duty in the brig
Hornet. This was, of course, promptly obeyed, though with much
regret; for, besides the separation from agreeable companions, my
progress in French was too small to allow me to pursue the study
alone with the hope of much success. I found that my old command-
er, Dent, was to command the Hornet, with Trippe and Marcelline
for the other two lieutenants, which placed me as the second. Mr.
Skip with, our consul at Paris, soon joined us, and about the last of
March, 1806, we sailed to convey him to Lorient in France. We had
a tempestuous passage, and on one occasion very narrowly escaped
foundering by a heavy sea which broke just short of us, carrying away
the stern boat. We arrived safely, however, early in May, and left
again about a fortnight afterwards for the Mediterranean, after having
received many civilities from the naval officers and other inhabitants.

On our passage we fell in with part of the English blockading
squadron off Cadiz, and had another instance of the insolence of their
naval officers. A ship had been detached to speak us, from which a
boat came on board as usual. The officer, however, whether by
instruction or not he did not state, requested of Captain Dent that
the crew might be called up for his examination. The only reply he
received was an order from Captain Dent to Lieutenant Trippe to
have the side manned for him, and a formal "Good morning" ; and he
wisely did not wait for any further information. We proceeded on our
way without further interruption, but with very indignant feelings.

The remainder of the year 1806, and until August 1807, was passed
in visiting the ports of Malaga, Alicante, Leghorn, Naples, Cagliari,CRUISE 03T THE BRIO riORNET.

89

Palermo, Messina, Syracuse, and Malta, with an occasional visit to
the Barbary ports of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. A large proportion
of our time was idly and unprofitably passed at Syracuse, where there
were few objects of interest or means for rational enjoyment. Though
unrestrained by orders, our commander could not be persuaded to visit
the Adriatic, or the Grecian and Turkish ports, which the younger
officers were very desirous to examine. It even required some man-
agement to obtain a visit of ten days at Naples and of a week at
Palermo. We were more, fortunate at Alicante, where we passed sev-
eral weeks very pleasantly in the society which was furnished by the
estimable family of our consul, Mr. Montgomery, and in that of his
brother and the foreign consuls resident in the city. Our stay at
Malaga was also prolonged a little hy the attractions of the family of
Mr. Kirkpatrick, our consul at that place. My introduction to society
in Providence, and the opportunities which offered at Lorient and at
the ports we visited in the Mediterranean, had placed me at ease in
the company of ladies and given me a fondness for their society which
was favorable to me in all respects, especially by exciting my endeav-
ors to increase my information. By great perseverance I acquired the
ability to read French with facility, and then used works in that
language to read history and study naval tactics and other subjects
connected with the higher branches of my profession. I was unable,
however, to speak it, and seldom made the effort.

On the 1st of August, being off Malaga on our way to Gibraltar
with the Constitution, we met a vessel which gave us the confirmed
account of the attack on the Chesapeake by the Leopard.* This
induced us to anchor at Malaga, where official information reached us
by special conveyance on the 17th of August. The Constitution
sailed the same evening for the United States, and we were dispatched
to have all stores disposed of that remained at Malta and Syracuse

* The Chesapeake was attacked by the English frigate Leopard June 27, 1807,
off the entrance of Chesapeake bay, the object of the Leopard being to obtain the
surrender of any deserters from the English squadron that might be on board the
Chesapeake. Owing to the negligence of her officers, and from other causes, the
Chesapeake had put to sea wholly unprepared for action, and she was able to
make little or no resistance. After receiving the Leopard's fire for fifteen or
twenty minutes, she hauled down her colors. Her crew were mustered by an
English lieutenant, and four men were taken from her. The Leopard then sailed
away, and the Chesapeake returned to Hampton roads. The British government
disavowed the act and made reparation for it, though after considerable delay.40

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP COMMODORE MORRIS.

before the news should reach those places, under the impression that
immediate war would be the consequence of such an outrage.

Our duties were successfully accomplished, and, haying touched at
Leghorn and received some money that was in the hands of the
United States agent, we left the Mediterranean with all dispatch, and
following the southern passage by the trade winds arrived at Charles-
ton, South Carolina, late in the month of November.

Public indignation had abated so much before our arrival that an
immediate war was no longer apprehended, and our vessel remained
unemployed at Charleston during the winter. The officers received a
full share of the hospitalities for which the inhabitants of this city
were distinguished, and my opportunities for mingling with the refined
and intelligent society thus made accessible were not neglected.

Seeing little prospect of active employment, I obtained leave to visit
Washington in May 1808, where permission was given me by the
Department to visit my friends, and subsequently I received an order
to report to Captain Bainbridge for duty at Portland, Maine. My
health had been impaired at Charleston, and I traveled leisurely by
way of New York and Albany to visit my parents in Montgomery
County. The effects of service in different climates for five years, and
the usual effects of transition from youth to manhood, had so changed
my appearance that even my mother did not recognize me on my arri-
val. The time at length arrived when duty required me to separate
myself again from the family and to bid a farewell, which proved to be
the last that was to be given by the mother to whom her family owed
so much and were so deeply attached. * * * * On my journey,
I devoted some days to visiting Northampton, Hartford, and Middle-
town, and passed a week at Woodstock, where there were a few who
still recollected me, although there had already been numerous changes
in the inhabitants and in their situations and employments. From
Woodstock I proceeded to Providence to renew the acquaintances
from which I had derived so much pleasure a few years before.

In Boston I again met my uncle, N. Morris, who had been ap-
pointed a purser by Commodore Preble when in the Constitution,—an
appointment which was subsequently confirmed by the Department.
He was now in the advanced stages of consumption, which closed his
life a few months later.

On the 1st of August, 1808, I reported for duty at Portland, where
I became an inmate in the same house with Captain Bainbridge and
his family, and Lieutenants Thorn and Cox. We were without anyENFORCEMENT OF THE EMBARGO.

41

duty for some months, which 1 sedulously devoted to reading and to
practice in map delineations.

The. existing embargo had caused the ruin of most of the merchants
of Portland and thrown a large proportion of the inhabitants out of
their accustomed employments. These special causes produced a bit-
terness of party feeling, which was sufficiently strong between the
political' parties generally, where no such causes existed. Having
never taken any part in the politics of the country, and having per-
sonal friends in both of the parties, it was not difficult for me to feel
and express more favorable opinions of both than was acceptable to
their 'respective opponents ; and social intercourse had been so much
disturbed by party feelings that my neutral conduct excluded me, for
a time, from the circles of both extremes. This was gradually over-
come, however, and afterwards my time was passed with much pleas-
ure as well as advantage with some families of both parties.*

In November Captain Bainbridge was ordered to Washington, and
the lieutenants, Thorn and Cox, left the station on leave of absence.
A few days after, directions came for the equipment of one of the
gunboats in the harbor, for the purpose of preventing evasions of the
embargo, which I was instructed to enforce. This placed me on a
service which was peculiarly unpopular and liable to bring me into
unpleasant if not dangerous collisions with the sailors and mercantile
part of the community. It was fortunate for me that I had already
formed acquaintances to whom I could explain the necessity for my
obedience and my desire to avoid all unnecessary inconvenience to
others in the performance of my duties. These persons made my
sentiments generally known, and by carefully preventing any abuse of
power by those under my command, and giving such unremitted per-
sonal attention as prevented any infraction of the law, I was fortunate
enough to escape the censure of both parties and any complaints
from individuals. In the course of the winter, the other nine gun-
boats were equipped and manned and placed under my orders, and I
had the satisfaction, when called to other duties in the spring, of being
informed that an application had been forwarded to the Department

* The Embargo act was adopted in December, 1807, and repealed at the end of
February, 1809. It prohibited the departure of any vessel from any port of the
United States, bound to any foreign country, except foreign armed public vessels,
and foreign merchant ships in ballast or with only such cargo as they might
have on board when notified of the act. The act authorized the President to em-
ploy officers and vessels of the Navy to carry it into effect.42

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

to leave me in my command, as one who had gained the confidence
and favorable opinion of the influential persons of both political pari-
ties. This was a gratifying compensation for the very great exposure
necessary during the winter, which had affected my health and excited
serious apprehensions of dangerous pulmonary disease.

Captain Bainbridge having completed the duty for which he left
Portland, was ordered to the command of the frigate President, whose
repairs had just been commenced at'Washington. By the same mail
in which he informed me of his appointment, I received an order to
the same ship, but to open the rendezvous at Portsmouth till further
orders. Captain Bainbridge informed me that my position was to be
the executive officer or first lieutenant. This information, though
gratifying to professional pride, caused me much uneasiness and some
alarm, for I had doubts of my ability to perform such responsible
duties to the satisfaction of my commander, or to my own credit.
My last service had been in a small vessel, and when rating as a
lieutenant in a frigate, my duties were only those of a watch officer;
and in no ease had those of an executive character devolved on me
except in my recent charge of a gunboat. I therefore wrote to Cap-
tain Bainbridge stating my doubts, that he might select a more expe-
rienced officer if he should prefer it. His answer, which was flatter-
ing and encouraging, left me no option but compliance with the order.
Six weeks were passed in Portsmouth, during which I received the
melancholy information of the sudden death of my mother from
pleurisy.

I joined the President in May, 1809, and commenced my duties
with a determination to supply deficiencies of professional knowledge,
as far as practicable, by unwearied attention and diligence. The ship
was so much decayed that many of the bottom planks had to be re-
newed, as well as the copper, and all her equipments were new.
These latter were all to be prepared and put in place under my per-
sonal direction, and my exertions fortunately obtained the approbation
of my commander, whose own attention and activity were well calcu-
lated to excite the energies and diligence of others. Notwithstanding
all exertions the ship did not reach Hampton roads till September.
From that place she proceeded to New York and received some arti-
cles which were still deficient. Captain Bainbridge had been author-
ized to wear a commodore's pennant, and two cruises of five or sh?
weeks each were made on the qoast during the winter, where the
tempestuous weather allowed of few comforts, but gave full employ-CRUISE OF THE PRESIDENT.

48

ment to the crew, and greatly increased their efficiency and skill in
the maneuvers of the ship. James Biddle was the second, William
Burrows the third, Gr. C. Read the fourth, A. S. Wadsworth the fifth,
and C. W. Morgan the junior lieutenant. In May, 1810, Captain
Bainbridge left the ship in the Delaware, under a furlough, to attend
to his private affairs, and she proceeded under my charge to Hampton
roads. Lieutenant Biddle left for the Syren, and Lieutenant Burrows
on a furlough. Captain Hull had been selected to succeed Commo-
dore Bainbridge, but Commodore Rodgers, his senior, having ex-
pressed a desire to exchange to the President from the Constitution,
it was authorized, and on the arrival of the latter ship in the roads a
complete exchange of the officers and crew was made, and Captain
Hull took command of the Constitution. The remaining part of the
summer and the autumn were passed in the Constitution in cruising
on the coast and in the Delaware river and Boston harbor.

The winter of 1810-11 was passed with the President and Congress
in the harbor of New London. Captain Hull was absent a consider-
able part of the time, which devolved some additional duties upon me,
but as we had but little other emploj^ment than the usual gun exer-
cises, I found time to make a tolerable survey and chart of the har-
bor with the imperfect instruments at my command. After a short
Gruise on the eastern part of the coast and a visit to Boston, the ship
proceeded to Chesapeake bay, in May 1811, and anchored off Annap-
olis, ready to receive on board Mr. Barlow and convey him as our
envoy and minister to France.* August arrived before we were
joined by Mr. Barlow and his family, composed of Mrs. Barlow and
her sister, Mrs. Baldwin.

A pleasant passage enabled us to land them at Cherbourg in Sep-
tember. The ship soon proceeded off the Texel, where we landed
specie as payment of part of the public debt due in Holland. On
our return a few days were passed in the Downs, where the British
naval officers were civil. After another short detention at Cherbourg

* Joel Barlow, the well-knowij author of the Columbiad and the Vision of
Columbus. Barlow had served as a chaplain during the Revolution. From 178$
to 1805 he was in France and in England, ocwpied with various political angl
financial schemes, in the latter of which he made a large fortune. Part of the
time he was Consul of the United States at Algiers and Tripoli. He was appoint-
ed Minister to France in 1811, and gained a reputation for considerable diplo-
matic ability. He died in December, 1812, in Poland, having been sent for by
the Emperor, then on his Russiap campaign.44	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

the ship took Mr. Russell to England as Charge <T affaires.* We
anchored at Spithead, where there were many British ships of war.
Captain Hull accompanied Mr. Russell to London for a short visit.
At this place no offers of civility were received from the British
officers. Some circumstances occurred which at one time threatened
serious difficulties, though none actually took place.

• Very late one night a boat came from an English frigate that was
lying near us, whose officer, on being shown to me, in the absence of
Captain Hull, presented the compliments of the captain of the Havan-
nah, with the information that a deserter from our ship had just
reached the ship under his command. Thanks were returned for the
information and he was informed that the man would be sent for in
the morning. When this was done his delivery was declined, without
an order from the admiral. The second lieutenant was sent to the
flag-ship for such an order, but was informed that the admiral was on
shore. It seemed proper to make a personal demand, and for that
purpose I waited on the admiral, Sir Roger Curtis. My request for
the man was answered by the question whether we would surrender
British deserters who should reach our ship; to which I could only
say that Captain Hull would probably be willing to accede to any
agreement that should be mutually advantageous. The admiral then
observed that the man had claimed protection as a British subject,
and, under these circumstances, he was bound to retain him; and
without other evidence than the man's own assertion, as he said in
reply to a question. I had therefore only to make a formal demand
and take leave. Anxious to prevent further desertions, additional
sentries were placed and every vigilance enforced. About midnight I
was awakened by the discharge of the sentries' muskets, and the cries
of a man in the water near the ship. He was soon picked up and
brought on board. He had deserted from our neighbor, the.Havan-
nah, and, on being asked his country, answered, in the richest Irish
brogue, " An American." This was sufficient. A boat was immedi-
ately sent to the Havannah to reciprocate the politeness of the pre-
ceding evening, and the next morning we had the satisfaction of
assigning the same reason and the same testimony, for refusing a de-
mand for his restitution from the captain and admiral. Captain Hull
returned about noon the same day. The subject had become known

* Jonathan-Russell, Charge d' affaires at Paris, was transferred to London on
Barlow's arrival in Paris. He was subsequently Minister to Sweden, and one of
the commissioners that negotiated the treaty of Ghent.CRUISE OP THE CONSTITUTION IN 1811.

45

on shore and was .freely discussed, with threats of the use of force, if
the deserter should not be otherwise restored by us. Signals were
made and two frigates lying at some distance weighed and anchored
very near us, in positions that, with three other vessels close by, ren-
dered it very difficult for us to get under way without getting foul of
them. As Captain Hull was obliged to return to the shore and in-
tended to sail in the morning, he directed me to remove the ship on
the turn of the tide to a position outside of the English ships. This
was accomplished, though we were very near getting foul of the ships
near us ; but we had barely anchored before we were followed by the
same two frigates.

The captain and some American gentlemen, as passengers, came
on board about sunset and preparations were made for getting under
way. Supposing it very possible, if not probable, that force might be
used against us, the crew were beat to quarters, the decks lighted up
and the ship prepared for action, before the anchor was weighed, when
the crew were again returned to their quarters, and we stood out of
the roads without molestation or further threatening movements. The
next morning we anchored in Cherbourg. I was sent to Paris, to
await the despatches which were to be sent home in the ship by Mr.
Barlow. This was about the middle of November. I remained in
Paris about six weeks, during which the necessity of holding myself
in readiness to leave at any hour confined me to the city itself; but
that afforded ample scope for pleasant occupation for a much greater
length of time.

Paris at that period contained many of the masterpieces of art
which had formerly been the pride of different nations, and which were
soon to be restored by the same chances of war that had enabled
Napoleon to collect them. The examination of these occupied many
of the hours at my disposal. Mr. Barlow had many acquintances
among the distinguished residents of the city, besides those who
visited him in consequence of his official situation. Through his kind-
ness his house was always open to me, and I met many persons there
who were no less interesting from their personal character than from
the distinguished position they had formerly held in society. It was
there that I first met La Fayette, who frequently passed a quiet even-
ing at the house, referring with Mr. and Mrs. Barlow to scenes and
persons connected with our own revolution and that of France, which
excited deep interest in those who had the good fortune to be present.
Here also, among many others, were assembled the "Belle et Bonne"46	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

of Voltaire, Madame Villette,* the Archbishop of Paris,f Gr^goire,J
Marbois,§ and General Kosciusko, the soldier and advocate of liberty
in both hemispheres* Kosciusko, like La Fayette, was then residing
in the country near Paris > in great retirement, out of favor with the
government, if not under surveillance, and entered very little into so-
ciety, where there were few who sympathized with him in their feel-
ings and opinions, or where any expression of them could be made
without danger. At Mr. Barlow's they found safety and sympathy,
and other inducements which frequently brought them w his domestic
circle. My introduction to Kosciusko was unexpected, and his man-
ner made a strong impression on me. Mrs. Barlow and myself were
sitting in the parlor on a dark, stormy day, when the servant an-
nounced a person whose name was not distinctly heard. He was fol-
lowed into the room by a small man, in an old brown overcoat, who
immediately rushed to Mrs. Barlow and gave her an embrace which
was cordially returned. Both seemed to be greatly excited, and for
some time I stood an unnoticed spectator. At last Mrs. Barlow pre-
sented me to the general, as an American officer, which gained me
also an embrace, and the expression of his gratification at having
once more met with one. Then laying both hands upon my head, he
invoked the blessing of the Almighty upon me, with great fervor and
solemnity, to my no small astonishment and confusion.

Although I had seen Napoleon tolerably near when he occasionally

* Heine Philibert de Varicourt, Marquise de Villette, born 1757, died at Pari*
in 1822. She was the adopted daughter of Mme. Denis, and lived at Ferney, in
Voltaire's household, until her marriage in 1777 to Charles, Marquis de Villette.
Her husband was an active member of the Girondin party, and only his ill health
saved him from proscription. He died in 1793. Madame Villette passed more
than a year in prison, and after her liberation devoted the rest of her life to
works of benevolence/

f Jean Siffrein, Cardinal Maury, Archbishop of Paris, 1810-1815.

»

% Henri Gr^goire, born 1750, Was a clerical deputy in the States General of
1789, and took a leading part in the devolution. He was violently opposed to
the monarchy, but maintained throughout his adherence to the church. During
the Empire, he exerted no great influence in public affairs, but he formed one Of
the small minority in the Senate opposed to the Emperor. He died in 1831.

