250 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812 



in killed and wounded, and mostly 

 whilst she lay on our beam, from 

 her grape and musketry, in all 

 15 killed and 63 wounded, many 

 of them severely ; none of the 

 wounded officers quitted the deck 

 till the firing ceased. The fri- 

 gate proved to be the United 

 States ship Constitution, of thirty 

 twenty-four pounders on her main- 

 deck, and twenty-four thirty-two 

 pounders and two eighteen pound- 

 ers on her upper deck, and 476 

 men ; her loss, in comparison 

 with our's, is trifling, about 20, 

 the first Lieutenant of marines 

 and eight killed, and first Lieu- 

 tenant and master of the ship, 

 and 11 men wounded, her low 

 masts badly wounded, and stern 

 much shattered, and ver}' much 

 cut up about the rigging. The 

 Guerriere was so cut up that all 

 attempts to get her in would 

 have been useless. As soon as 

 the wounded were got out of 

 her, they set her on fire ; and I 

 feel it my duty to state, that the 

 conduct of Captain Hull and his 

 officers to our men has been that 

 of a brave enemy, the greatest care 

 being taken to prevent our men 

 losing the smallest trifle, and the 

 greatest attention being paid to 

 the wounded, who, through the at- 

 tention and skill of Mr. Irvine, 

 surgeon, I hope will do well. 1 

 hope, though success has not 

 crowned our efforts, you will not 

 think it presumptuous in me to 

 say, the greatest t redit is due to 

 the officers and ship's company for 

 their exertions, particularly when 

 exposed to the heavy raking fire of 

 the enemy ; I feel particularly ob- 

 liged for the exertions of Lieuten- 

 antKent, who, thoughwounded ear- 

 ly by a splinter, continued to as- 

 sist me ; in the second Lieutenant 



the service has suffered a severe 

 loss ; Mr. Scott, the master, tlio' 

 wounded, was particularly atten- 

 tive, and used every exertion in 

 clearing the wreck, as did the war- 

 rant officers. Lieutenant Nicholl, 

 of the royal marines, and his party, 

 supported the honourable charac- 

 ter of their corps, and they sufflgr- 

 ed severely. I must recommend 

 Mr. Snow, master's mate, who 

 commanded the fotemost main- 

 deck guns, in the absence of Lieu- 

 tenant Pullman, and the whole af- 

 ter the fall of Lieutenant Readj-, 

 to your protection, he having re- 

 ceived a severe contusion from a 

 splinter. I must point out Mr. 

 Garby, acting purser, to your no- 

 tice, who volunteered his services 

 on deck, and commanded the after 

 quarter-deck guns, and was parti- 

 cularly active, as well as Mr. Ban- 

 nister, midshipman. I hope, in 

 considering the circumstances, you 

 will think the ship intrusted to my 

 charge was properly defended ; 

 the unfortunate loss of our masts, 

 the absence of the third Lieuten- 

 ant, second Lieutenant of marines, 

 three midshipmen, and 24< men, 

 considerably weakened our crew, 

 and we only mustered at quarters 

 24'4> men and 19 bo)'s, on coming 

 into action ; the enemy had such 

 an advantage from his marines and 

 riflemen, when close, and his su- 

 perior sailing enabled him to choose 

 his distance. I inclose herewith 

 a list of killed and wounded on 

 board the Guerriere, and have the 

 honour to be, <1'C 



James R. Dacres. 



78. 



15 killed, 63 wounded.— Total 



{Signed). 



James R. Dacres. 

 John iRviNii, Surgeon. 

 Adntii aUy 



