168 Naval War of 1812 



Lieutenant Parker, prize-master of the Java, re 

 moved all the prisoners and baggage to the Consti 

 tution, and reported the prize to be in a very dis 

 abled state; owing partly to this, but more to the 

 long distance from home and the great danger there 

 was of recapture, Commodore Bainbridge destroyed 

 her on the 3ist, and then made sail for San Salvador. 

 "Our gallant enemy/' reports Lieutenant Chads, 

 "has treated us most generously"; and Lieutenant- 

 General Hislop presented the Commodore with a 

 very handsome sword as a token of gratitude for the 

 kindness with which he had treated the prisoners. 



Partly in consequence of his frigate's injuries, 

 but especially because of her decayed condition, 

 Commodore Bainbridge sailed from San Salvador 

 on Jan. 6, 1813, reaching Boston Feb. 27th, after 

 his four months' cruise. At San Salvador he left 

 the Hornet still blockading the Bonne Citoyenne. 



In order "to see oureslves as others see us," I 

 shall again quote from Admiral Jurien de la Gra- 

 viere, 89 as his opinions are certainly well worthy of 

 attention both as to these first three battles, and as 

 to the lessons they teach. "When the American 

 Congress declared war on England in 1812," he 

 says, "it seemed as if this unequal conflict would 

 crush her navy in the act of being born; instead, it 

 but fertilized the germ. It is only since that epoch 

 that the United States has taken rank among mari 

 time powers. Some combats of frigates, corvettes, 

 and brigs, insignificant without doubt as regards 



89 "Guerres Maritimes," ii, 284 (Paris, 1881). 