\ Barb6-Marboie, the diplomatist and financier of the Empire, had served some
time in America and had married there. In 18Q£ he conducted the negotiatio&ff
in reference to the Louisiana cession.PRESENTATION TO THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON#	47

reviewed troops in the Carrousel, my desire was great to see Mm
more nearly still. This desire was at last gratified under very favor-
able circumstances. The Emperor and the imperial family received
all the foreign diplomatic corps and the great officers of the Empire,
on the 1st of January, 1812. The foreign ministers had the privilege
of .presenting their countrymen on this occasion, and with several other
Americans I accompanied Mr* Barlow. The diplomatic corps and
their countrymen assembled about 11 A. M., in a large hall on the
lower floor of the palace of the Tuileries, where colfee and other
slight refreshments were served. About noon they were notified to
proceed to the hall of the throne. Ascending the grand staircase be-
tween the line of the guards, every step having one at each end, we
were conducted through a hall in which the city authorities were as-
sembled, another containing the general officers of the Army and
Navy and civil officers of corresponding ranks, and a third containing
the Marshals and other superior dignitaries of the Empire and high
Officers of the household ; this opened to the hall of the throne. The
throne was at the farthest extremity. The Emperor stood near it,
and at a short distance his grand chamberlain and one or two others.
Our procession entered slowly and ranged itself rather on one side of
the hall, the ambassador entitled to precedence near the head of the
hall, and the others in succession, each having his suite near him, and
a small space between each suite to keep them distinct. A few min-
utes after the arrangement was completed, the Emperor advanced to
the ambassador highest in rank, Prince Schwartzenberg from Austria,
and addressed a few remarks to him, after which the strangers of that
embassy were presented. The same course was pursued with each
separate legation, and occupied from three to five minutes with each.
When the Emperor had thus received all, he returned slowly along
the line, returning the salutations of the different legations as he
passed, but without conversing with any excepting with the Ameri*
cans. When opposite to Mr. Barlow, he observed, 441 perceive the
English government has returned the seamen formerly taken from one
of your ships of war," (news of which had been received a few days
before) ; to which Mr. Barlow replied, " Yes, Sire, and in a manner
honorable to our country." With a peculiar smile and a slight toss
of the head, he rejoined, " So long as you do not injure the commerce
or the revenue of England, you may do whatever besides that you
may choose with her," and passed on. Having resumed his station
near the throne, he bowed low to the assemblage, upon which they48

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

retired, keeping their faces towards him till they had reached the door
of exit, when they returned to the hall where they had assembled.

The legations were now conducted to another part of the palace
where the same ceremonies were repeated with the Empress Marie
Louise. Here the antechambers and hall of reception contained
many ladies mingled with the household officers. The Empress ap-
peared to be quite ill at ease, and to perform her..-past^iTffie exhibi-
tion with considerable embarrassment, and with scarcely an attempt at
conversation. Our detention was not long, and we proceeded next to
the apartments of the Emperor's sister, the Queen of Italy.* The
comparisons between her and the Empress were favorable to the
Queen. Apparently quite at her ease, with an animated face and
gracious manner, she maintained the necessary conversation without
hesitation or difficulty. The legations then assembled at the chapel,
in a side gallery, while the Imperial family occupied the front during
mass, which occupied about half an hour.

Hortense, the daughter of the late Empress, and Queen of Holland,
resided in a different part of the city, and the legations next visited
her, but without any connection with each other. Her court was
small. She received us with great affability and grace, and impressed
us with a belief in her amiability of temper and benevolence of char-
acter. On being informed that I was about to return to the United
States, she sent many kind messages to Mrs. Hay, the daughter of
Mr. Monroe, with whom she said she had been at school, and whom
she pronounced to be "tr&s tr&s aimable."

The Queen of Joseph of Spain and another sister of the Emperor
still remained to be visited, according to the strict rules of etiquette;
but the evening had arrived, and Mr. Barlow having assured us that
Joseph's Queen was "the very fag-end of royalty," we accepted his
proposition to leave them and accompanied him to partake of his
dinner.

The great object of interest in this varied and brilliant scene was
Napoleon himself; but it is difficult to describe his appearance and
the expression of his countenance, or the impression which they made
upon my mind. In height he was about five feet, eight inches. He
had already exchanged the slight and slender figure of the conqueror
of Italy for a fulness which verged closely upon corpulency. His
movements were slow, but easy and dignified: the expression of his

* Caroline Bonaparte, the wife of Murat.PRESENTATION' TO THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.	49

face generally grave and composed, the upper portion indicating deep
thought, and the mouth and lower part, firmness and decision. His
eyes were dark, clear, and penetrating, but without much brilliancy;
and their motion was slow when passing from one object to another.
His smile gave an agreeable and amiable expression to his face, which
could hardly have been expected from its generally cold and fixed char-
acter ; but a smile seemed to be of rare occurrence, as it only appeared
for the moment when he last addressed Mr. Barlow. On this occasion
he was not, as usual, in uniform, but dressed in velvet coat and breeches,
white satin vest, white silk stockings, shoes, and white cravat of lace,
and carried a hat in his hand, with one side turned up, secured by a loop
which supported a drooping white ostrich feather, and ornamented by
a single diamond of great size and brilliancy. The hilt of his small
sword and the buttons of his coat, and the knee and shoe buckles
were set with diamonds. The general character of his dress was in
good taste, expensive but free from all gaudiness, and, compared with
that of the officers of the court, appeared remarkable for its simplicity.

Such was Napoleon as he appeared to me on the 1st of January,
1812, surrounded by the representatives of all the nations of Christen-
dom, excepting England, and the acknowledged arbiter of Europe.
Success had hitherto crowned all his enterprises, and further opposi-
tion to his will required a boldness which bordered on rashness. But
the war with Spain had been commenced and one with Russia was then
contemplated, which led to a general coalition, that in less than four
short years deprived him of all power and left him at the mercy of his
enemies for the remainder of his life.

Mr. Barlow's despatches having been completed, I left Paris with
them on the evening of the 2nd of January, and soon after joining the
ship at Cherbourg she sailed for the United States. After a very
tempestuous and unpleasant passage of forty-two days we reached
the entrance of the Chesapeake, and I proceeded to Washington with
the despatches. About three weeks were passed at the seat of gov-
ernment, during which I became known to the President and the differ-
ent secretaries and many members of Congress, and joined in the gai-
eties which are usual there during the session of Congress. From the
conversation of the members of the cabinet, it was apparent that war
might be soon expected with Great Britain, unless she repealed the
order of qouncil under which our commerce was plundered by her
numerous cruisers, and unless those cruisers were further restrained
from insulting infringements of our nationality by firing upon and50	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

capturing vessels, within our jurisdiction, as recognized by interna-
tional law.*

, Under these circumstances, I was desirous of some situation that
would leave me ready for the command of a small vessel, should war
take place, and at the same time relieve me for a time from the inces-
sant and laborious duties in which I had for some years been constant-
ly engaged. The Secretary readily acceded to my wished, givingliiB
orders to join Commodore Bainbridge, who had just been ordered to
the Navy yard at Boston; assuring me that when next employed at
sea, it should be in command of some vessel.

My expectation of relaxation was, however, disappointed, for the
yard was found to require unremitted exertion to bring it into a situa-
tion of even moderate efficiency and order. Before this was accom-
plished my hope of command was also destroyed by an unexpected
order to repair to New York to meet the Constitution and rejoin her
in my old situation of senior lieutenant. As the Constitution was still
in the Potomac, where she had gone for slight repair, the commodore
permitted and advised my proceeding directly to Washington, in the
hope of having the order revoked by recalling the promise of the Sec-
retary to his recollection.

Using all despatch, I met the news of the declaration of war just
before reaching Washington.f This event was not calculated to di-
minish my desire for a separate command, and the revocation of my
orders was readily granted. To my surprise and mortification, they
were peremptorily renewed a few days after. Indignant at such con-
duct, which was not explained, and which' seemed inimical to my inter-
ests, I formed the proper determination to give prompt obedience and
make a cruise, but, before leaving the city, to make application for an
appointment in the Army which was then forming. I accordingly
made an application for a lieutenant-colonelcy of artillery, and lodged,
in support of it, the recommendations of the members of Congress for
Connecticut and Rhode Island, and of a member from New York and
Massachusetts. Having done this, in the course of the morning I ob-
tained an interview with the Secretary of the Navy, informed him of

* Captain Morris does not mention the most serious international grievance, that
of impressment, which at this time, had been carried so far that English cruisers,
as the Guerriere in 1811 off Sandy Hook, stationed themselves near our ports and
took undoubted American citizens out of American coasters, within a few miles of
our shore.

f War was declared June 18,1812.CRUISE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

51

my decision and action, and left the city in the afternoon, in a vessel
taking stores to the ship. I joined her near the mouth of the Potomac
on the 25th of June.

The equipments of the ship were still very imperfect. Only a part
of her guns were mounted, the complement of men was greatly defi-
cient, those on board were not yet stationed, and, of course, were to-
tally uninstructed in any special duties. Captain Hull used all exer-
tions to supply the deficiency of men and stores, while the other offi-
cers were unceasing in their efforts to complete the equipments, and
exercise and train the men to their various duties, but more espe-
cially with the guns. The ship was taken opposite Annapolis for
more convenient intercourse with Baltimore and ports to the eastward,
and on the 5th of July we began to work down the bay, still continu-
ing to receive men and stores till we passed out to sea on the 12th of
July.

The ship had been ordered to New York to meet and join other ves-
sels under the command of Commodore Rodgers, and our course was
directed accordingly. We had proceeded beyond the Delaware, but
out of sight of the land, when, on the afternoon of the 16th, we discover-
ed four vessels, at a great distance to the N¥., and a single ship to the
NE., from which quarter a ]ight wind was then blowing. The wind
changed to the southward about sunset, which brought us to windward,
and we stood for the ship, the wind being very light. The chase was
evidently a frigate, and the first impression was that she might be
a part of Commodore Rodgers's squadron. By 11 P. M., we were
within signal distance, and it was soon apparent she was not an Amer-
ican vessel of war. There being no apprehension that a British frig-
ate would make any attempt to avoid an engagement, Captain Hull
felt justified in delaying any nearer approach till daylight of the 17th,
when our newly-collected and imperfectly disciplined men would be less
likely to be thrown into confusion.* The ship was accordingly brought
to the wind with her head to the southward and westward, under easy
sail, with a light wind from the NW. The other ship did the same
at about two miles distance. The watch not on duty were allowed to

* The single frigate was the Guerriere. It was fortunate that Hull decided to
wait, as, even supposing that he had been victorious in the engagement, he could
not have escaped the rest of the squadron. The Guerriere mistook her own con-
sorts, from which she had been separated, and which at the time were some distance
to leeward, for the squadron of Commodore Rodgers, and hence avoided an engage-
ment.52	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

-sleep at their quarters, and the officers slept in the same manner. As
the following morning opened upon us, it disclosed our companion of
the night to be a large frigate just without gunshot, on the lee quarter,
and a ship-of-the-line and three other frigates, a brig, and schooner,
about two miles nearly astern, with all sails set standing for us, with
English colors flying.* All our sails were soon set, and the nearest
frigate, fortunately for us, but without any apparent reason, tacked
and immediately wore round again in chase, a maneuver that occu-
pied some ten minutes, and allowed us to gain a distance, which, though
short, proved to be of the utmost importance to our safety. By sun-
rise our ship was entirely becalmed and unmanageable, while the ships
astern retained a light breeze till it brought three of the frigates so
near that their shot passed beyond us. The distance was, however,
too great for accuracy, and their shot did not strike our ship. Our
boats were soon hoisted out, and the ship's head kept from the enemy,
and exertions were made to increase our distance from them by towing.
This, and occasional catspaws or slight puffs of wind, enabled us to
prevent their closing, but as their means were equal to ours, we could
gain nothing. A few guns were fired from our sternports, but so much
rake had been given to the stern that the guns could not be used with
safety, and their further use was relinquished. All means were adopt-
ed which seemed to promise any increase of speed. The hammocks were
removed from the nettings, and the cloths rolled up to prevent their
unfavorable action; several thousand gallons of water were started
and pumped overboard, and all the sails kept thoroughly wet to close the
texture of the canvas. While making all these exertions, our chances
for escape were considered hopeless. For many years the ship had
proved a very dull sailer, especially during the late cruise, and it
was supposed that the first steady breeze would bring up such a force
as would render resistance of no avail; and our situation seemed hope-
less. At about 8 A. M., one of the frigates called all the boats of the
squadron to her and, having arranged them for towing, furled all sails.

*The squadron consisted of the 64-gun ship Africa, Captain Bastard; the frig-
ates Shannon, 38, Captain Broke; Guerriere, 38, Captain Dkcres ; Belvidera, 36,
Captain Byron, and iEolus, 32, Captain Lord James Townsend. The brig was the
U. S. brig Nautilus, which had sailed from New York a few days before, under the
command of Lieutenant William M. Crane. When only a few hours out, she fell
in with Broke's squadron and was captured. During the chase of the Constitution
Crane was a prisoner in the squadron, and a witness of the escape of the Ameri-
can frigate. The schooner mentioned in the text was another prize of the squadron.CHASE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

53

This brought her towards us steadily and seemed to decide our fate.
Fortunately for us a light breeze filled our sails and sent us forward a
few hundred yards, before her sails could be set to profit by it. With
our minds excited to the utmost to devise means for escape, I happened
to recollect that, when obliged by the timidity of my old commander,
Cox, to warp the President in and out of harbors where others depend-
ed on sails, our practice had enabled us to give her a speed of nearly
three miles an hour. We had been on soundings the day before, and
on trying we now found twenty-six fathoms. This depth was unfavor-
ably great, but it gave me confidence to suggest to Captain Hull the
expediency of attempting to warp the ship ahead. He acceded at once,
and in a short time (about 7 A. M.) the launch and first cutter were
sent ahead with a kedge, and all the hawsers and rigging, from five
inches and upward, that could be found, making nearly a mile of length.
When the kedge was thrown the men hauled on the connecting haw-
ser, slowly and carefully at first, till the ship was in motion, and grad-
ually increasing until a sufficient velocity was given to continue until
the anchor could again be taken ahead, when the same process was re-
peated. In this way the ship was soon placed out of the range of our
enemy's guns, and by continued exertions when the wind failed, and
giving every possible advantage to the sails when we had air enough
to fill them, we prevented them from again closing very near us. The
ship which we had first chased gained a position abeam of us about 9
A. M. and fired several broadsides, but the shot fell just short of us,
and only served to enliven our men and excite their jocular comments.
The exertions of neither party were relaxed during this day or the fol-
lowing night. There was frequent alternation of calms and very light
winds from the SE., which we received with our heads to the south-
westward. When the wind would give us more speed than with warp-
ing and towing, the boats were run up to their places, or suspended to
the spars in the chains by temporary tackles, with their crews in them,
ready to act again at a moment's notice. At daylight of the second
day, on the 18th, it was found that one frigate had gained a position
on our lee bow, two nearly abeam, one on the lee quarter about two
miles from us, and the ship-of-the-line, brig and schooner, three miles
from us in the same direction. The wind had now become tolerably
steady, though still light. The frigate on the lee bow tacked about 4
A. M., and would evidently reach within gunshot if we continued our
course. This we were anxious to avoid, as a single shot might cripple
some spar and impede our progress. If we tacked, we might be ex-54	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

posed to the fire of the other frigate on the lee quarter; but as she was
a smaller vessel the risk appeared to be less, and we also tacked soon.

In passing the lee frigate at 5, we expected a broadside or more, as we
should evidently pass within gunshot; but, from some unexplained cause,
Lord James Townsend in the JEolus of 32 guns suffered us to pass
quietly, and tacked in our wake, while the others soon took the same
direction. We had now all our pursuers astern and on the lee quarter,
and as the wind was gradually increasing, our escape must depend on
our superiority of sailing, which we had no reason to hope nor expect.
Exertions, however, were not relaxed. The launch and first cutter,
which we dared not lose, were hoisted on board at 6 A. Maunder the
directions of Captain Hull, with so little loss of time or change of sails
that our watching enemies could not conceive what disposition was
made of them. This we afterwards learned from Lieutenant Crane,
who was a prisoner in their squadron. The sails were kept saturated
with water, a set of skysails was made and set, and all other sails set
and trimmed to the greatest advantage, close by the wind. The ship
directly astern gained slowly but gradually till noon ; though, as the wind
increased, our good ship was going at that time at the unexpected rate
of ten knots an hour. At noon we had the wind abeam and as it grad-
ually freshened, we began to leave our fleet pursuer. Our ship had
reached a speed of twelve and a half knots by 2 P. M. Our hopes
began to overcome apprehension, and cheerfulness was more apparent
among us.

Though encouraged we were by no means assured, as all the ships
were still near and ready to avail themselves of any advantage that
might offer. About 6 P. M., a squall of wind and rain passed over
us, which induced us to take in our light sails before the rain covered
us from the view of the enemy; but most of them were soon replaced
as the wind moderated. When the rain had passed, we had evidently
gained a mile or more during its continuance. Still the pursuit was
continued and our own ship pressed forward to her utmost speed. The
officers and men again passed the night at quarters. At daylight, on
the morning of the 19th, our enemies had been left so far astern that
danger from them was considered at an end, and at 8 A. M., they at
last relinquished the chase and hauled their wind. Our officers and
crew c6uld now indulge in some rest, of which the former had tak-
en little for more than sixty hours. Captain Hull deservedly gained
much reputation for this difficult retreat from a greatly superior force,
when superior numbers and other circumstances gave the ene-CRUISE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

55

my great advantages. The enemy seem to have been desirous at
first of bringing so many of their ships upon us as to render all resistance
hopeless, and thus obtain our ship so little injured as to be immediate-
employed by them. If they had concentrated their efforts at an ear-
lier period to bringing up some one of their ships within fair range, or
had adopted our plan of warping at any time during the early part of
the chase, they could hardly have failed to inflict such damage as would
have prevented our escape, after our dependence was reduced to our
sails.* N The result may be remembered as an evidence of the advan-
tages to be expected from perseverance under the most discouraging
circumstances, so long as any chance for success may remain.

As access to New York was impracticable the ship proceeded to
Boston, where she arrived on the 27th of July. Her arrival was re-
ported by Captain Hull, by letters addressed to New York, and to the
Department, but the apprehension of being blockaded by the enemy's
squadron induced him to determine to wait no longer than to ascer-
tain if Commodore Rodgers had left any orders for him at New
York. This was found not to have been the case, and we sailed again
on the 1st of August, having employed the intervening days in renew-
ing our supplies and improving our preparations for active service.
The decision of the captain proved fortunate, for the day after our de-
parture orders arrived from Washington to await further directions.
We proceeded leisurely to the eastward, along the coasts of Nova Sco-
tia and Newfoundland, where we captured and destroyed several of
the merchant vessels of the enemy, and improved the time in careful
exercise of our new crew at the guns, to which all the officers gave the
most minute and careful supervision.

Leaving Newfoundland and standing SE. across the track of vessels
bound from the West Indies to Europe, having reached lat. 41° 43' N.,
and long. 56° 6' W., a sail was discovered about 2 P. M., on the 19th of
August, under our lee, which was soon made out to be a frigate and an
enemy. She continued her course by the wind to the southward under
every sail, while we approached with a fresh westerly wind so as to
preserve our windward position. When yithin about two miles, at 5 P.
M., we shortened sail, sent our royal yards down, reefed the topsails,
and prepared for action. When these preparations were completed,

* James, quoting Marshall, says that Captain Byron, in the Belvidera, kedged,
"bending all his hawsers to one another, and working two kedge-anchors at the
same time, by paying the warp through one hawse-hole as it was run in through an-
other opposite." Naval History, v. 371.56	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY Off COMMODORE MORRIS.

we bore up and steered for the enemy's quarter. He also displayed
his colors, three ensigns, and as we closed at 5.05, he fired liis broad-
side and wore ship. His shot did not then reach us, and we changed
our course a little, to clear his quarter again, and at 5.20, hoisted our
ensign and a jack at each mast-head. This induced another broad-
side, and another change of tack from the enemy, which was repeated
two or three times, and we occasionally returned a few shot from our
bow guns. As their maneuvers prolonged our separation, Captain
Hull, at 6, directed the ship to be steered directly for the enemy and
the main top-gallant sail to be set. The enemy now bore up gradually
to nearly the same course as ourselves, before the wind, but with our
greater quantity of sail we speedily closed upon his larboard quarter,
and passed to his beam at about two hundred yards distance, gradual-
ly approaching still nearer. Both ships opened their fire as the guns
could be brought to bear, about 6.05, and in about ten minutes we had
the satisfaction of seeing the enemy's mizzenmast fall. This retard-
ed her velocity and we were gradually ranging ahead, when at 6.20
our helm was put hard to port to cross her bows and rake her. The
loss of braces, with the spanker and mizzen-topsails disabled, pre-
vented our coming to as quickly as we desired, but still we had time
to give two raking broadsides before her jib-boom crossed our quarter-
deck, and we bore up to prevent her crossing our stern. With her
bowsprit and jib-boom slightly entangled in our lee mizzen rigging,
she fell astern of us rather on the lee quarter. As the bowsprit af-
forded a convenient passage for boarding, such an attempt seemed
very possible in her crippled condition, and, for the purpose of ascer-
taining if her men were collecting, I got upon the taffrail. The ap-
pearances induced me to suggest to Captain Hull that men should be
called to repel boarders, which was done. Believing that advantage
might result from keeping the enemy in his then position, I was at-
tempting to pass some turns of the main-brace over her bowsprit,
when I received a ball through the body, which threw me on deck and
left me stunned for some minutes. Lieutenant Bush of the Marines,
who was standing on the deqj: near the taffrail, was killed about the
same time by a ball through the head, and the Master Alwyn slightly
grazed by one on the shoulder.

