156 Naval War of 1812 



Captain Lawrence found the Bonne Citoyenne, 18, 

 Captain Pitt Barnaby Greene. The Bonne Cito 

 yenne was armed with 18 32-pound carronades and 

 2 long nines, and her crew of 150 men was exactly 

 equal in number to that of the Hornet; the latter 's 

 shprt weight in metal made her antagonist supe 

 rior to her in about the same proportion that she 

 herself, was subsequently superior to the Penguin, 

 or, in other words, the ships were practically equal. 

 Captain Lawrence now challenged Captain Greene 

 to single fight, giving the usual pledges that the 

 Constitution should not interfere. The challenge 

 was not accepted for a variety of reasons; among 

 others the Bonne Citoyenne was carrying home half 

 a million pounds in specie 70 Leaving the Hornet 



10 Brenton and James both deny that Captain Greene was 

 blockaded by the Hornet, ard claim that he feared the Con 

 stitution. James says (p. 275) that the occurrence was one 

 which "the characteristic cunning of Americans turned 

 greatly to their advantage"; and adds that Lawrence only 

 sent the challenge because "it could not be accepted," and 

 so he would "suffer no personal risk." He states that the 

 reason it was sent, as well as the reason that it was refused, 

 was because the Constitution was going to remain in the 

 offing and capture the British ship if she proved conqueror. 

 It is somewhat surprising that even James should have had 

 the temerity to advance such arguments. According to his 

 own account (p. 277) the Constitution left tor Boston on Jan. 

 6th, and the Hornet remained blockading the Bonne' Citoyenne 

 till the 24th, when the Montagu, 74, arrived. During these 

 eighteen days there could have been no possible chance of 

 the Constitution or any other ship interfering, and it is ridic 

 ulous to suppose that any such fear kept Captain Greene 

 from sailing out to attack his foe. No doubt Captain Greene's 

 course was perfectly justifiable, but it is curious that with all 



