CHAPTER III 

 1812 



ON THE OCEAN 



Commodore Rodgers' cruise and unsuccessful chase of 

 the Belvidera Cruise of the Essex Captain Hull's 

 cruise, and escape from the squadron of Commodore 

 Broke Constitution captures Guerrierc Wasp cap 

 tures Frolic Second unsuccessful cruise of Commo 

 dore Rodgers United States captures Macedonian 

 Constitution captures Java Essex starts on a cruise 

 Summary 



AT the time of the declaration of war, June 18, 

 1812, the American navy was but partially 

 prepared for effective service. The Wasp, 18, was 

 still at sea, on her return voyage from France; the 

 Constellation, 38, was lying in the Chesapeake river 

 unable to receive a crew for several months to come ; 

 the Chesapeake, 38, was lying in a similar condition 

 in Boston harbor; the Adams, 28, was at Washing 

 ton, being cut down and lengthened from a frigate 

 into a corvette. These three cruisers were none 

 of them fit to go to sea till after the end of the 

 year. The Essex, 32, was in New York harbor, 

 but, having some repairs to make, was not yet ready 

 to put out. The Constitution, 44, was at Annapolis, 

 without all of her stores, and engaged in shipping 

 a new crew, the time of the old one being -up. The 



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