Having been lifted to my feet, I was able in a few minutes to re-
sume my duties. In the meantime, the ships had separated. Shortly
after, the enemy's fore and mainmasts went by the board, and at
6.30 she fired a gun to leeward in token ,of{. surrender. No furtherCAPTURE OF THE GUERRIERE.

57

effectual resistance could be made by her, and the importance of ex-
amining into and repairing pur injuries induced Capt. Hull to stand
off a short distance for this purpose. When it was completed, the
ship again approached the enemy, at 7 P. M., to receive the formal
acknowledgment of conquest, which had been virtually secured when
her masts were destroyed and her flag was struck a little before sun-
set. When the. ships were separated and the action over, there was
no further occasion for my presence, and my voice began to fail and
my wound to become painful; and I accordingly surrendered the
charge of the deck to the second lieutenant, Wadsworth. After some
directions for extinguishing a slight fire in the cabin which had been
produced by the enemy's wads, when she was nearly in contact, I
went to the cockpit for examination. This was soon done, and dur-
ing the remainder of the night, pain nearly deprived me of all con-
sciousness. The cessation of fever was followed by great debility
which confined me to my bed for some weeks after our return to
Boston, where we arrived early in September, having on board Cap-
tain Dacres, his officers and crew. Our prize, the frigate Guerri&re,
had been destroyed soon after the fight.

This capture, the first of consequence which had been made from
the enemy, produced great excitement and gratification throughout
the country. The Guerri&re had been on our coast, and her com-
mander was reported to have expressed a great desire for conflict with
any of our frigates, and even to have sent messages to that effect.
Our success was hailed as an earnest of what might be expected from
others, an expectation that was nobly realized by the actions of the Unit-
ed States with the Macedonian, the Wasp with the Frolic, the Consti-
tution with the Java, and the capture of several others on the ocean,
and of the enemy's squadrons on Lake Erie and Lake Champlain.
These repeated captures, from an enemy who had for a long time been
accustomed to unvaried success, gave us a high naval reputation
abroad, and obtained for the Navy a favorable opinion in our own
country, which it had not enjoyed before.

The causes of our success became the subject of much inquiry and
were variously estimated. By some they were assigned to the differ-
ent motives which operated on the seamen of the two countries, ours
being elevated by patriotism, while those of the enemy were depress-
ed by the cruelties of impressment. The enemy sought for consola-
tion under their defeat in the greater size of our vessels, and their heav-
ier armament. In some actions these causes undoubtedly existed,58

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

and among them, that of the Constitution and the Gkierri&re, but even
these were insufficient to meet the great disparity in the losses sus-
tained by the contending vessels.*

The remote cause, as it appeared to me, was to be found in the con-
fidence of our enemy and in the distrust of ourselves to contend
successfully against them: in the neglect of careful exercise, which
resulted from the enemy's confidence, resting on former success ; and,
on our part, in the unwearied attention of our officers to devise and
bring into daily exercise every improvement which might increase
the chances of success against a Navy, to which we might soon be
opposed as an enemy, and upon which there were so many injuries
and insults to be avenged for the honor of our country. This expec-
tation and feeling were of general, almost of universal, prevalence
among our officers, and led them to a unity of purpose and action
which could not fail of producing important results. Their number
was so small that each knew almost ever}7 other, and there was scarce-
ly a feeling of unworthy jealousy, though much of generous emula-
tion, among those of corresponding ranks. To these advantages may
be added the greater resources of our seamen than is usual with those
of other nations. Many of our seamen have acquired trades before

* The following table shows the relative force of the combatants:—
Constitution: 468 men and boys.

No. of guns.	Weight of shot.

32 long 24-pounders,	768 pounds.

24 32-pound carronades,	768 "

Total, 56	1536 pounds.

Guerrilre: 263 men and boys.

30 long 18-pounders,	540 pounds.

2 long 9-pounders,	18 "

16 32-pound carronades,	512 "

1 18-pound carronade,	18 "

Total, 49	1088 pounds.

The force of the Constitution in guns was, therefore, fully one half greater
than her opponent's. In men it was nearly double; and in the strength and
thickness of her spars and sides, the Constitution was decidedly superior. Con-
sidering the character of naval battles, however, the. difference of force alone is
not sufficient to account for the result of the engagement, in which, after a con-
test of three-quarters of an hour, the Guerriere was reduced to a total wreck, with
more than a fourth of her ci;ew killed and wounded (seventy-three in all), while
the Constitution suffered little injury, and had only fourteen casualties among
her officers and men.PROMOTION TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN.

59

they begin their maritime pursuits, and, in case of necessity, carpen-
ters, smiths, and others, are to be found in numbers among our crews,
who can render most valuable aid in repairing damages ; which could
only be done in other services by the few who are usually specially
provided for such purposes.

But the great source of our success was undoubtedly the superior
management and direction of our guns; and that the English and
other governments were satisfied of this is sufficiently evident by the
careful attention they have since continued to give to this branch of
the naval service.*

On the arrival of the ship at Boston, August 31, I was landed for
my more comfortable accommodation. All former neglects were soon
effaced and all recent exertions unexpectedly rewarded by the receipt
of an appointment, from the President, as a captain in the Navy,
bearing date the day of the capture of the Guerri&re. This unexpect-
ed advancement over a whole grade, which had only the precedent of
Decatur, was considered by %ome as beyond my merits; by still more,
as an injudicious departure from the usual routine ; and by all those
over whom I had been advanced, as fully justifying all their exertions
to prevent its confirmation by the Senate. It was quite as unexpected
by me as by any one, and I should have felt well satisfied if promoted
to commander. Some of my best friends advised me to decline it;
but the intended opposition of others was well known, and would
leave such a relinquishment open to an imputation of a desire to ob-
tain the credit for moderation, which might, in fact, have been induced
by apprehension of eventual failure of confirmation. I preferred the
hazard to such a course, but determined to take no step whatever to
gain friends in the Senate, and to abide by its decision; and this was
approved by several of my old companions, over whom, by a fortunate
accident, I had been thus advanced. By orders of the 5th of October,

* In regard to the difference between the two navies in the matter of gunnery
practice, James says: "Highly to the credit of the naval administration of the
United States, the crews of their ships were taught the ^practical rules of gunnery ;
and ten shot, with the necessary powder, were allowed to be expended in play, to
make one hit" In earnest." On the other hand, 4t the generality of British crews,
as compared with any orie American crew, were miserably deficient [in] skill in
the art of gunnery. While the American seamen were constantly firing at marks,
the British seamen, except in particular cases, scarcely did so once in a year, and
some ships could be named on board of which not a shot had been fired in this
way for upwards of three years."—James, Naval History of Q. v. 373, 374.60	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

I was assigned to the command of the Adams, then under repairs at
Washington, and directed to join her when my health should be re-
stored. Obtaining a leave of absence, I visited my maternal grand-
parents and my sister Lucy, at Middlebury, Vermont. From Middle-
bury my journey was to Albany, where I passed a few days and was
made acquainted with Governor De Witt Clinton and different mem-
bers of the Legislature.

The day before we reached Albany two gentlemen were conversing
upon the capture of the Guerri&re, and one of them stated many oc-
currences during the action which were entirely new to me. For con-
venience and ease I wore a jacket in travelling, and no part of my
dress entitled me to much consideration from its appearance. I re-
marked, however, that I was recently at Boston, and having seen many
who were in the action, none of whom had mentioned the facts he stat-
ed, which from their character would have been generally known and
circulated, if true, I apprehended he must have been misinformed upon
the subject. He replied, rather superciliously, that he had no doubt
his means of information were quite as good as my own, and being
properly asked for his authority he gave the name of a young mid-
shipman whose station in action I knew prevented the possibility of
his witnessing the facts he had communicated; but I urged the sub-
ject ho further. Among the Senators to whom I was presented the next
day, at the Capitol, were my two travelling companions, and our mut-
ual recognition was not a little embarrassing, though no reference to
our former conversation was made by either. Leaving Albany I
passed a few weeks in visiting my father and his family and other rel-
atives in Montgomery and Otsego Counties. I then proceeded to
Washington, arriving there November 20.

The Adams was still under repair and not in a situation to require
my personal attention. The winter was therefore passed in the gaie-
ties of Washington society, which brought me into a general acquain-
tance with the members of Congress and the resident public officers,
and enabled me to reap many advantages from their conversation, as
well as pleasure from a free intercourse with the younger and gayer
portions of the residents and visitors.

My occupations were not entirely frivolous, however, as my opinions,
with those of other captains, were not infrequently required on sub-
jects which demanded careful deliberation and involved interests of no
small importance. Among these was the expediency of introducing
ships-of-the-line as a part of the force proposed to be authorized. InAPPOINTMENT TO ^HE COMMAND OF THE ADAMS. 61

an examination before the naval committee of the Senate I made it
dependent upon the intention of having a permanent Navy, or a force
for temporary purposes to be laid aside and resumed occasionally. If
the former was proposed, the ships-of-the-line were desirable as a nu-
cleus and pledge of permanency, by which such confidence could be
given as would draw into the service the best materials for officers
which the country could supply; while measures indicating a want of
permanency would only draw to the Navy those who wished to use it
till something should offer of greater advantage. The committee de-
cided for a permanent Navy, and on their report six ships of 74 guns
were authorized. My appointment remained before the Senate till the
very close of the session, when it was confirmed, after giving Lawrence
and Jones precedence of rank, which the President's original appoint-
ment did not contemplate. This arrangement was due to the former
services of Lawrence, who had been the second in command at the
destruction of the Philadelphia, and of Jones, who had just captured
the Frolic, when in command of the Wasp.*

I was not insensible to the fact that my late unprecedented and un-
expected advancement was due rather to accidental circumstances, and
with a view to stimulate others by the example of my reward, than
to any peculiar merits or unusual good conduct on my part. The hon-
ors which had been bestowed upon me left me indebted to the service
and the country—a debt which it would require all my future exertions
to repay, and imposed an obligation upon me to devote my time and
talents with zeal and assiduity to such duties as might be assigned to
me ; and it was my earnest purpose to act acoordingly.

Unavoidable circumstances delayed the equipment of the ship till
the 8th of May, 1813, when we left the Navy yard and proceeded
towards the mouth of the Potomac. We had no expectation, how-
ever, of getting to sea during the summer, as the lowei>part of the
Chesapeake was constantly occupied by several of the enemy's ships.
The Adams had been originally a small 32-gun frigate, but when re-
cently repaired, she had been sawed asunder and fifteen feet addition-
al length given to her. Heavy upper works were given to the spar-
deck, altogether disproportioned to her breadth and capacity below
water. It was soon apparent that her want of stability would not
permit any pressure of sail, and several additions of ballast did not
increase it. I had earnestly requested that she might be fitted as a

* October 18, 1812. Both ships were captured later in the same day by the Poic-
tiers.62	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

corvette, and this desire was now much increased; but for the pres-
ent the Secretary would not consent to gratify it.

Several small vessels and gunboats were placed under my command,
with which to protect the shores of the Potomac from marauding
boat expeditions, and to give notice of any attempts by the enemy to
ascend the river in force.

On the 15th of July, at 1 A. M., one of the lookout vessels com-
municated the intelligence that the enemy had entered the river with
fourteen sail, and were ascending it with a fair wind.

We were then lying near fort Washington. The information was
immediately forwarded to the Department, and the ship moored op-
posite to the fort, with three gunboats in company. By 10 A, M.
the Secretary of the Navy and Commodore Tingey arrived on board,
and at 2 P. M. we all went on shore, where we met the Secretaries
of State and of War.

About fifteen hundred troops, new recruits and militia, arrived in
the course of the day. The Secretary of State left in the afternoon
for Port Tobacco, and the Secretary of the Navy came on board and
passed the night, but returned to Washington the next morning.

Some 32 and 18 pounder guns arrived from 'the city during the day,
for which our officers and men constructed a temporary platform on
the beach, and soon had it ready for service. It was placed in charge
of our first lieutenant, A. S. Wadsworth, with forty men and a detach-
ment from the army. The Secretary of War, General Armstrong,
remained near the fort till the 20th of July, but would never give di-
rections for any additional defensive works, although it was admitted
that the fort could offer little effective resistance to a heavy ship or
to any party that might land. The Secretary stated as his opinion
that the enemy would never seriously attempt to penetrate to the
city, which offered no sufficient motive for such an enterprise. At last,
upon its being urged that such an employment would be more use-
ful for the troops than idleness, he sanctioned a plan which I prepared
at his request; but, as the enemy began to move down the river soon
after, the works were never begun. While busily occupied with these
various and pressing duties' I remodelled the signal book of the Navy,
at the request of the Secretary of the Navy, who wished it done im-
mediately, under the impression that the former one had fallen into
the enemy's hands, by the capture of the Chesapeake.* It was the

i

* The Chesapeake was captured by the Shannon, June 1,1813.ALTEBATION OF THE ADAMS.

63

work of less than a fortnight, which, with the attendant circum-
stances, will account for its acknowledged imperfections. The en-
emy left the Potomac about the 22d of July and the Secretary of
War returned to Washington. The troops were soon after sent to
Annapolis, where it was supposed the enemy might attempt to land.

The Adams had been surveyed by a board of officers, and her in-
sufficiency for sea service had been recognized by them, but she was
kept employed in the river till the 12th of August. She was then
taken to, the Navy yard for alteration, while the officers and two hun-
dred and twenty men, with a detachment of about a hundred marines,
were placed under my command and sent to Annapolis as an addition-
al protection to that city. Service in and near the forts,* which were
situated near the water, in and opposite the place, had produced at-
tacks of intermittent fever, which affected nearly all of the detach-
ment, and rendered upwards of seventy unfit for duty, before we re-
turned to Washington, on the 18th of September. The alterations of
the ship were not completed until the 18th of November, during
which time I was employed first upon a court of inquiry held at New-
castle, upon Commander Angus, and afterwards at Boston, in prepar-
ing, in conjunction with Commodore Bainbridge, tables of dimensions
of the spars and rigging and the allowances of spare stores for the dif-
ferent classes of vessels in the Navy, with which the service had not
before been provided. The ship had now been converted to a corvette
of 26 short and light 18 pounder guns, with a complement of two hun-
dred and fifty persons. A. S. Wadsworth, F. A. Parker, J. R. Mad-
ison and T. A. Beatty, were the lieutenants; G. B. Mc Culloch, mas-
ter; W. S. Rogers, purser; Gerard Dayers, surgeon; Thomas Wil-
liamson, assistant surgeon; and Samuel E. Watson, marine officer.
All were young, the senior lieutenant about twenty-four, and the jun-
ior under nineteen years of age, and all of us unmarried.

The enemy were constantly in force near the outlet of the bay, and
there was no other chance for our getting to sea but by passing them un-
discovered. This could not well be accomplished except with strong,
fair Winds, and dark or thick weather. As the season advanced the ship
was taken to the mouth of the Potomac,»ready to take advantage of
any favorable opportunity. Our situation here was not very agreeable,
being always exposed to an attack by superior force, with all the rivers
closed above us by ice.

* Fort Madison, on the northern bank of Severn river, and fort Severn, the
present gymnasium of the Naval Academy.64	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

After one attempt, which was rendered abortive by change of wind
and weather, on the 18th of January we left the mouth of the Poto-
mac, at 5 P. M., with a strong N¥. wind, and cloudy weather, and
occasional squalls of snow. All the lights in the bay had been dis-
continued, and the two persons who acted as pilots were imperfectly
qualified for the duty. The rate of sailing was so rapid that correct
soundings were not obtained, and it was only by a fortunate chance
that we were not carried upon the shoals of the middle ground. The
discovery of a supposed light nearly ahead induced us to haul by the
wind for the purpose of avoiding too close a proximity, and enabled
• us to discover our error but without giving us the means of determin-
ing our true position. In a very short time we shoaled suddenly and
almost immediately struck the ground two or three times with consid-
erable force from the swell. Change of course fortunately took us in-
to deeper water, when our two pilots differed widely as to our place in
the bay, and it became necessary to depend entirely on my own judg-
ment, which happened to prove correct. The shocks which the ship
had received were sufficient to justify apprehensions of injuries that
might be troublesome or dangerous at sea, which, with the uncertainty
of our position, rendered it a matter of considerable hazard to perse-
vere ; but everybody was willing to encounter these risks for the
chance of escaping the species of imprisonment to which we had been
so long subjected. The attempt was accordingly renewed, and at a
little past midnight we passed near enough to the enemy in Lynnha-
ven bay to discover two ships at anchor; but a speed of twelve and a
half knots carried us past so rapidly that we were probably not seen
by them, and when daylight again broke upon us, neither enemy nor
land was in sight.

The Secretary had suggested, but not positively directed, an exami-
nation of the western shores of Africa, from cape Mount to cape
Palmas, after passing to the eastward as far as the Canaries and cape
De Yerdes, and then westward, near the equator, about to Noronha,
and along the north end of the West India islands to some port in the
United States. This track was followed, but with little success, our
only capture being three brigs, one laden with wine and fruit, one with
fish, and one with palm oil and ivory. The two first of these were
destroyed, after taking out as much of the wine and fruit as we could
accommodate. The other was given up to the captain, to receive our
prisoners, after the latter had been paroled and after the vessel had
been cleared of the ivory and such parts of her other lading as/

*

CRUISE OF THE ADAMS.

65

might be useful to us. On our return passage we had just taken pos-
session of a ship from India with a cargo of rice when thick weather,
clearing up, discovered a convoy of twenty-five sail, and two ships of
war, so near that we were compelled to recall our men, relinquish the
ship, and attend to our own safety. The other vessels that we met
were neutrals, as nearly all English vessels were then obliged to sail
with convoy.

