120 Naval War of 1812 



stitution than any of her consorts, their boats being 

 put on to her. 17 At 10.30, observing the benefit 

 that the Constitution had derived from warping, 

 Captain Byron did the same, bending all his hawsers 

 to one another, and working two kedge anchors at 

 the same time by paying the warp out through one 

 hawse-hole as it was run in through the other op 

 posite. Having men from the other frigates aboard, 

 and a lighter ship to work, Captain Byron, at 2 

 P.M., w.as near enough to exchange bow and stern- 

 chasers with the Constitution, out of range however. 

 Hull expected to be overtaken, and made every ar 

 rangement to try in such case to disable the first 

 frigate before her consorts could close. But neither 

 the Belvidera nor the Shannon dared to tow very 

 near for fear of having their boats sunk by the 

 American's stern-chasers. 



The Constitution's crew showed the most excel 

 lent spirit. Officers and men relieved each other 

 regularly, the former snatching their rest any where 

 on deck, the latter sleeping at the guns. Gradually 

 the Constitution drew ahead, but the situation con 

 tinued most critical'. All through the afternoon the 

 British frigates kept towing and kedging, being 

 barely out of gunshot. At 3 P.M. a light breeze 

 sprung up, and blew fitfully at intervals ; every puff 



1T Cooper speaks as if this was the Shannon ; but from 

 Marshall's "Naval Biography" we learn that it was the Bel 

 videra. At other times he confuses the Belvidera with the 

 Guerriere. Captain Hull, of course, could not accurately 

 distinguish the names of his pursuers. My account is drawn 

 from a careful comparison of Marshall, Cooper, and James. 



