Preface 5 



United States, not a fact about the fight could be' 

 gleaned. The last entry in the log on the day of 

 the fight is "Strange sail discovered to be a frigate 

 under English colors," and the next entry (on the 

 following day) relates to the removal of the prison 

 ers. The log of the Enterprise is very full indeed, 

 for most of the time, but is a perfect blank for the 

 period during which she was commanded by Lieu 

 tenant Burrows, and in which she fought the Boxer. 

 I have not been able to find the Peacock's log at all, 

 though there is a very full set of letters from her 

 commander. Probably the fire of 1837 destroyed a 

 great deal of valuable material. Whenever it was 

 possible I have referred to printed matter in prefer 

 ence to manuscript, and my authorities can thus, in 

 most cases, be easily consulted. 



In conclusion I desire to express my sincerest 

 thanks to Captain James D. Bulloch, formerly of 

 the United States Navy, and Commander Adolf 

 Mensing. formerly of the German Navy, without 

 whose advice and sympathy this work would prob 

 ably never have been written or even begun. 



NEW YORK CITY, 1882. 