May 1, 1614, we arrived at the mouth of the Savannah river,
nearly destitute of provisions and water. The ship drew too much
water to ascend to any place of safety, and was anchored off the
lighthouse, and every exertion was made to complete our supplies.
On the 2nd, the brig Epervier, lately captured by the Peacock, under
the command of -Commander Warrington, arrived, and passed up to
Savannah, after we had taken from her all the provisions and stores
she could supply. The Peacock arrived .on the 4th, and followed her
prize. Intelligence was sent to us, on the 6th, that the enemy was in
force off Cumberland island, and aware of our exposed situation. On
the 8th, having obtained all the provisions that the city could furnish,
we warped the ship out to sea, against a light wind, and made sail for
another cruise. We had reason to expect that the Jamaica convoy
would pass soon, and therefore took a position near the outlet of the
Gulf stream, between Matanilla and Florida. We met them on the
24th of May. The convoy force consisted of one 74-gun ship, two
frigates and three brigs, which, with the smooth, pleasant weather and
the favorable season of the year, deprived us of all chance of success-
ful operations against them. After keeping near them for two days,
we left them, and, crossing the bank of Newfoundland, stood towards
the coast of Ireland. Two brigs were captured on the passage and
destroyed. Qn the 4th of July we were close in with the mouth of
the Shannon, and afterwards kept close in with the shore to the north-
ward till the 9th. We saw not a single vessel. We then bore up to
the southward and, when in the parallel of the channel, we met a frig-
ate, which gained fast upon us for nearly the whole of a day, .owing
to light winds and a head sea. At night we let the lower anchors
drop from the bows, and otherwise lightened the ship by throwing
over some small guns we had taken from prizes. We towed during
the night, and gained two or three miles. The next day a good
breeze soon enabled us to leave our pursuer, the ship making thirty ^
one miles in three hours, very close-hauled to the wind. The absence
of our anchors was evidently of great advantage in sailing.66	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

On the 19th, we fell in with two frigates, which we were able to
bring abaft the beam by steering northward. One of them soon gave
up the chase, but the other continued it for forty hours, during which
we ran four hundred miles of latitude, without perceptibly increasing
the distance between the ships. Advantage was therefore taken of a
short squall, during the second night, to change our course, by which
we lost sight of her. From the time the ship passed Newfoundland,
it was almost continuously so wet that the occasions were very rare
when the clothing of the men could be dried. This weather, the long
period in which the men had been deprived of all fresh vegetables
and obliged to use salted food, wiih a very small daily allowance of
water, had introduced the scurvy, and by the 25th of July several
deaths had taken place, and thirty were rendered unfit for duty ; and
all were so much affected by it that a return to some friendly port
became indispensable. Our expectations had been greatly disap-
pointed, for we had anticipated active and successful employment so
near the coasts and harbors of our enemy; and now we were about
to return from a second cruise, without either profit or fame, for which
even the consciousness of honest endeavor to render service afforded
us little satisfaction.

On the passage homeward, a ship, brig, and schooner were captured
and destroyed, after taking a few bales of furs from the ship, which
was from Quebec. On the 16th of August we obtained soundings on
our eastern coast, and at that time the number of our sick had in-
creased to fifty-eight, many of which were dangerous cases of scurvy.

Our object was now to reach some of our eastern ports, and our
course was directed for Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Foggy weather
had prevented accurate observations for latitude or longitude during
the last two or three days, but the soundings corresponded to our
supposed position. We therefore pressed sail during the night of the
16th of August with foggy weather and steady breeze, which carried
us ten and eleven miles an hour. Soundings at midnight again con-
firmed our estimated place, which we supposed to be about sixty miles
from cape Ann. Upon the supposition that we might meet with an
enemy the prisoners were placed in the hold, and, during the night, for
greater security, the officers and men slept at quarters. Arrange-
ments were nearly completed for heaving to and sounding at 4 A. M.,
when the lookout forward announced "breakers," and in a moment
after the ship was felt to have struck. Notwithstanding her velocity
the shock was not severe, but indicated that the ship had been stop-CRUISE OF THE ADAMS.

67

ped by running upon rather than against a rock. Still, danger was to
be apprehended that the ship would fill, and the first thought was to
liberate the prisoners from the hold of the ship. The first conjecture
was that we had struck on Cashe's ledge, and the reflection that, in
case the ship should founder, its distance from the land would render
it impossible for a great portion of the crew to reach it by our boats
caused some of the most painful moments of my life. It would have
been a relief to my own feelings if a sacrifice of my own life could
have assured me of the preservation of the others. But their chances
for safety depended upon well-directed exertions and not upon per-
sonal sacrifice. On examination it was found that the ship was rest-
ing forward on a slippery rock, upon which she had been raised six
feet, while over the stern there was a depth of seven fathoms. The
boats were immediately hoisted out, by which time the daylight dawn-
ed, and the fog dispersed for a few minutes, showing us a perpendicu-
lar rocky cliff about a hundred yards from our bows. Even this was
some relief, as it gave assurance of the safetj' of life to the crew.
Examinations were made for a considerable distance, and one small
landing was discovered, through a very narrow passage between
rocks, where there was a small level space under the cliff* above high
water mark.

The sick and prisoners were landed here with some sails and mate-
rials to form a shelter, and provisions, water, and medicines for their
use. The purser and second medical officer were landed with them.
The water continued tolerably smooth, and it was found the tide was
nearly ebbed when we grounded and its rise might enable us to extri-
cate the ship. While waiting for this many articles were landed for
preservation, in case the ship could not be kept afloat, which had be-
come very doubtful, as the water rather gained on the pumps. All
the spare spars were got out, and formed into two rafts, in case such
aid should be required to float the crew, and an anchor was let go to
keep the ship in place if she should be removed from the rocks.

In the meantime we could gain no information of our locality ; the
air was still filled with a dense fog which^ obscured all objects, and no
place could yet be found where the cliff could be scaled. The rising
tide increased our hopes of floating the ship from the rock, and about
noon, after some heavy shocks, we were able to heave her off, and she
swung to her anchor. All the pumps were now worked with vigor,
and it was found that they rather gained on the leak. This point es-
tablished, it was determined to endeavor to take the ship to sea. TheB8	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OT OOMMOWRE MORRIS.

direction of the wind rendered it very difficult to aToid the rocks close
utider our stern, but it was accomplished, and we returned cm our
former track as nearly m we could, occasionally passing very near
rocky dangers lor to early two miles, when we finally reached deep
water. Our utmost exertions, with pumps and buckets, for two hours,
freed the ship from water, but the use of force pumps continually was
necessary to prevent its gaining upon us. We were now once more
safe from the dangers of the sMore, but ignorant of our position, and
of the extent of the danger to which the ship was exposed by her
recent injuries, and we were liable, at any moment, to meet with ene-
mies who we supposed would be -cruising in our vicinity.

Hie men were restationed at quarters, a change rendered necessary
by the absence of those left on shore; the spare spars and boats were
hoisted in and stowed again, the confusion of articles restored to or-
der, and the ship again presented the appearance of efficiency by sun-
set. In the course of the night the fog dispersed, and the sun was
bright in the morning. Land was in sight, but, to our surprise, it
showed we were near Mount Desert, instead of the neighborhood of
Portsmouth or Portland.-

During this exciting day, when our safety depended so much on the
proper and skillful performance of all operations which our situation
required, nothing could exceed the coolness, activity, order, and gen-
eral good conduct of all the officers and crew ; and to that good con-
duct, under Divine Providence, the preservation of the ship was main-
ly due. On several occasions any confusion, neglect or mistake, would
have prevented the success of our exertions, and left the ship a hope*
less wa?edk. The crew was composed of better men than are usually
collected; the officers were zealous and well-disposed, and all had been
acting together long enough to inspire confidence, the only sure source
of power in time of danger.

Invthe course of the night the fog deepened, and the morning dis-
covered to our view the rods: of Mount Desert, instead of the coast
between Portsmouth and Portland which we had expected to see. This
great difference was undoubtedly owing to one of those strong currents
that sometimes sweep along that coast, which, in this case, as we af-
terwards learned, washed an English brig as far from her supposed sit-
uation as.we bad been taken from ours.

We were now exceedingly anxious for the sick who had been landed.
.Many of the islands in our neighborhood were uninhabited and it was
.very possible,they might have been left upon one of these, where theirTHlfr ADAMS IN THE PENOBSCOT.

69

situation would soon be very unpleasant, Two small fishing vessels
were met with and sent in different directions to search for them, while
we proposed to reach the Penobscot as soon as practicable. About 8
A. M. a sail was discovered to windward standing directly for us, and
It was, soon evident that she was* a vessel of war, but our relative po-
sitions prevented us from ascertaining her force. When she had ap-
proached within a mile or two she. hauled to the wind and showed her-
self to be a brig of war of 16 guns. Though in a situation that ren-
dered it desirable to avoid any aetion at that time our course was con-
tinued, as though in chase, till by tacking we could gain the entrance of
the Penobscot* where we left the chase to pursue her way.*

Our justification for this course was the scorbutic condition of the
crew, which* by the report of the surgeon, was such that even a slight
wound must destroy life; the leaky state of the ship, which required
the constant use of the pumps; and, the great probability that the
leaks would be much increased by the shock of a cannonade from her
guns, after the severe strain which her hull had received.

We entered the Penobscot during the night, and were gratified in the
morning by the information that our prisoners and sick had all been
safely conveyed to Camden. The security of the prisoners, as well as
the comfort of the sick, was mainly due to the purser, W. S. Rogers,
in whose charge they had been left* and who exhibited on this occasion
the energy and judgment and kindness, and care for the welfare of others
for which his after life was so much distinguished.

Information having reached us that an attack upon Castine was ap-
prehended, we proceeded up the river to Hampden, as a place of great-
er safety* from which it was supposed that any small force might be
excluded by the population near the river. The ship was dismantled,
her armament and stores landed, and preparations were in progress
for heaving the ship out to ascertain and, if possible, to repair her in-
juries, when, on the 1st of September, intelligence was received by ex-
press that sixteen sail of the enemy's vessels had entered the bay.
They had captured Castine, thirty miles below us, and their immediate
advance up the river was contemplated.! Requests for assistance

* The " chase" was the English brig-sloop Rifleman, which gave intelligence o£
tfoe presence of the Adams to Admiral Griffith's squadron.

f The expedition, under the joint command of General Sir John Sherbrooka
and Rear Admiral Griffith, was composed of the 74-gun gun ship, Dragon, Cap-
tain Robert Barrie, the frigates Endymion and Bacchante, the sloop Sylph, and
ten transports, It sailed from Halifax on the 26th of August, and on the 31st70

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

were forwarded to Brigadier-General Blake, of the militia, and a num-
ber of men were assembled that evening and on the following day.
By great exertions nine of our guns were placed in battery upon an
adjoining hill, but without protection, and with only a loose platform ;
fourteen were ranged on a wharf which raked the channel below, and
one commanded the communication between the two batteries.

At sunset of the 2d two sloops of war, a transport tender, and ten
launches, under command of Captain Barrie, had arrived within three
miles of us, and about three hundred and fifty troops had been landed
under Colonel John.* Our means of defence, besides (those already
mentioned, and our ship's company, were about three hundred and sev-
enty militia, imperfectly armed, and about thirty U.S. Infantry, who had
just arrived, under command of Lieutenant Lewis, from Castine. In
a meeting of the militia officers which I had been requested to attend
there was so little said to give confidence in any effectual assistance
that directions were given to have arrangements privately made dur-
ing the night for destroying the ship, in case of being obliged to aban-
don her.

The night of the 2d was rainy and chilly. The • militia had been
posted in one line across the road about half a mile towards the enemy
and kept under arms after midnight. This road passed through the vil-
lage about three quarters of a mile from our battery and crossed a
bridge over a creek. The creek was in our rear, and was fordable be-
low the bridge, near low tide. We had been compelled to take this
unfavorable position by the weakness of the bridge, which could not
be strengthened in time to allow the guns to be taken over it.

The morning proved very foggy, upon the shore, and the marines
were stationed between the hill battery and the militia, at distances
from each other which would allow communication to be passed by

was joined by the 74-gun ship Bulwark, the frigate Tenedos, and two brigs, the
Rifleman and Peruvian. Its first object was Machias, but upon learning of the
arrival of the Adams, it was diverted to the Penobscot.

* According to James, the attacking force consisted of the Peruvian and Sylph
sloops, and two transports, containing six hundred men, infantry and artillery,
the latter under Lieutenant-Colonel Henry John. There were also eighty ma-
rines, and about as many seamen. The troops were landed on the night of th&
2d of September, about five miles below the town. The American force is placed
at fourteen hundred, which is probably an extravagant estimate, even including
everybody at the scene of conflict; while it is far above the total of organized com-
batants, whether regulars or militia.DESTRUCTION OF THE ADAMS.

71

them. As daylight appeared the launches showed themselves above
a point a little beyond gunshot distance below us. A rocket party
was landed and threw four or five rockets, which though very well di-
rected, did no further injury than by striking the ship's hull. A few
discharges from one of our guns showed that they were beyond our
reach. Shortly after, the enemy's bugles were heard in the direction of
the militia, followed soon by three discharges of one of our guns,
which hfctd been taken to the road and placed in charge of Lieutenant
Lewis.

The marines passed the word a few minutes after, from Lieutenant
Watson, at the road, that the militia had broken and were in rapid re-
treat. As our own retreat would be effectually cut off if the enemy
should reach the bridge before us, it became necessary to retire.
This was done as soon as the guns were discharged and spiked, and
fire communicated to the ship. The enemy's advance had reached
the hill battery before all those at the wharf had left it, and the main
body were so near the bridge that a part of our force, myself among
the number, had to ford the creek, which the state of the tide fortu-
nately permitted. The absence of necessary preparations before the
enemy appeared, and the failure of the militia to make any resistance^
afterwards, left us no time to collect or preserve any of our personal
effects, and the distribution of our small arms to the militia deprived
us of all means of checking the pursuit of the enemy.

Our nearest naval station was at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. To
this place our march was directed, over a newty marked road, from Ban-
gor to Canaan on the Kennebec river, where there were a few farms
newly opened, and thence b}r the ordinary route through a well settled
country. The difficulty of finding subsistence for the whole number in
a body led me to order them to separate, with directions for each to
cross the country as he best could. In general, the few inhabitants
willingly relieved our wants to the extent of their means ; but, in one
instance, where the ability seemed to be greater than usual, we met with
a refusal of even the privilege of taking sufficient potatoes from a field
to furnish a meal. When the last refusal was given, one of the sea-
men, who had heard all, stepped up to me and, touching his hat, quiet-
ly asked, "Shall we pull the house down"? a request that was, of
course, refused, but,which seemed to excite no small apprehension in
our uncivil countryman. We proceeded to the next farm, where we
arrived after dark, and found a cabin without floors or glass in the
windows, tenanted by a young couple. To our request for food the72	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

owner of the houlse replied that all his stock consisted of five sbeepv
but to them we were perfectly welcome. Three were accepted and
soon prepared in the potash kettle which our host provided for
the purpose. It was a pleasure to anticipate a future compensation
fey allowing him to select a musket, accoutrements and ammunition,
which he had mentioned a® very desirable to destroy beasts of prey^
and to obtain game for food.

After reaching the Kennebec, funds were borrowed from the Bank
of Waterville, and the inhabitants freely satisfied the wants of such
Of the men as Were not within reach of this supply. The Navy Yard
at Portsmouth had been designated as the place of rendezvous, and in
the course of a few days the whole ship's company had reported them-
selves, excepting a few who had been detained on the road by sick-
ness. Notwithstanding the facilities that offered themselves on such
a march, and the general disposition of sailors to prefer a change, not
a single desertion took place ; a fact highly creditable to the men and
affording strong evidence of their attachment to their officers. At
Portsmouth the officers and crew reported to Commodore Hull and
were assigned to duty there, till the further directions of the Depart*
ment should be given. A court of inquiry wajs soon ordered, which
fully exonerated the officers and crew for the loss of their ship, with
dome compliments on their general good conduct.

Thus terminated my first command. Not only had all our expecta-
tions of gaining reputation by an important success been disappointed,
but our ship had been lost and a formal inquiry held to ascertain if cen-
sure or other punishment had not been deserved* Still (he conciousness
that neither the want of success against the enemy nor the eventual
loss of the ship had been owing to negligence or fault on our part, sup-
ported by the official decision of the court and the continued confi-*
dence of the Department and of my brother officers, enabled me to pre-
serve my cheerfulness and still to hope for better future success.

After collecting the officers and crew of the Adams at Portsmouth,
and completing the arrangements for preserving the articles which had
been secured from capture by removal before the enemy reached us,
I was called to Boston by Commodore Bainbridge and employed at the,
Navy yard in forwarding the equipment of the ship-of-the-line Inde-
pendence. These duties at the Navy yard were interrupted by an or-
der to take command of the frigate Congress, which was lying in the
Piscataqua, some miles above Portsmouth, and nearly dismantled. This
Order was gratifying to my feelings. The command of a larger shipPEACE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

78

than that which I had been so recently obliged to abandon and de-
stroy was a conclusive proof that the Department exonerated me from
all blame and still considered me deserving of its confidence.

My new duties, however* required much of my personal attention^
My old officers had all been transferred with me, with a few excep-
tions, and we were all anxious to have the shipr eady as soon as, possible
that we might try the chancer of another cruise.

Not' long after, peace was concluded with England.* A squadron
was prepared to aet against Algiers, whose Dey had declared war
against us while we were contending against Great Britain, f Commo-
dore Decatur, with a small force which could be soon prepared, wast
dispatched in advance of Commodore Bainbridge with other vessels.
The Congress was to join this squadron, but was first to take out our
Minister to Holland. It was June, 1815,. before the ship was ready,
When she went to Boston, and the Minister,, Mr- Eustis, and his lady,
embarked, together with Alexander Everett, secretary of legation, Mr.
Eustis, a nephew of the Minister, and Colonel McRae and Major Thayer
of the Engineers.

Our passage was pleasant, not only as regarded the weather but in
the social relations with the passengers* a pleasure which is not always
enjoyed in similar circumstances- The news of the return of Napole-
on from Elba had reached us before we left the United States, and we
had heard of his defeat at Waterloo before we reached Flushing in July.

With a small party of the officers I accompanied Mr. Eustis and his
suite to Rotterdam and the Hague. The Engineer officers went to Paris.
The journey to Rotterdam was made in a yacht which was offered by
the government for the Minister* In navigating among the islands,
inclosed by their dykes, there was very little of interest which came
under our view, nor was there very much more on our return across
the level surface which gave scarcely a variety to the prospect around
us.

While lying at Flushing, the master of an American merchant brig
balled to inform me that a short time before a seaman had been taken
from his vessel by the officers of a British sloop of war, in the river

* The news of the conclusion of peace arrived in New York„ February 11,1815,
and the treaty was ratified February 17. Just before the arrival of the treaty >
on the 1st of February, 1815, Captain Morris was married to Harriet Bowen, daugh-
ter of Dr. William Bowen, of Providence.

f The Act of Congress authorizing hostilities against Algiers was approved
March 2, 1815.74	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

between Flushing and Antwerp. Notwithstanding this outrage at the
very conclusion of a peace, the master had neither informed himself
of the name of the commander of the vessel nor could he state wheth-
er the vessel had sailed from the river or not.

All that could be done was to direct him to collect accurate infor-
mation on these points and submit the case to Mr. Eustis, to whom I al-
so wrote respecting it. I had the pleasure to learn afterwards that the
representations of our Minister produced the dismissal of the captain
from his command. I believe this was the last attempt at impress-
ment from an American by a British vessel, and any authorized attempt
in the future would produce an immediate war, unless obviated by the
amplest apologies.

The Congress met the Independence and some other vessels in the
harbor of Carthagena on the 1st of August, but before our arrival
Commodore Decatur had met with and captured the Algerine Admiral
in a frigate, and destroyed some smaller vessels.* Subsequently, by
his vigorous demonstrations, Decatur had been enabled to dictate the
terms of a treaty, which, while it reestablished peace and gave remun-
eration for all injuries to our own citizens, restored them and the cap-
tive subjects of Italy to their liberty, f EquaJ success had attended
his demands on Tunis and Tripoli for paj-ment of the value of prizes
which they had allowed to be captured in their ports from American
privateers by British vessels of war.}: Commodore Decatur returned
to the United States with the Guerri&re. The other vessels joined
Commodore Bainbridge, when the collected squadron showed itself
successively before Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli to confirm the impres-
sion which had been made by Decatur. After a short visit to Malaga
and sufficient delay in Gibraltar to make arrangements for the distribu-
tion of the squadron, a few vessels were left under the command of

* The Algerine frigate Mazoura was captured June 17, by the squadron, and
the brig Estedio, June 19, both off the coast of Spain.

f The treaty with Algiers was signed by the Dey June 30, 1815. It was drawn,
up by the American Commissioners, Shaler and Decatur, and agreed to by the Dey
without alteration or delay.

