On the Ocean 149 



would not have been slain. The others testified that 

 they had been forced to fight, and they afterward 

 entered the American service the only ones of the 

 Macedonian's crew who did, or who were asked to. 

 The Macedonian had her full complement of 301 

 men ; the States had, by her muster-roll of October 

 2oth, 428 officers, petty officers, seamen, and boys, 

 and 50 officers and privates of marines, a total of 

 478 (instead of 509 as Marshall in his "Naval Bi 

 ography" makes it). 



COMPARATIVE FORCE 



Loss 



12 

 104 



That is, the relative force being about as three 

 is to two, 68 the damage done was as nine to one ! 



68 I have considered the United States as mounting her 

 full allowance of 54 guns; but it is impossible that she had 

 no more than 49. In Decatur's letter of challenge of Jan. 17, 

 1814 (which challenge, by the way, was a most blustering 

 affair, reflecting credit neither on Decatur, nor his opponent, 

 Captain Hope, nor on any one else excepting Captain Stack- 

 pole of H. M. S. Sfatira), she is said to have had that num 

 ber; her broadside would then be 15 long 24*3 below, i long 

 24, i 12-pound, and 8 42-pound, carronades above. Her real 

 broadside weight of metal would thus be about 680 Ibs., and 

 she would be superior to the Macedonian in the proportion 

 of 5 to 4. But it is possible that Decatur had landed some of 

 his guns in 1813, as James asserts; and though I am not at all 

 sure of this, I have thought it best to be on the safe side in 

 describing his force. 