£ Two vessels had been captured in the harbor of Tunis by boats from the Eng-
lish brig Lyra, and two in the harbor of Tripoli by the Paulina. They were all
prizes to the American privateer Abellino. Both governments promptly paid the
amounts demanded by Decatur by way of indemnity; $46,000 in the case of
Tunis, and $25,000 in that of Tripoli. Ann. of Gong. 1st Sess. 14th Cong.t pp.
1765-1769.RETURN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SQUADRON.

75

Captain Shaw, and the remainder, fifteen in number, sailed together
for the United States. Some attempts were made during the passage
to maneuver as a squadron, but with very little success. Even in the
simplest of orders, that of convoy in three columns, the respective
vessels could rarely be brought into their proper stations, or kept there
for an hour. Commodore Bainbridge led the center, and Commodore
Jones the starboard column, and the third fell to my charge. It was
very evident that none of our commanders were prepared to manage
their vessels in a squadron which should be obliged to maneuver at
all in presence of an enem}r, and that such knowledge was not to be
acquired except by practical exercises under an officer well acquaint-
ed with the theory of tactics and willing to devote much time and la-
bor to their instruction.

The squadron separated before we reached our coast, some of the
vessels proceeding to New York, and others, with the commodore, to
Newport; and the Congress was among the latter. The small-pox
made its appearance in the Congress five days after we left Gibraltar,
upon a person who had not been on shore for some months. Means
were immediately adopted which prevented, under Providence, any
fatal results, though about seventy of the crew had the disease. All
had so far recovered before our arrival that the authorities of New-
port allowed a limited intercourse, which enabled me to visit Boston.
The Independence, Congress, and Macedonian were soon after ordered
to Boston, where we arrived in December, 1815. The crews were
paid off, and the ships placed in ordinary, though the captains were
continued in the nominal command of their vessels.

The following winter was passed in Boston. Early in April I was
ordered to the command of the station at Newport, Rhode Island.
A flotilla force had been kept here during the war, and the station
was still recognized, though nearly all the force had been withdrawn.
The duties were not sufficient to interfere with domestic pleasures, but
seemed to relieve the tedium which would have resulted from entire
idleness. These pleasures were, however, interrupted in June, by an
order to the Congress to prepare for a cruise in the Pacific. This
order removed us to Boston again, where my presence was required
to superintend the equipment of the ship. The only vessel of our
Navy which had visited the west coast of America was the Essex,
during the late war, under Captain Porter. The government had
several objects in view that they expected to accomplish by this cruise.
The formal reception of the fort at the mouth of the Columbia river,76	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS*

from the English authorities, was the most prominent, and at that time
it was the intention, of the government to occupy and ana it, for
which I was informally directed to> make preparations.* Another
object, deemed of much importance, was to visit the different ports
and harbors, and ascertain their resources and advantages for trade,
and to collect all other information thai might facilitate commercial
intercourse between them and our countrymen. The presence in>
Boston of a gentleman who had resided some years on that coast ffcrn
mercantile purposes, enabled me to obtain much information of places
and influential persons* that might have been very useful. Attention
was also to have been given to meteorology, and other similar sub-
jects, in which interest had been expressed, and to which my attention
was to have been called by a series of specific questions to be drawn
up by gentlemen of science* Besides these a part of the cruise was
to be devoted to the determination of several doubtful points in the
geography and hydrography of the west coast, and of reported islands,
reefs and shoals, in the adjacent seas. It was supposed also that
some pecuniary advantages would accrue to me by participating in
the safe keeping and transportation of the precious metals, which had
Mtherto been nearly monopolized by English vessels of war. A cruise
for such purposes promised better chances for reputation than dan
often be expected in a time of peace, and afforded reasonable hopes
Of such compensations for another separation from home, as might
mitigate, in some degree, the regrets and anxieties that eould not
be entirely removed.

All these consoling expectations were, however, destroyed, just as
the ship was nearly prepared to commence the cruise. A collision
had taken place in the gulf of Mexico between one of our small ves-
sels of war and one of those belonging to Spain. The desire of our
government to prevent a recurrence of this or any other difficulties
which might interfere with the success of the pending negotiations for
Florida, induced theln to send the Congress, forthwith, to the Gulf
of Mexico, as that ship could be soonest prepared. The squadron
there was placed under my command, which was assumed In Decem-
ber 1816, and my presence in the gulf continued till July in the fol-
lowing year. With this change of our destination several other objects
that were to have been assigned to our attention, were relinquished.
Our own occupations were tedious and uninteresting, as our sole ob-

* This service was performed in August, 1818, by the Ontario, Captain Jamea
Biddle.v	SPECIAL m&BWm m TEE CONGRESS TO UAYTI.	77

ject was to guard against any just -cause of complaint being given by
any of our citizens or by any others from our territory.	v

In the month .of Jiaty I was ordered to prooeed to Portau Prince,
with despatches to our consular ag«nt at that place, from the Depart-
ment of State, thence with an agent to cape Henry,* and afterwards
t© visit the coast of Venezuela and collect and report all the informa-
tion I could obtain of the condition of that country, the disposition
of its inhabitants, and the sprafeabiiitiesof their making a successful
resistance to the attea»pt then making to bring them again under sub-
jection to the power of Spain. In addition to the singularly injudi-
cious directions which required nue to commence my visits to the lee-
wardmost of the ports and then to contend against the constant trade
winds, to reach the others in succession, it was recommended that I
should pass between Yucatan and cape San Antonio, and pass up on
the south side of Cuba.

As in duty bound an attempt was made to obey these orders, but
after a week's trial the currents were found too strong to be overcome
fey the light winds that prevailed and the passage by the coast of
Cuba was abandoned, and the ship allowed to follow the course of the
current till she passed the Matanilla reefs. We then stood to the
eastward with favorable Winds, and, passing through the Caicos pas-
sage, arrived in a reasonable time at Port au Prince.

Upon inquiry it was found that our consul had left the place with-
out appointing any person to act as his deputy, and that consequently
there was no public agent entitled to receive the despatches from the
Secretary of State. The agent who was on board, destined for cape
Henry, had understood before he left Washington that the object of
this despatch was to require explanations from Potion, the president
of the west part of the island, of certain acts of the government, or
of its officers, some of which had injured the property of American citi-
zens, and by gone of which the-life of an American had been taken,
under color of law^ but, as was alleged, without just cause, f

* Cape Francois or Haitien.

f The island of Hayti or San Domingo had long been a bone of contention be-
tween France and Spain. In 1795 Spain gave up her claims, and the whole
island came nominally into the possession of France ; but it was practically in-
dependent, under the administration of Toussaint I'Ouverture. In 1801 the French
attempted to ^assert their supremacy, but after a few years of fighting, they were fi-
nally driven out by Bess alines, ToussaratY successor. Dessalines, after ruling as
/Emperor for two years, was assassinated in 1806, and the government was again78	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

The particular circumstances connected with these cases were known
to some of the citizens residing in the place. In this state of things the
object of our visit would be entirely defeated, or I must assume the
responsibility of opening the despatches from the Secretary of State
to the Consul, and be guided by their directions. This was a very
delicate and unpleasant responsibility^ but one which, on reflection, was
assumed as a matter of public duty. The letter recited the causes of
complaint, and required explanations from the government, but these
were not to be demanded till the ship should have sailed, that there
might be no appearance of threats on our part. This forbade any of-
ficial action on my part; but, having obtained an audience with Potion,
and having his secretary Inginac, as interpreter, the causes of com-
plaint were referred to as having come to my knowledge in Pott au
Prince. It was urged upon his notice that these imputed acts of his
government were calculated to produce much excitement in the United
States, and might well be considered as evidences of unfriendly feeling
on his part, unless they were satisfactorily explained; and that I had
reason to believe that a despatch which had been sent by us to our
consul there, from our government, had reference to these subjects.
As the consul was absent I had thought it best to call his attention,
unofficially, to them, and would be happy to receive and transmit to
our government any explanations which he might feel disposed to
give. He expressed his satisfaction at the opportunity thus afforded
him to prove the justice of his own course, and his earnest desire to
preserve the most friendly relations with our government. It was
agreed that I should request the explanation in writing, which was.
done the next day, and a full answer returned by him on all the points
on which complaint had been made.

Potion was in color a light mulatto. He had received a good edu-,
cation, his manners were good, and he sustained his position with
firmness and dignity. Inginac, the secretary, was also a mulatto, but

divided. Spain regained the eastern part of the island, calling it Sa^to Domin-
go. The blacks in the north chose Christophe for their president; while the mu-
lattoes of the south and west, chiefly about Port au Prince, adhered to P6tion.
Each of these leaders claimed to represent the government of Hayti, but the mu-
lattoes were finally successful. Petion died in 1818. He*had passed some time in
France and had served in the French army; and his administration was liberal
and well conducted. His successor, Boyer, a somewhat abler man. united all Hay- »
ti in 1820, and two years later expelled the Spaniards from San Domingo. He
governed the island successfully as "President of Hayti," for twenty years. In
1842, the republic was split up, and the two parts have since been independent.MISSION TO GENERAL CHRISTOPHE.

of rather darker shade. He had also received a good English edu-
cation, and had resided several years in Philadelphia, and was a man
of no mean abilities. In the correspondence between himself and
the commissioners sent from France, to reclaim their lost sovereignty
or an indemnity, the letters of Inginac were in all respects equal to
theirs. The former rich commerce of the place had dwindled to al-
most nothing; the population was greatly diminished, and the re-
maining inhabitants, with few exceptions, were very poor.

A few days beating against the trade winds carried us to cape
Frangois, or Henry, the commercial capital of the Emperor Henry, or
Christophe, the other chief who ruled over the central portion of the
island, where the blacks predominated. Mr. Tyler had been sent
with us, to reside here, ostensibly as agent for distressed seamen, but
really to endeavor to recover from Henry some hundred and twenty
thousand dollars, the value of property belonging to merchants in
Baltimore, which he had seized, to compensate him for losses sustain-
ed in some commercial operations with others in the United States.
Our government had always avoided any formal or implied recognition
of this government, and consequently Mr. Tyler's instructions direct-
ed him to reside in the city of St. Frangois, in that part of the island
of San Domingo under the command of General Christophe.*

When these instructions were communicated to Christophe, who
was then in the country, he directed Mr. Tyler to be informed that
he felt complimented by having been informed of his proposed resi-
dence and its object, and should be happy if he could render him any
service ; but he could offer nothing specifically, because he knew noth-
ing of an island called San Domingo, nor of General Christophe. In
reply to a remark made to his secretary, who brought his message,
that this apparent misdirection and misnomer might have occurred
through the inadvertence of a clerk, he observed that the example
given by General Washington, during our revolution, under circum-
stances somewhat similar, was too good not to be respected and fol-
lowed by him. The real object of Mr. Tyler's visit appeared to be

* Christophe was appointed president for life, by the assembly of blacks at
Cape Haitien, in 1806. He had served as a Brigadier-General under Toussaint at
the time of the French invasion, and, later, as general-in-chief under Dessalines.
In 1811 he assumed the name and title of King Henri I. His rule was severe
and despotic, and towards the end of his life he found himself deserted by his sub-
jects, who gradually went over to Bover, the successor of Potion. Christophe kill-
ed himself in October, 1820, out of mortification at the success of his rival.80	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY W COMMODORE MORRIS.

suspected or known, and it was very distinctly intimated that the ob-
ject could be secured without difficulty by an agent accredited to the
Emperor.

In the meantime every civility was tendered to us. The carriages
and horses of the Emperor were placed at the disposal of the officers,
with permission to visit the surrounding country at pleasure; and fresh
provisions, vegetables, and fruits were offered gratuitously for the ship's
company.

An official visit was made by me to the Governor, the Duke of Mar-
malade. I was met at the head of the staircase by an elderly black
man, well but plainly dressed, whom I mistook for some principal ser-
vant, until he announced himself as the Governor, and showed me t©
his reception room. He seemed to be a man of sound understanding,
without pretension or parade, easy and quiet in manner, and tolerably
intelligent. The furniture was good but plain, and in good taste, and
such was the character and style of the refreshments which were offered.
Our interpreter was the Emperor's secretary, the Count of Limonade,
who had resided several years in the United States. These apparent-
ly laughable titles of Marmalade and Limonade were derived from the
names of villages and estates, from which the titulars derived certain
revenues as well as their titles.

The authority of the Emperor was thoroughly despotic. A Code
Henri had, however, been established, comprising laws which were in
genera] administered with firmness. He had also introduced schools
for the English language. It was stated as a favorite object with him
that this should supersede the French, as one means of weakening the
influence and power of France for recovering authority in the island.
He also required all the inhabitants of the country to devote the labor
of a certain number of days in each week to cultivation. Taxes could
be paid or required in the proceeds of »such labor, and the articles
thus paid were sold by his officers, and the proceeds used for publie
purposes. His stronghold was near the summit of a mountain, ten or
twelve miles from the city, the passes to which were difficult of access
and could be easily defended. In this stronghold, according to report,
were deposited some millions of dollars in specie, and large quantities
of gunpowder and flour, carefully secured from injury in demijohns, .
and buried, to meet and supply the wants of a,siege. There were at
that time some apprehensions of invasion by the French, and the Em-
peror's plan to meet it was to withdraw behind the first barrier of moun-
tains, defend the passes and leave the French to occupy the coast only,-MISSION TO VENEZUELA.

81

until the diseases of the climate and the absence of all commercial
products should induce them to withdraw. A revolt, some years later,
put an end to his life and plans, and distributed his accumulated wealth,
of which the sable Empress and princesses were allowed to take a large
sum with them to Italy, where they resided with considerable display
'for some years.

As Mr. Tyler could not be received in his official character, he re-
mained on board, and after a contest with a head wind and adverse
current for three weeks, we anchored off Pampatar, in the island of
Margarita, to begin our inquiries respecting Venezuela. Morillo, with
his Spanish troops, had left the island only three days before our arrival,
after an attempt to subdue it.* The effects of some severe conflicts
were but too visible. The capital village, where we found the Gov-
ernor, had been burned, and the breakfast of which we partook was
given us in a roofless building without other furniture than some loose
boards for a table. Some idea may be formed of the ferocious spirit
engendered by this civil war from the facts stated by the Governor,
who was asked if he had not included the whole population in what
appeared to be an exaggerated statement of the military force of the
island. He acknowledged that he had done so, and, when it was in-
timated that women and children could not be thus emploj'ed, he an-
swered that they could be employed as they had recently been, in kil-
ling all those who were left wounded on the field.

From Pampatar we proceeded to Cumana, which we found occupied
by the troops under Morillo. I paid him the usual visit of ceremony
in such cases, which he returned quite unexpectedly before 7 o'clock
the following morning. In reply to inquiries for fresh provisions, veg-
etables and fruit we were informed that there was probably not a sin-
gle bullock within eighty leagues of the place. No vegetables could
be obtained, and the only fruits that could be purchased were a few un-
ripe limes. Water was readily obtained from the river, but it was soon
found unfit for use, in consequence of numerous small insects or fish
which it contained.

Barcelona received our next visit. It Was several miles from the
shore, and I reached it by ascending the river in one of our boats.
The city was well built but seemed nearly deserted. Four human
heads, exposed on pikes upon the bridge over the stream which pass-

* Pablo Morillo, Count of Car.thagena, lieutenant-general in the Spanish army,
first made his reputation in the Peninsular war, and he met with some success in
the early part of the Venezuelan struggle. He returned to Spain in 1820.82	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

ed through the city, marked the punishment of some unsuccessful
revolt. The Governor received me with much civility, and invited me
to partake of his late breakfast. This was far from profuse—three
very small rolls of bread and as many eggs, which he had recently
received, with others, as a present from friends in America; a fact
that diminished any merit in forbearing to partake of them. A captain
in the Spanish service, but a Scotchman by birth, acted as interpreter,
and as a guide through the city. He afterwards accompanied*me on
board, and remained till the next day. From his statements the sit-
uation of the surrounding country was most deplorable, owing to the
unsparing destruction and devastation caused by both the contending
parties. Food was so scarce in the city that he and other officers
were dependent on the return furnished for the army. Nothing could
be procured by force or money. In their contests no quarter was
given on either side, and the parties who were sent to sweep the
country were ordered to burn every house, destroy all cultivation and
every useful animal, kill all adult men, and bring the women and
children in as prisoners. He had himself been employed under simi-
lar orders more than once. Retaliation was the excuse assigned by
both parties for their atrocities.

We next anchored off La Guayra, to which place Morillo had pre-
ceded us, with his troops, a few days before, for the purpose of
passing to the south, to meet a threatened attack from the patriots in
that quarter. During a dinner to which he invited me he conversed
without reserve upon the existing struggle in which he was engaged,
stating freely how much his original force had been diminished, and
the probable time when he should be obliged to retire, unless Spain
should send him reinforcements. As he, like all others, deprecated
the character of their warfare, in his conversations with me, I in-
quired if it could not be terminated by a mutual agreement between
him and the patriot chiefs to conform to the milder usages of war be-
tween civilized nations. He informed me that this had been at-
tempted in vain, because the authority of the patriot chiefs was
disregarded by detached parties; which left no other course than the
miseries and barbarities of reciprocal destruction.

After gathering all the information that could be obtained from the
officers of the army, and the citizens of La Guayra, and Caracas, to
which place I made a visit of a few days, I repaired to Hampton
roads to await the further orders of the Department, and to forward
reports of my proceedings after leaving the gulf of Mexico. TheseCOURT MARTIAL DUTIES.

83

met the approbation of the government, and relieved me from any
further anxiety respecting the responsibility assumed at Port au Prince.
The opinions given in my report to the Secretary of State, respecting
the issue of the contest in Venezuela, the period when the contest
with Spain would cease, and the probable consequences of newly
acquired independence upon the patriot leaders, have since been
proved more correct than might have been expected from such limited
means for observation and gaining information. The government
afterwards caused my report to be published unofficially in the Nation-
al Intelligencer, from which I inferred that it was satisfactory. ;

My health had been much impaired during the cruise, and, as the
ship was now destined for a very long cruise, I was relieved at my
request from the command, and transferred to Boston, with the nom-
inal command of the frigate Java, lying dismantled at that place. My
principal public employment was upon court-martial duties, of which
I had enough to make me quite familiar with the form of proceeding
and the laws which regulated it.

Early in May, 1818, I was ordered to the Navy yard and station
near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and immediately assumed the
command. The construction of a ship-of-the-line was directed to be
begun soon after, the general superintendence of which, with the
other usual duties, gave me useful and agreeable employment, with a
prospect of its continuance for some years.

In the month of August, however, a violent cold produced pneu-
monia, which suddenly became so dangerous that an immediate change
to a less exposed residence was advised, and with some difficulty I
reached Roxbury with our family. By judicious treatment, great
care and ever-watchful kindness, my strength was sufficiently re-estab-
lished b}7 October to enable me to adopt the advice of my physicians
and begin a journey towards our southern border. I first placed my
family in a house hired in the town of Portsmouth. Passing through
Washington orders were given me to form one of a court of inquiry
which was to be held at St. Mary's, Georgia. I arrived there about
the 1st of January, 1819, having gained much flesh and strength during
the journey. Unexpected delay in the attendance of witnesses retained
us at this place until early in May. A part of my leisure was agree-
ably passed in visits to Mrs. Shaw, the daughter of General N. Greene,
at her residence on Cumberland Island; to the garrison at Fernan-
dina, with General Greene, Colonel Clerick, and other officers of the
Army, and to the plantation of General Mcintosh, on the river Satill^,.84	THE AUTOBIOGTRAMt OT COMMODORE MORRIS.

My return was by the way of Savannah and Charleston. At tbe
laitter place I found President Monroe, as the guest of the *cfty, while
Stopping for a few days on his tour through the southern states. The
arrangements of the city on this occasion were worthy of the well
established reputation of its citizens for generous hospitality, and their
feelings were gratified by the spirit in which their attentions were
Appreciated by the President, in collecting at a large dinner such of his
revolutionary companions as could be found, with the distinguished
citizens of the day.

In June I was again at my station at the Navy Yard in Portsmouth
with my family. My health was much improved, though a trouble-
some cough continued for several years, Which required watchfulness
and carefiil attention to diet and exercise.

The renewed expectation of a continuance with my family for some
years was again disappointed in September by an unexpected order t©
proceed with a small squadron to Buenos Ayres, for the purpose of
completing duties which had been interrupted by the recent death of
Commodore O. H. Perry. The ships (Constellation and John Adams)
were then nearly ready at Norfolk, and my presence there was re-
quired 'so soon that time was not permitted to see my family removed.

When I reached Washington, on my way to Norfolk, instructions
from the Department of State were handed to me, from which I learn-
ed that the object of the government was* to make known to that of Bu-
enos Ayres, the friendly disposition of the United States, and inform it
of certain acts of our government, by which that friendly disposi-
tion had been manifested, much to their advantage, by our diplomatic
communications and acts in Europe.

It was deemed expedient that I should also receive the personal di-
rections of the President, that T might be more fully informed of his
views upon some subjects than could be gathered from the written in-
structions. He was at his residence in Loudon County, Virginia,
where I passed a day with him and received his final directions.

After exchanging civilities with the French officers under Admiral
Duperr6, whose flag was flying on a frigate at Norfolk, and completing
the stores of the ships, we sailed from Hampton roads and, keeping
company, arrived off Monte Video, in the La Plata river. Here we
fiound the TJ. S. Schooner Nonsuch, Lieutenant Turner, waiting our ar-
rival. A small Portuguese squadron, under Vice Admiral Lobos, was
anchored off the city, with whom the courtesies of salute and visits
were exchanged.MISSION: TO BUENOS AYBES.

85

The Constellation; required a greater depth of water than the river af-
forded to Buenos Ayres, and- the John Adams, Captain Wadsworth,.
was taken to convey me to that city., The navigation of the river wa$
then very little known,, and though the Portuguese admiral had loaned
us his pilot, who was considered the most skilful, the ship grounded
when about fifty miles, from Monte Video, and it was not without great
exertions for twenty-four hours, much danger, and considerable injury,,
that she- was- got afloat again.	^

Whem we reached the city,, I took up my residence on shore, where I
met Mr. Prevost, a private agent of our government, with whom I was
directed to. consult,, in* case he should have arrived, at Buenos Ayres
from Chile. A visit of ceremony was paid the next day to the Supreme
Director, Puerreydon, and a day fixed for an official meeting. Before
this day arrived one of those sudden revolutions occurred which have
been so coaaamoB in, the South American republics. Puerreydon fled tcr
the opposite side of the river, a new Supreme Director, General Rondeau,
was elected by the Junta, and a substitute appointed to act in his stead;,
till he should arrive from the army then at some distance in the interi-
or. When the little commotion that attended this change had subsi-
ded an interview was had with the Substitute Directors* and, a few days
after, another with Rondeau* These officers appeared to be well satis-
fied, and mu-eh pleased with the friendship of the United States, as it had
been exhibited by all their public acts an^ by their special assurances*
They also gave instructions for complying with some requests that
were made for the means of distinguishing armed vessels, duly author-
ized and commissioned by their government, from others, which, there
was reason to believe, had forged their papers and cruised in other and
distant seas.

The newly appointed officers were soon removed from all power by
another and more important revolution, by which the former authority
given to the Supreme Director to conduct the exterior relations of the
different provinces, under or with the assent of a congress represent-
ing the whole, was revoked, the congress dissolved, and the authority
of the province of Buenos Ayres limited to its own particular affairs,

Don Manuel Sarratea was elected governor under this new state of
things. Some personal acquaintance with him satisfied me that he
was not qualified to control the discordant and restless population of
the province., divided and agitated by acts of different individuals
each of whom was anxious to obtain possession of power to the ex-
clusion of others. Under such circumstances any longer stay seemed86

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

to promise no advantages sufficient to justify our detention, and, after
an official communication to the governor of the general objects of our
visit, Mr. Prevost was left to do more if proper occasion should offer,
and I returned to Monte Video and sailed soon after for the United
States.

A commission from the United States had previously visited Bue-
nos Ay res and had presented in a report their opinion of the condition
of the country, the disposition of the inhabitants, and their chances for
the establishment of a well-organized and efficient goyernment. This^
report had presented a much more favorable opinion of the political
state of the country, and of a general interest in the affairs of the gov-
ernment by the people, than I could find any sufficient reason to concur
in.*

It seemed almost presumptuous to place my opinion in opposition to
theirs, when they had enjoyed better opportunities, and for a longer
time, than myself, and upon subjects with which they were much more
familiar from their previous employments. Meeting this hazard, how-
ever, my report embraced the general information which I had obtained
of recent and passing political events, with the sources from which it
was derived ; and it expressed opinions of what might be expected for
the immediate future, with the reasons on which they were founded.
Subsequent events have shown that my anticipations were tolerably
correct, though they were considered unsound at the time by the more
ardent friends of the South American people.

On our way to the United States we stopped for a day at St. Pierre,
Martinique, and for two or three days at St. Thomas. At the latter port
we found the French Rear Admiral Duperr£, whom we had left in Hamp-
ton roads ; and a question of etiquette arose between us. He consid-
ered the first visit his due, in consequence of his superior nominal rank,
which I was unwilling to admit, because, as a stranger in a neutral
port, and, equally with himself, the commander-in-chief of a squad-
ron, usual courtesy required the first visit from him. The force under
my command was greater than his, and the extent of my station was
not probably exceeded, as it embraced the North and South Atlantic
oceans. The question was also complicated by the number of guns
which should be given and received as salutes. The consequence was
that no visits were interchanged, he being restricted by positive instruc-

* The members of the Commission were 0. A. Rodney, John Graham and Theo-
doric Bland.DUEL BETWEEN DECATUR AND BARRON.

87

tions, and I claiming that the authority given to officers by their coun-
try, and not their official designation, which each nation had a right to
fix for itself, ought to regulate official precedence between officers of
different nations. The governor of St. Thomas received our ship and
myself with exactly the same honors which had been previously given
to the ship and person of the French admiral.

The ship returned to Hampton roads. After a visit to Washington,
and thence to the President's residence, in Albemarle, at the sugges-
tion of the Secretary of State, I rejoined the ship and was soon ordered
to reassume my former command at the navy yard in Portsmouth,
which I reached in May, 1820.

Information of the death of Commodore Decatur, in a duel with Com-
modore Barron, was received from the pilot, on our arrival. Besides
the regret occasioned by the loss of a brave officer who had contribu-
ted so much to the honor of the Navy and the country, and with whom
I had long been intimate, my feelings were specially interested from a
more particular cause.

When I was in Washington, on my way to join the ship for my late
cruise, Commodore Decatur detained me at the commissioners' office
till the other gentlemen had left it for the day, and showed me a letter
which he had received from Commodore Barron, and requested me to
act as his friend should it become necessary to meet Commodore Bar-
ron. This letter, in substance, called on him to state whether an al-
leged observation of his at a dinner table, that " if Commodore Bar-
ron chose to challenge him he would accept it," was intended as an in-
vitation for a challenge or not. Decatur admitted that an expression
of the kind had been used by him, but under circumstances which
rendered it inoffensive if not rather favorable to Commodore Barron.
The conversation had turned on the conduct of Commodore Barron,
when the Chesapeake was attacked by the Leopard in 1807, and in re-
maining out of the country during all the subsequent war with Great
Britain. Very unfavorable opinions were expressed by some, and,
among them, one that he had forfeited all claim to consideration or
notice from the officers of the Navy. Decatur dissented from this on
the ground that so long as he was recognized as an officer by the gov-
ernment he was entitled to consideration as such from others. The
question was then put to Decatur, uIf Commodore Barron were to
challenge you, would you consent to meet him?" To which he replied
that he would, so long as he was considered by the government wor-
thy to hold his commission in the Navy.88	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

Although tUe necessity for an immediate obedience to* orders placed
it out of my pow^r to comply with* Commodore Diecatur's request, if*
any delay was necessary, my opinion was given at once that a1 simple-
Statement of the facts,- given as an answer to Commodore Barron?s let-
ter, would: effectually prevent any further proceedings. This he declined^
because it might have the appearance, to some, of too earnest a wish on-
his part to avoid meeting Commodore Barron. The unreasonableness
of this objection was urged', since his* courage was established beyond?
all question, and5 his whole course in life placed him above any suspi-
cion of the fear of consequences; that, so far from being injurious to*
his reputation, such a statement of facts Would elevate i^ still higher,'
and that th£ improvement of so favorable an! opportunity for setting a
good example to the younger officers of tile Navy was required from?
him by the highest considerations. A ^hort answer was drawn upy
embracing the facts as he had stated them; but notwithstanding all!
that could be utfgedv and his constant assertions that he had' no desire
to fight Commodore Barron, and that he could gain nothing and'migM
lose his life % it, still all cotild not induce him to sign & state-
ment which he admitted to bd correct and whiolk would probably re-
move all cause for any further action. He appeared to be governed5
by an apprehension that his reputation niight suffer if he took amp
means to avoid a meeting with Commodore Barron,- if Barron had*
any disposition to' bring about one. Our conversation was continued
till dark, and the liiost I could obtain frotii him was a promise not to
answer the letter for three days, he having refused to wait for the advic#
Of the person whofti he might select to act as1 his friend; if a challenge
should be s&nt to' him. The whole of the correspondence has beetf
placed before the public and ha& left a? general impression tjiat the chal-
lenge was forced from Commodore Barron by the last letter from Com-
modore Decatur, though few are aware how easily and with what pro-
priety on the parti of Commodore Decatur it riaight have been prevent-
ed.*

* The following anecdote, related by Loyall Farragut, Esq;, may not be'without
interest in this connection. Mr. Farragut says :

"My father, you know, was a great admirer of Commodore Morris, and has allud-
ed to him in bis journal as 'the ablest sea officer of his day.' Farragut was serving
at the Norfolk Navy yard not long before the Mexican war, and at the time a court
martial was in session composed of many of his old shipmates, among them Com-
modore Charles Morris. Comniodore Barron wad in Norfolk at the time, and Far-
ragut was suddenly inspired with the idea of bringing these two men together, be3-THE BOARD OF NAVY COMMISSIONERS.

89

My time was occupied, at Portsmouth, with the usual duties at Navy
yards, and upoii: courts-martial, on different occasions, till the 3d of
Mai-eh, 1823, when I was appointed a Navy Commissioner, a situa-
tion which had been indirectly offered and declined when I returned*
in 1820.

Leaving the family at Portsmouth, I repaired to Washington, and
entered an my duties, with Commodores Badgers and Chauncey as my
associates, Smith Thompson being Secretary of the Navy, and J. K»
Paulding Secretary af th'e Board . The usual annual visit of the Board to
the different Navy yards was made this year in July and August, on
the completion of which it was arranged that I should, remain at Ports-
mouth till it would be safe and convenient to> remove the family, and
in the meantime prepare' a revison af the general regulations of the:
service, for the consideration of the Board and the Department.

This duty was performed and the family removed to the district in
October. Mr. Southard succeeded Mr.> Thompson as Secretary of the
Navy,) in the following December, and Commodores Bainbridge and
Jacob Jones succeeded Commodores Rodgers and Chauncey on the
15th of December, 1824. Mr. C. W. G-oldsborougb had previously
succeeded Mr. Paulding..

The duties of the Board of Navy Commissioners, as defined by the
law that created it, embraced everything of a ministerial character,
but they were to be performed under the superintendence of the Seo
retary of the Navy, to whose office the Board was attached^ Through
the inefficiency and indolence of the Secretary,, at the- time when it was
first established, in 1816, the actual duties of the office, excepting
those connected with the Cabinet* had for some time been devolved
almost entirely on the chief clerk.* The Board appears to have been

tween whom there had existed a bitter feud for many years, arising out of the
Decatur duel. They were both friends of Farragut, and the idea of being the
medium of settling the difficulty filled his heart with enthusiasm. He went to
Morris in his open, fr&nk Way, arid asked him if he Would meet Commodore
Btoon at his [Farragut's] table. It Was not difficult to read in the face of Farra*
gut the sentiment that inspired him, and Mortis generously said he Would be hap*-
py to meet Barron. Farragut- had an interview with Barron also,, and the result
was that these old naval officers who had been bitter enemies for forty years were
reconciled. Farragut could not conceal his gratification at the result of the affair."

* John Quimcy Adams says in his- diary, under date of March 25, 1819, "Mr.
Thompson, the Secretary of the Navy,> left the- city this morning for a visit to
New York. This office sits easy upon its holders. Mr. Crowninshield used to re-90	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

disposed to reject the authority of the chief clerk, when acting for the
Secretary of the Navy, and it became necessary for the President to
interfere by a decision in which he very properly sustained the head of
the Department.

The Navy had hitherto been without system, or any attempt to intro-
duce any into any branch of the service, excepting the tables of di-
mensions and allowances prepared by Commodore Bainbridge and my-
self in 1813. The operations of the war which had just been conclud-
ed, had left even greater confusion than usual, and there was a wide
field open for the useful action of the Board. In their anxiety for
the immediate correction of some of the existing evils the Board at
once entered into an extensive correspondence, which involved them
in so many details that they had never found time to frame a proper sys-
tem for the regulation of their own proceedings, for regularly collect-
ing and rendering available information which would be very desir-
able and frequently necessary for judicious action, nor even for a con-
venient distribution of duties among themselves. When I joined the
Board these evils were obvious, but had become almost irremediable
from the mass pf current business which required daily attention, and
occupied all the time of the Board. Much of a very useful character
had however been accomplished. General regulations had been pre-
pared, approved, and issued. Measures had been taken for carrying
into effect the law for the gradual increase of the Navy by collecting
timber, iron, copper, etc., and by beginning the construction of sev-
eral ships-of-the-line and frigates. The general system of procuring
supplies by contract had been adopted, and many valuable checks had
been introduced against frauds and the misappropriation of public
money by disbursing agents and contractors, most of which have been
subsequently incorporated into laws by Congress, and made appli-
cable to all the Departments.

As each member of the Board was responsible equally for all its
acts, it became the duty of each to be sufficiently informed on each
particular subject of action to enable him to give a satisfactory vote
upon it. Some members might be willing to act on the information
which others had collected and furnished in the consultations, while

main at Washington only when Congress was in session, and spent the remainder
of his time at home. Mr. Thompson appears determined to follow the example.
The chief clerk and the Navy Commissioners make the duties of that department
comparatively very light."THE BOARD OF NAVY COMMISSIONERS.

91

others preferred the labor which would enable them to act more in-
dependently. With my own views of duty thig latter course seemed
the proper one, and it was my endeavor always to act upon it*
Though very laborious it proved advantageous, as it $oon made me
and then kept me thoroughly informed of all the business of the office,
and furnished unexceptionable means for obtaining and preserving a
fair share of influence in the decisions of the Board, upon the very
varied arid numerous subjects that came before it.

Mr. S. L. Southard succeeded Mr. Thompson as Secretary of the
Nav}7, in December, 1823. In the summer of 1824 the Secretary
and the Board of Navy Commissioners made an official visit to Erie,
Sackett's Harbor, and Whitehall, at which places the vessels on lakes
Erie, Ontario, and Champlain had been collected and left, after the
peace of 1815. The vessels were found to be much decayed, many
of them sunk in shallow water, and the perishable articles of stores no
longer of much value. The journey was extended down the St. Law-
rence to Montreal and from Whitehall to Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
and thence to Boston and New York and Philadelphia, on our return
towards Washington.

The sale of all the vessels and perishable stores was recommended,
excepting the ships-of-the-line, which had been begun and were still on
the stocks, at and near Sackett's Harbor. This was soon after author-
ized and carried into effect and the ordnance sent to the Navy yard at
New York. The further employment of officers on the lake stations
was discontinued. Recommendations were made by the Board for an
extension of the Navy yards at New York and Norfolk, and it was
advised that plans for the future improvement of all the yards should
be proposed and approved, after which no deviations from them should
be permitted, without the executive sanction. Information was col-
lected and reported to Congress, and published by their order, in or-
der to desseminate knowledge in regard to water-rotting hemp and
flax, in the hope of rendering ourselves independent of the foreign
articles. The form and arrangement of the annual estimates were
changed so as to show separately the expense of the shore establish-
ments, and of the ships and active force of the Navy. This arrange-
ment diminished the he&ds of appropriation and still exhibited the ex-
penditures fully and clearly. By much exertion the Board succeeded
in preventing any further advances to contractors, which had hither-
to been done, in a few cases, by the order of the Executive, from
some of which danger of loss had occurred.92	THE	OT COWMmOKE M0HHIS.

When it was- determined: to return La Payette t©: France) m a public
ship- tlie President thought proper to select are1 for the command. It
was his desire that I should perform" this duty? without resigning' my?
Situation as a Navy Commissioner, to; which, in his opinion^ there was
no legal objection. The1 designation for tiiia duty,, utuier thecireum-
stances of the time, could! not be otherwise than flattering tome, ancfc
was accepted: with pleasure. I believed,- however,- that the exercise*
of the military duties of a captain, whilst- holding a district commis-
sion of a civil character, would1 be exceedingly disagreeable to. the feel-
ings of the officers, even if legal*. This belief was made known tot
the President and it was stated that I should feel' bound. to* resign the
commissionership, as soon as orders- should be' given to comma/nd the
ship, to which he made no further objection.*

The Brandywine had been named, launched and equipped for this.
Special service, the officers had been selected;, sox that there? should be
at least one from each state, and, when practicable, descendants of per*-
sons distinguished in the Revolution. The preparations' were made by
tfhe first lieutenant and the officers of the yard, and I only took command!
on the first of September, two days before the general, bis* son, and
his suite embarked at the mouth of the Potomac?. He was accom-
panied by the* Secretary of the Navy, and many other public officers*
from Washington, and met by a large party from Baltimore. A coii-
lation was prepared on board for our numerous guests, at which many
speeches appropriate to the occasion were made, and the parting
wishes of the general and guests were reciprocated. The next morn-
ing we stood down the bay, and to sea with a favorable wind. A few
hours after the pilot had left us, it was found that the ship was leak-
ing rapidly. This was not more unexpected than unpleasant* To
take the general back to any of our ports after he had taken a formal
leave of the country would place every one in an awkward position,

Imt to expose him and others to any serious hazard by continuing our

\

* The following entry appears in the diary of President J. Q:. Adams, under
date of July 9t 1825 ; "Southard, S.. N.,. again with Captain Morris, who is will-
ing to command the frigate to take General La Fayetteto France, and there give*
the ship to the next officer,, to proceed with her to the Mediterranean, to be there,
commanded by Captain Patterson. But Morris thinks he ought to. resign his seat
at the Navy Board, and he wishes to have a term of six months allowed him to
visit the naval establishments of France and England and to witness the latest
Improvements in naval architecture. I advised him at all events to go, and said
we would consider further with regard to his resignation*"jmsujm m	IN TAB ^ranbywinii. 98

-course was a serious responsibility. It was impossibly <#tthe moment
-to fascertain the precise cause of the leak, but from some experiments
dt was evidently effected by the greater or less velocity of the ship's
motion. As it was under control by the pumps it was determined
to proceed, ^especially as La [Fayette was unwilling to return except
from tactual necessity. It soon became evident that the leak wag
caused by the oakum working out of the seams of the ship's sides. The
weather and sea, for nearly the whole passage, caused the ship to roll
.so deep, that it was {exceedingly difficult to apply any remedy, but as
ihe planks gradually swelled from immersion, the leak gradually
.diminished.

Our passage was from these and other causes rendered very uncom-
fortable, and it was only on two days that the general was.able to join
us at dinner, or to visit the deck. In the early part of the passage he
suffered from sea-sickness, and the gout affected him considerably af-
terwards. This was:much regretted, for, besides the discomforts, we
•were deprived .of most of the pleasure which had been anticipated from
the -society of the general, and the hope of listening to his reminiscences
flff some of the interesting scenes and persons connected with his event-
ful life. My own health, which had never been perfectly,restored since
1818, had become-seriously impaired by a chronic affection of the liver,
and consequent irritability of the stomach, which rendered me unable to
do much towards the entertainment of our guest, or to become acquaint-
ed with the officers. We arrived off Havre in October, and, upon com-
municating with our consul, found that no objection existed to the land-
ing of La Fayette. * This had been supposed possible, as it was known
that he was .even more obnoxious to the .Bourbon than to the Imperial
government. The £clat of his reception and treatment in the United
States, it was thought, mi^ht.render the government unwilling to re-
ceive him again, lest his influence should excite movements dangerous
to the monarchy. Should such have been the case, and permission for
him ,to land have been refused, I was authorized to use the ship to
convey. him to any other part, of the world that he might select.

The morning after our arrival, the wife and children of George La Fa-
yette, M. Lasteyrie, the,son-in-law of LaFayette, and his children, came
on board to meet the general and his son, and, after passing a few
hours, they all returned together to the shore. Before leaving the ship
the general was. requested to ask for anything he might desire to take
with him, when .he requested the flag of the ship, under which he was
received on board, and which, he was * about to leave. To .this he sub-94	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

sequently added a few articles, that he might give an American dinner
to the inmates of La Grange. He left the ship under a major-gener-
al's salute, and three hearty cheers from the ship's company. As the
object of my command was merely to see the general to France, the
command was relinquished to the first lieutenant, and I accompanied
La Fayette to the shore, and for a short time became his guest, as he had
been mine. Captain Read, of the Navy, who was a passenger in j;he
ship, was also of the party.

< The party dined that day with a liberal deputy to*the Chambers from
the city, and on the following morning partook of a dejeuner, with a
large party, at the residence of the United States consul, on the heights
above the town. About noon the family of General La Fayette, Cap-
tain Read, and myself, left the city for Paris, and on passing the gates
we found a large party, in carriages and on horseback, who had assem-
bled to compliment La Fayette, by escorting him for some distance on
his way. At the end of a league, the escort halted, and the gentlemen
composing it dismounted, as did La Fayette and his suite. An ad-
dress was made in behalf of the citizens, to which he responded in his
usual felicitous manner, and the parties separated after the general's
carriage had been nearly filled with bouquets of flowers and immortelles,
by the ladies who had joined the cavalcade in carriages.

A late dinner was taken in a small village on the way to Rouen, at
which the landlord contrived a compliment to La Fayette. The dessert-
plates had upon them representations of scenes in our revolutionary
struggle, and he placed for the general that having for its subject the
storming of the English redouts at Yorktown. Tftfe next day was pas-
sed at Rouen, where another deputy of the liberal party assembled a
number of the political friends of La Fayette to meet him. Though
all proper precautions were taken to avoid producing any public ex-
citement, the street near the house where we dined was thronged with
people during the evening, who at last began to cheer La Fayette, as a
call for his presence in the balcony. This was. delayed for some time,
but finally acceded to for the purpose of thanking them and recommen-
ding their immediate separation to prevent any excuse for the interfer-
ence of the police. The effect, however, was unfavorable. The
cheers increased, and the mounted police, who had been prepared, and
stationed near, moved down the street in a body, and compelled all to **
retire before them. A few persons were injured, and much excitement
created, but with no other consequences. The party separated im-
mediately as all pleasure had been destroyed.VISIT TO LAFAYETTE AT LAGRANGE.

95

At Saint Germain we separated. George La Fayette went to Paris,
with Captain Read and myself, and the general and his family pro-
ceeded directly to LaGrange, at which place we joined him about
a week later.

The residence of La Fayette was a part of the estates which form-
erly belonged to the family of Madame La Fayette, and contains about
seven hundred acres. The dwelling is an ancient structure, forming
three sides of a square, with a round tower at each corner, of which
about one half projects beyond the sides of the building. Although
one side is open, and the entrance to the dwelling is on the inner side
of one of the wings, the passage to the entrance is through the side
opposite to it, and would lead to the supposition that the building
formerly had all its sides closed. The walls of the building were five
or six feet thick, and its whole appearance and character plain and
strong, without any attempt at ornament.

The family and guests numbered about twenty-five while we were
there. They assembled at breakfast at about ten, at which nearly an
hour passed. They then separated, each making such arrangements as
might be most agreeable till dinner, which was served at five. About an
hour was passed at table, from which all went to the drawing-room,
and passed the evening in conversation. At ten tea was served, after
which the guests retired at pleasure, and by eleven the rooms were va-
cant. At the request of La Fayette, I sat to Scheffer for a portrait,
of which a copy was also made by him, and sent by the general to my
wife. The likeness was completed at a single sitting of about four
hours.*

* The heliotype which appears as the frontispiece of this book is from the orig-
inal portrait by Ary Scheffer, presented by La Fayette to Mrs. Morris. The fol-
lowing passage, which occurs in a letter of La Fayette, found among the Morris
papers, may be of interest in this connection.

LaGrange, January 1, 1827.

u I hope,, my dear friend, your portrait sent so long ago is at last arrived at its
destination. The copy at La Grange has been in the hands of Scheffer to give it
that share of color and counterpoint which you had brought from your coasting
journey, so as to become similar to that in possession of Mrs. Morris. It faces the
Brandywine flag.

Let me hear from you, my dear Commodore, and believe me forever your affec-
tionate obliged friend,

LA FAYETTE.96	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

After a visit of three days, which was rendered very agreeable by
ishe kindness of the family and the society of other interesting persons,
me returned to Paris.

My instructions required me, after having seen La Fayette safely land-
ed, to visit the dockyards of France and England, for the purpose
of collecting any information that might be deemed useful, in form-
ling plans for the permanent improvement of our Nav}r yards, or 'for
•any other branch of the naval establishment.

. A few weeks were spent in Paris, visiting some of the many objects
of interest which are collected there, and in forming acquaintances
with, and obtaining information from, some of the officers connected
with the central administration of the Navy.

-Captain Read proposed to accompany me in my visits to the French
ports, and we left Paris for Brest, on the 4th of November. I passed
by Cherbourg, because I had already seen it in 1812, as well as an admi-
rable plan of it, in relief, at Paris, and because the time allotted me by the
{Department required a very rapid examination. A fortnight at Brest,
ffive days at Lorient and as many at Roche fort, made me tolerably well
■acquainted with the various establishments which they contained, their
relative position and extent, their mode of obtaining and preserving
materials and stores, some notion of their supplies and the source
-from which they were derived, the condition of their vessels, and the
.cost of the different classes of ships of war.

Mr. Brown, our Minister, had obtained the sanction of the Minister
of Marine to our visit, and every facility was offered by the officers to
our public object, and attentions to ourselves personally, except at
Rochefort, where the commanding officer limited himself to an obedi-
ence of his orders in relation to us.

From Rochefort, we proceeded to Bordeaux, where we passed two
days. We then crossed to Narbonne, on the Mediterranean, after stop-
ping one day at Toulouse ; thence, by the way of Montpellier, Nimes,
Avignon and Marseille, to Toulon. We here spent a fortnight in vis-
iting the dockyard and its dependencies, and every facility was afford-
ed for the collection of the information we desired.

On our return to Marseille Capt. Read left me, to find his way to
Mahon, where he was to take command of one of the ships of our
squadron, and, staying only one day to look at this city, I proceeded
.by the way of Lyons to iParis, which I reached in December. My
attention here was devoted to obtaining further information from the
officers connected with the central administration of the Navy, and to theINSPECTION OF ENGLISH DOCKYARDS.	97

society of our Minister and of La Faj^ette, and the circles to which they
had the kindness to introduce me.

Early in January I proceeded to London by the way of Calais and
Dover. Our Minister, Mr. Rufus King, readily obtained permission
for me to visit the English dockyards. Before commencing the ex-
amination I visited some of the many interesting objects in and near
London.

Capt. Basil Hall had called upon me, and with him I visited Mr*
Rennie, under whose direction the new London bridge was then build-
ing ; and who, after showing his plans for it, accompanied us to the
mint, the West India docks, and the Thames tunnel, of which the hor-
izontal shaft had just been begun. Mr. Brunei descended with us, and
explained the plan, and showed us the means adopted to guard against
accidents, when making the necessary excavations. The apparent
danger of excavating a tunnel under the Thames rendered it difficult
for him to find workmen willing to engage in it, even among the Cornish
miners. His own confidence of success appeared to be perfect. A
day was given to Greenwich hospital and its schools, and to the ob-
servatory, and an evening each to the Royal and the Geological Society,
and to the House of Commons. At the first there was little of in-
terest. Dr. Buckland read an interesting paper on the fossil bones
found in England, at the second, and at the House of Commons there
was an interesting debate, in which Messrs Ellis, Robinson and
Huskisson were engaged, and Mr. Canning made a few remarks, and
a member was coughed and " shuffled" down. A short visit was al-
so made to Harwich, to see a railway for hauling up vessels, but there
was nothing in their processes superior to what was already used in the
United States.

Three or four days were devoted to each of the dockyards, at Dept-
ford, Chatham, and Sheerness. The first is the great provision-depot,
and was interesting from the variety and extent of its arrangements
for preparing and preserving different kinds of provisions and stores.
Chatham is remarkable for its convenient arrangements rather than
for its extent. Sheerness had been recently enlarged, and its arrange-
ments revised. A greater part of the buildings were new, and there
were three new docks, and the quay walls were still under construc-
tion. This gave a favorable opportunity for collecting information
relative to docks and their cost, which was very desirable for our ser-
vice at the time. After another short visit to London a fortnight was
passed in examining the extensive naval works at Portsmouth, where I98	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

met with, attentions from several of the officers. I was obliged t©
take Bath on my way to Plymouth, to which several days were giveaau
It had been Bay wish to visit Pembroke, bat the time suggested by the
Department for absence had already elapsed, and I proceeded to Liv-
erpool with very short delays at Cheltenham and Birmingham. The
extensive docks at this place (Liverpool) and a manufactory of chum
cables deserved and received my attention, and my inquiries were fulfy
answered by the politeness of the superintending engineer of the docks
and the owners of the manufactory.

Among other interesting persons whom I met here, through the
politeness of Maury, our Consul, was Mr. Roscoe.*

In the dockyards of England I was struck with the evidences
which everywhere presented themselves of their ability to equip a very
large force, at very short notice; to replace promptly any losses that
they might sustain in the force afloat, and the immense supplies for
probable future wants. The extent, variety and perfection of labor-
saving machines, and the completeness of preparation against danger
from fires were also very striking.

In France their means for any increase of force were proportionally
much less than in England, but their supply of timber and other im-
perishable materials for the future was greater. In almost every va-
riety of machinery they were far inferior to the English, not less ill
excellence than in quantity. The fact that the Navy was the first great
object in England, and only secondary in France, was apparent even
to a superficial observer of their naval establishments and the mode
in which they were directed.

The packet in which I returned left Liverpool late in March. My
health had considerably improved while in France, where I could
adopt a favorable diet.

I reached Washington early in May 1826, made my report to the
Department, and, on the 15th was reappointed a Navy Commissioner.
Nothwithstanding much inconvenience from ill health, the duties of
this situation were performed with very little interruption. An act of
Congress was procured by the Department authorizing plans to be
made for all the yards,-as had been formerly proposed by the Board,
and I was appointed in 1827, with Commodores Bainbridge and Chauo-
cey, to prepare the plans, in consultation with Mr. Loammi Baldwin,
as engineer.

* Williaiii Roscoe, the historian, author of the life of Lorenzo de'Medici.,	IMPROVEMENTS IN TUB NAVY YARDS.	/ 99

The confinement and labors of the oMce rendered aM efforts to re-
store my health of no avail, and were constantly aggravating and in-
creasing my complaints. I therefore resigned my situation as Navy
Commissioner, and was appointed to command the Navy yard and
station at Boston, on the 1st of June, 1827, and assumed charge of
these duties $oon after.

* * * * * The examination of the different navy yards and
the preparation of plans for the distribution of the docks, store houses,
work shops and other buildings, occupied some months. A very con-
siderable enlargement of the Norfolk navy yard was recommended,
after considerable difficulty in persuading Cfommodore Chauncey to
concur, against the dissent of Commodore Bainbridge. This has
since been purchased and already proves to be too large.

The recommendation for a further purchase there, and for others
near Brooklyn, New York, and near the yard in Charlestown, Massa-
chusetts, tp accommodate marines, had not yet been adopted. An-
other, for the purpose of connecting the Navy yard at Brooklyn with
the hospital grounds near it, had been made, but not until the price
had been enormously enhanced, and conflicting claims had been raised
to its free and sole use by the government.

At the Charlestown yard, the construction of some of the works
proposed by the new plans, was begun. Some timber sheds, a ship
house, store house and quay walls were completed during my com-
mand, and the c^y dock was well advanced, and the plans for the
rope-walk determined upon. It was no small gratification to me to
begin the works in this yard, that I might use my influence in giving
them the solidity, as well as the simplicity, which, in my opinion,
national works should possess, and in the hope that the example
once given would be followed in future constructions.

The duties of the yard left me considerable leisure as compared
with the duties to which I had been used in the Board of Navy Com-
missioners. A part of this was applied to the compilation of a system
of day signals for the Navy, which might compensate for the defects
to which those were justly liable that I had so hastily prepared in 1818,
and which had continued in use. They \?ere laid aside at the time, and
after subsequent revision they were offered, but not adopted.

In the course of reading Clerk's treatise on Naval Tactics, in 1820,
Iv had found occasion to note in the margin a dissent from some of
his conclusions. These became so numerous, at last, and many of
his errors appeared so important, that I now determined on a more100	THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

formal notice of them. Tins again led to the collection and examina-
tion of accounts of naval actions that had occurred subsequently to
Clerk's publication, and finally formed a small volume. This proved to
be a very useful occupation, as it led to a careful examination of the ad-
vantages and disadvantages of the particular modes of attack and de-
fence under the peculiar circumstances of each fleet or squadron, and
the ulterior objects of the respective parties. This latter considera-
tion appears to have been entirely overlooked by Clerk. A similar
work was afterward published in England, Ekins's " Naval Battles",
which corroborates many of my views of Clerk's errors, and em-
braces much that I had previously collected respecting other actions.
, My health had improved considerably under a strict diet, and in
July 1832 it was so far reestablished that I was again recalled to
the Board of Navy Commissioners, Mr. Woodbury being Secretary of
the Navy.

After I had notified my willingness to accept this reappointment,
I was surprised by a proposition from some Boston gentlemen, for me
to take the general charge and superintendence o^ the railroad, then
about to be built, from Boston to Worcester. To my remark that it
was a subject on which I had no information whatever they replied
that they were perfectly aware of it, and that others would be furnish-
ed to attend to all details, and these should be only such as might be
acceptable to me. They wished my services as a general superinten-
dent in whose integrity, judgment, and energy, they and the public
could place confidence, and they were ready to give $5,000 a year for
my services, if I would ask and obtain leave of absence from my pub-
lic duties for three years.

The offer was ver}r tempting, as the duties would give me exercise
conducive to my health. On the other hand my whole life had been
devoted to the Navy, and I had been conversant with the various du-
ties of my station, and felt a confidence in my ability to perform
them creditably. I had received all the consideration from the gover-
ment I had any right to expect eithetf from the length or character of
my services, and in case of future opportunities for honorable employ-
ment, I might reasonably expect to be called to fill them, if I remain-
ed actively attached to the service, but might be overlooked, if I
should seek for advancement in private enterprise.

The proposition was therefore declined, and I proceeded to Wash-
ington. The cholera was then raging with much violence at that
place, and the family remained in lodgings at Chestertown till late, iriREVISION OF THE NAVY REGULATIONS.

101

October, when it had nearly subsided. My fellow-commissioners
were at first Rodgers and Stewart, but the latter left in July 1833, and
was succeeded by Chauncey. Commodore Rodgers had but imperfectly
recovered from an attack of cholera, and Commodore Stewart was not
very regular in his attendance at the Board. These circumstances
naturally threw a large share of the labor upon me for the time.

A Board was convened early in 1833, under a law of the previous
session of Congress, for the purpose of revising the kws and regula-
tions of the Navy. This was composed of the three Navy Commis-
sioners, the Attorney-General Taney and Commodores Hull and Ridge-
ley. After much debate and difference of opinion it was proposed
that Commodore Stewart should prepare a draft of regulations, which
should afterwards be considered by the Board. In the mean time a
court of inquiry, of which I was president, had to complete its inves-
tigation of allegations made against Lieutenant Randolph of the Navy,
for improper detention of public money which he had received when
acting as purser.

When this was completed I Went to Sackett's Harbor, in March, to
ascertain and report on the condition of the ships-of-the-line, which
had been begun in 1815, at that place and at Storrs' Harbor. I found
the former well sheltered and sound, and recommended her preserva- (
tion. The other had not been protected from the weather, and was
considerably decayed. A recommendation for her sale was carried
into effect.

The journey was exceedingly fatiguing, from the state of the roads
and the inclemency of the weather. A short visit at my father s gave
me some necessary rest, and relieved me from slight indisposition.

On my return the revision of the regulations was resumed. It
may be remarked that the Attorney-General, Mr. Taney, did not and
was not expected to attend the meetings of the Board, but was to ex-
amine their proceedings when completed, to see that they did not con-
flict with any law, and might then propose either additions or modifi-
cations.

The general arrangement, as presented by Commodore Stewart, did
not meet the approval of the Board. The several articles were con-
sidered too large, and embraced too many subjects. None of the
Board were familiar with their duties, but my former labor in 1823, on
the same subject, gave me some advantage for the present work.

A schedule of the classification of subjects in separate chapters,
and an order of arrangement which I presented were approved. It .102 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

was then determined to act on these in their order, and finally that the
rough drafts of the several articles should be prepared by me, and
presented fi*otb day to day, for discussion and decision. This my
health enabled The to perform, by the aid of my foirmer propositions, in
time to prevent any delay.

Commodore Hull was soon succeeded by Commodore Patterson, and
Commodore <?hauncey succeeded Commodore Stewart as Commission-
er, near thfe close of July. Before the revision of both laws and reg*
ulations Svas completed Wads worth had succeeded Rodgers and Mr.
Butler had taken the place of Mr. Taney.

The several articles of law were carefully and dispassionately con-
sidered. A few were passed by only a bare majority, but the greater
portion unanimously, or with a very small minority. The change of
members,at different stages of the work, required a revision of all that
had been done prior to each change, that the new member might have
an opportunity of offering amendments, and thus secured additional
examinations.

When the regulations were completed by the Board, and sent to the.
Secretary of the Navy, several of the junior captains, some of the
marine officers and some of the surgeons presented their objections, in
writing, to parts of them which they considered unfavorable to thfc
interests of the service, or as interfering improperly with the inter-
ests of individuals in their classes. Their objections were submitted
to the Board, some modifications adopted, and reasons assigned fo£
adherence on other points. This produced a second communication
from five junior captains, which was rather deficient in argument, afc
well ap in courtesy, to which a short dispassionate reply Was given,
and the subject left to the disposition of the executive, who eventually
confirmed the revised proceedings of the Board.

Some important modifications were also proposed in the law ifor the
government of the navy, and reasons were given for each change. A
laW for altering and increasing the pay of the Navyfbr changing the
titles of master commandant to commander, and sailing master to
master: to authorize the enlistment of boys to serve until 21 yeats of
age: to amend the general pension law: to create a fund, and provide
pensions for the widows and orphans of officers ; to alter the navy ra-,
tion; and to consolidate certain special appropriations, were also sub-
mitted, and the whole sent to Congress. The *e<tommendations Were
ordered to be printed, but no definite adtion was then bad upon them.
Almost all the subjects embraced in the special recommendation haveWILKHS'S HXPLOEING EXPEDITION.

i mx

since been adopted by Congress, however, and in several instances
the phraseology has been copied. The old law for the government of
the Navy still remains unchanged.

The health of Commodore Rodgers had been much affected by
cholera in 1832. Commodore Chauncey was averse to writing and
to the labor of tedious investigations. These circumstances threw a
full share of the labor on my shoulders, which I was willing to bear
as long as my health would alow. In February, 1885, it gave waj^,
and a dangerous illness prevented my jattention to office business until
the following April.

In 1836, the proposition for an exploring expedition was renewed
and received the sanction of Congress and the particular favor of the
President, who selected Captain T. A. C. Jones for the command, and
adopted his suggestions in relation to the force which was to be em-
ployed upon it, and the regulation of the details of its preparation.
Captain Jones's original plan proposed vessels of large size and of a
different character from that which had usually been employed on such
duties, and a larger number than was considered necessary for the ob-
ject proposed by the generality of officers. As the opinion of the
Board had not been required on the subject, and they were thus exon-
erated from all responsibility, they gave every facility and all neces-
sary orders to carry into effect the wishes of Captain Jones, whenever
they were communicated with sufficient precision to preserve the rela-
tions which had been created by the orders of the Secretary as de-
rived from those of the President. The Board, however, steadily de-
clined to act on any subject where the exercise of their discretion was
invoked by Captain Jones, which would release him from the responsi-
bilities which he had courted, but always gave prompt directions for
the execution of any duty, or the procurement of any supplies that he
required. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Dickerson, who had suc-
ceeded Mr. Woodbury in 1834, found himself much embarrassed by
the unusual course of business which necessarily resulted from plac-
ing the direction of the expedition, in a great degree, without and
above the control of the Department.

Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the vessels to compose his
squadron were at last prepared at Norfolk, and after trial off the
capes, the expedition was officially commenced, under a " General Or-
der, No. 1," by proceeding to New York, to take in supplies and
stores that had been collected there. When it was recollected that
these vessels were starting upon an exploring expedition, in which104

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRI&.

unusual dangers were to be expected, it excited no small surprise
among officers in the Navy, to learn that pilots had been sent for to
New York, and that they went with the squadron, to conduct it safe-
ly from Norfolk to that port.

Shortly after the arrival of Captain Jones at New York, he relin-
quished the command of the expedition on the ground of ill health.
He subsequently published statements, imputing incompetency, or
great neglect, on the part of the Board, as among the causes of the
delay of the expedition, but he failed to give all the facts that were
essential for arriving at any correct conclusion, and thus, as frequently
happens, produced all the effects of a false statement upon the public
mind. The Board did not deem it necessary to contradict his state-
ments, being willing to rest their reputation on thfe official correspond-
ence, which was called for and published by Congress. In January,
1838, the arrangements for the expedition, were transferred from Mr.
Dickerson, the Secretary of the Navy, to Mr. Poinsett, the Secretary
of War. The reason for this change was said to be the infirm state
of the health of the Secretary of the Navy. Captain L. Kearney
was selected for the command, and he and the Secretary of War de-
cided to employ a sloop of war, the store ship Relief, a schooner, and
a merchant ship of about four hundred tons. It appeared to be a part
of the arrangement, however, that the Secretary of the Natvy should
give all necessary orders and thus have the apparent direction. In
fact his influence was soon found to be effective, for, upon his object-
ing to purchase a ship, it was determined to substitute one of the
brigs of war for it.

In a conference of the two Secretaries, the Commissioners, and
Captain Kearney, on the 17th of January, the general outlines of the
plan were agreed upon, apparently to the entire satisfaction of Cap-
tain Kearney. To our great surprise he informed us the next day
that he had relinquished the command, from an apprehension of in-
superable difficulties, with the numerous corps of civilians that was to
be employed.

On the 25th of January the two Secretaries verbally informed the
Board that it had been determined that the exploring expedition
should consist of two sloops of war, the store ship Relief, and a
schooner, and that these vessels should be prepared for the service*
according to the judgment of the Board. Upon the request of the
Board the final instructions given to Commodore Jones were commu-
nicated to them for their guidance.WILKES'S EXPLORING EXPEDITION.

105

It was by no means pleasant to have this responsibility thrown upon
us at this late period, when a proper regard to economy would require
the least change compatible with efficiency, and the retention of many
arrangements that would not have been adopted as original proposi-
tions. The sloops Vincennes and Peacock were selected, and imme-
diate orders given for their special equipment.

Immediately on the relinquishment of the command by Capt. Kear-
ney, I wrote to Captain J. Smith, with the approbation of the Sec-
retary of War, to ascertain whether he would take the command if it
should be desired. He stated many objections, the chief of which was
the number of the scientific corps, which he thought to be needlessly
large; but still he was billing to go if ordered. In consequence of
this letter the command was offered to Captain Gregory, but in such
terms as led him to infer that a threat was conveyed in case he should
decline, and a reward in case of acceptance. He assigned these as rea-
sons for declining. The offer was satisfactorily explained, and an or-
der given early in February, but on his representations, it was revoked
about the 20th of February. Captain Smith was invited to visit Wash^
ington, to confer with the Secretary of War, and was introduced to him
on the 28th of February. He agreed to accept the command, provid-
ed Lieutenants A. B. Parkham, Wilkes, and Blake, would willingly
form a part of the officers of the expedition, and thus secure to him
assistants in Whom he could place full confidence. They were accord-
ingly ordered to Washington, but it was found impracticable to make
satisfactory arrangements with some of them, and Captain Smith de-
clined the command; but his course received the entire approbation of
Mr. Poinsett. After these repeated delays it was finally determined
to place the expedition in charge of Lieutenant Wilkes; but even this
was near being defeated, by his wishing to make a condition that he
and Lieutenant Hudson should receive appointments as acting com-
manders, and his own be the senior.

An entirely new organization of the scientific corps, and an equally
new selection of stores and implements was made; but the arrange-
ments were eventually completed and the expedition at last sailed,
and finally accomplished objects of much general interest. The great-
ly protracted delay, after it was first proposed, enabled France and
England to anticipate us in the sailing of similar expeditions, and de-
prived us of some honors to which we might have otherwise establish-
ed a claim for our country.106 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF »OOMMODORE MORRIS.

In May 1837 Commodore Rodger relinquished his situation, and
was succeeded by Commodore Wadsworth.

Commodore T. A. C. Jones had been employed as inspector of ord-
nance before he was ordered to the exploring expedition, and had
imbibed the idea that <a large number of our cannon were so unsafe,
from their want of weight, as to endanger the honor and safety of the
Navy. Finding that the Board of Navy Commissioners did not coin-
cide with him in this opinion, he induced a member of Congress to
call for copies of his reports and to have them printed. This and per-
sonal representations to the President, supported by similar opinions
from Captain Kearney, occasioned an order for experiments to test
the soundness of their views..	-

The guns more particularly condemned by them were some light im-
pounder guns that had been made when I was on the Board, between
1823 and 1827, for sloops of war, and all other classes of guns that had
not at least two-hundred lbs. of metal to one of their shot. In making
these objections they appeared to have overlooked the facts, that th«
sides of a ship presented much less resistance than the walls of a for-
tification, and that less powder would suffice in naval gunnery, and thai
Great Britain had been showing practically that a much less proportion
than two-hundred to one was amply sufficient to gain all her naval
victories since 1793.

The light 24-pounder guns were generally believed to have been
made according to my suggestions, which, though not entirely, was
substantially correct. I therefore requested the Secretary that I
might be designated as one of the Board, to which ha acceded. Com-
modore Jones an4 Captain Kearney, who had called the safety of the
guns in question, and Commodore Patterson and Captain Shubrick,
who were uncommitted, were the other members.

The result of the experiments fully established the safety of the
guns. Their relative efficiency, compared with carronades of greater
calibre, or long guns of less calibre and equal weight, was decided fa-
vorably by a majority, J ones and Kearney dissenting. The opportu-
nity was improved to test some other guns, of new patterns, and the
use of shells in guns instead of shot. Though these experiments
were very rude, from the want of necessary instruments and conven-
iences, the approximations that were obtained were useful by dispell-
ing some unfounded prejudices and fears, and fuming attention to sub-
jects which had been too much neglected, and by laying a, foundation
for further and better investigations.csANaus ur the piitsoroar &aws. ,	107

In the winter of 1&3G-7 Congress passed a law modifying the op-
erations of previous laws for Navy pensions, and allowing pensions to
begin from the date of disability, or of the loss that gave a claim for
them. It originated in the House and was awaiting the action of the
Senate. On the last da5T of the session*, I happened to be in the lob*
by of the Senate, When the Chairman of the House committee came inv,
and urged some of the Senate committee to call it up, and advocate its
passage. It appeared not to have been considered by the Senate com*-
mittee, and they refered to me for my opinion. I had not even seen it.
The House Chairman then stated, that it contained nothing new, but
Was intended merely to give a more equitable effect to existing laws
than could now be done. Upon this statement the bill was called up
and passed.

• It was soon discovered that the bill gave legal effect to claims
which would soon absorb the whole of the pension fund, although its
amount Was so large that its income bad hitherto been sufficient to
meet all demands upon it. As I had innocently or ignorantly given
some aid in obtaining the law I felt it my duty to inform the Secre-
tary of the facts, and of my belief that it would not have passed the
Senate if its provisions had been understood; and I urged that he
should suspend action until Congress should meet again, that, if they
should then desire it, some modification might be made. I found no
disposition in the Department to adopt this course, but, on the contra-
ry, a willingness to expedite the admission of claims.

Finding that large sums were granted to persons whose claims were
inferior to those which might be presented for my own wounds, it be-
came a question whether I should relinquish, from a motive of delica-
cy, an advantage to which I was equally entitled, and which nearly all
my professional brethren were willing to receive. Those whom I con-
sulted advised the application, and I at last wrote to the Secretary of
the Navy, Stating the fact that I had been*wounded, but, at the same
time, that I had so perfectly recovered from it that I had been actual-
ly employed on duty almost without interruption since the wounds
had be6n received. In conclusion I asked his decision whether, under
these circumstances, I was entitled to a pension and the arrears from the
time I Was Wounded, Wording to his construction of the law. His
answer Was affirmative.

Although surgeons of the Navy had certified to the character of my
wound, and that it had injured me to the extent of half a total disabil-
ity, I left the matter for some months. I then presented the necessary108

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE MORRIS.

papers, and was soon after informed by the pension clerk that a pen-
sion had been ordered for me as a captain, because I had been ap-
pointed and had been recognized as a captain, from the date of the ac-
tion. I waited on the Secretary and explained to him my desire that
this arrangement should be changed, and the pension be predicated on
my rank as a lieutenant. This I desired because I had considered,
and still wished, my appointment as captain to have been given as a
reward for my conduct as a lieutenant, which required the pension to
take effect after the action, and before my promotion, which would
leave me as a lieutenant when the injury was received. The Secretary
was unwilling to take this view, from a doubt of its legality, but, at
my request, took the decision of the President on the subject. The
President assented to my request, and my certificate was granted as a
lieutenant, by which I received only half the amount that would have
been given if it had been made as captain.

Congress repealed this law soon after, but not before the whole of
the fund had been exhausted. By subsequent laws, the receipt of pen-
sions was properly prohibited to any person while he was in the receipt
of his pay, unless the disability had prevented his promotion to .a
higher grade.

In preparing the ship-of-the-line Ohio for sea the Navy Commis-
sioners arranged sleeping rooms for the officers on the orlop deck, for
the purpose of keeping the gun decks always clear and ready for ac-
tion, and from the belief that such an arrangement would contribute
to the comfort of the officers themselves, as it would relieve them of
the inconvenience of removing their clothing and other effects, when-
ever the ship was prepared for action. She was also provided with a
poop cabin, as the commander of the squadron was to embark in her.
When Commodore Hull joined the ship he preferred to mess separate-
ly from the captain. This required, in his opinion, that the poop cabin
should be assigned to his exclusive use, and rendered it necessary for
the captain to occupy the cabin on the main or upper gun deck. The
ward-room officers had anticipated that the captain and commodore
would mess together, and leave the upper gun deck cabin for their use
instead of the lower one, to which the separation of the commodore
and captain assigned them. Some of them imagined this separate
accommodation to have been owing to the fact that the commodore
was to take his wife and her sister with him, and on that assumption
endeavored to produce an impression that the ward-room officers had
been deprived of accommodations to which they were entitled of right.officers' quarters on board the ohio.

109

The Board resisted this claim, and, by their advice the separate ar-
rangements were confirmed by the Department.

An attempt was made by some of the officers to have this decision
reversed, by appeals to the public in newspaper publications, in which
many facts were misstated, and much false coloring employed. As
auxiliary to their main object, the sleeping arrangements were repre-
sented as connected with the other question, and these were described
as not only exceedingly uncomfortable, but very dangerous to health.

The main foundation for their complaints was that when the com-
modore of a squadron was assigned to any vessel, no arrangements
which previously existed could be changed for his accomodation, with-
out an infringement of the absolute rights of the other officers. Carried
to an extreme this would exclude the commodore from any accomoda-
tion which should not be added for his special use, as he could be
placed nowhere on board, without interference with some one already
established in rooms allotted by usage. The Commisioners, therefore,
resisted the demands of the officers, and took the ground that the
commander of a squadron was entitled to the first choice of accomoda-
tions, within the limits of usage, by his superior rank, as an extension
of the general principle which regulated the assignment of accomoda-
tions to all other officers in vessels, and in fact to all officers of both
Army and Navy, in all countries where quarters are provided for them.
In this case I felt justified in departing from my usual course, and
had an article published in one of the New York papers, and in a peri-
odical in Washington. The arrangements were continued, and were
eventually the cause of further difficulties between the commodore
and some of the ward-room officers, in which the latter gained advan-
tages by their own coolness, and by the want of it in the commodore.

At a subsequent period the same arrangements were adopted in the
Delaware, and the sleeping rooms were preferred by a large majority
to the old arrangements which placed them on the gun decks. The im-
mediate effect, however, was to increase the dislike towards the Board
of Navy Commissioners, which had been so industriously promoted
during the preceding six or seven years.

One of the complaints urged against the Board was that without any
sufficient knowledge to justify it, they had interfered with the naval
constructors, and imposed upon them such restrictions as prevented
them from giving us vessels with the good qualities that they ought to
have possessed, and would have received, if the constructors had been
left to exercise their own judgment. In proof of these charges, itjjfi mn xvm&iomamr of mwaoi>m% morris:

was asserted, that of the shipa whieh had been built after the es~
tablishment of the Board were $4 all comparable to, those which had been,
built before, excepting alwaj's the Ohio., ship-of-the-line. This ship,
according to the complainants, wa& superior to any of our other ships^
of-the-line, and its. superiority was said to be owing to the fact that
Mr. Eckford, the superintending constructor, had refused to accept
way of the suggestions of the Board, and had followed his own viewsw
Besides the general object of discrediting the Board, there was a more
special object on the part of the naval constructors, which was to ob-
tain a situation for the Chief Constructor, independent of the Boards
and that the constructors of the yards should only receive their or-
ders from the Chief Constructor. Not a few of the lieutenants
exercised their pens and personal influence in giving publicity to
their complaints, and amongst them one using the signature of 44 Harry
Bluff" was the most prominent, from his boldness and from the superb
ority of his style.*

Notwithstanding these bold and long continued charges, they were
entirely destitute of all just foundation, so far as the Board was con-
cerned. In the first place, the records of the office showed conclus-
ively that the Board had never interfered at all with the building
draughts of the ships-of-the-line and frigates begun just after the close
of the war, in 1815, with the single exception of the Ohio, and in this
case not in a manner to affect the form of the immersed part of the
hull. With respect to the ten ships or sloops authorized or begun in
1825, restrictions were imposed as to their maximum draught, the dif-
ference of draught aft and forward, and capacity required for a given
arrangement and complement. With these restrictions, however, the
five vessels which were built from the draughts made by the Chief Con-
structor, conformed to all the requirements of the Board, and were
vessels of uncommonly good sailing and other qualities. This faet
was a full refutation of the charge, so far as the interference of the
Board was concerned; but it better suited the purposes of the com-
plainants to refer to the vessels which were built from the draughts of
other constructors, and which had not equally good qualities, and to

* The attacks upon the Navy Board finally resulted in its abolition. By th<&
Act of August 31, 1842* it was replaced by the present Bureau system. That t]j$
fault lay with the system rather than with the officers who carried it out is clearly
shown by the subsequent appointment of Morris, as Chief of the Bureau of con?
struction in 1844, and of ordnance in 1851, and by his successful administration
during the eight years in whiqh he held thes$ offices.OPPOSITION TO THE BOARD OF NAVY COMMISSIONERS. Ill

charge these draughts boldly to the Board. It did not (seem to strike
the writers, that it was rather absurd to assume the Ohio to be superior
to the other ships-of-the-line before her qualities had ever been tested,
notwithstanding two of the others had been tried, and very favorable
reports made upon them by those who had sailed in them.

As little attention was paid to truth in the comparisons of the ves-
sels built under the Board and those which were built before, as in re-
lation to the interference with the constructors. No fair and candid
officer would hesitate to admit that frigates like the Brandy wine, Poto-
mac, and their class, were more powerful than the Constitution or the
United States—or to give the same decision in favor of the Delaware
and North Carolina, over the Franklin and Washington. With re-
spect to sailing qualities, the old ships-of-the-line might be slightly
superior, but for working and all other qualities, the new ships-of-
the-line were fully equal or superior. The frigates could compete fair-
ly in all respects, even in sailing. The Brandywine, on her first cruise,
outsailed all competitors. This was sufficient to establish her capabili-
ties, and all the other frigates of her class were built from the same
moulds below the bends, and with trifling differences above. Subse-
quent inequalities in her sailing, and in that of others, were fairly at-
tributable to other causes than their forms, and had been experienced
by all the older ships.

Unfavorable comparisons were also frequently made between our
ships and those of other nations, but no reference was made to the fact
that our vessels were designed and begun twenty years before, and had
formed the models which it had been the object of other nations after-
wards to equal, and if possible to surpass. Neither was any mention
made of the surprise and admiration with which all these vessels were
viewed by foreign officers, when they first made their appearance abroad.

Many of these attacks, the greater part perhaps, were made by per-
sons entirety ignorant of many important facts, some, and not a few,
by those who were incompetent to judge correctly upon the subjects on
which they wrote, and some again, from sinister or malicious motives.

The Board made no replies to these anonymous attacks, but willing-
ly left their reputation for intelligence, capacity and honesty, to be
determined by time, which rarely fails, sooner or later, to render some-
thing like substantial justice, when the subject matter is of sufficient
importance to be remembered. When it is not of such importance,
an honest man may generally afford to be satisfied with his own ap-
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