250 Naval War of 1812 



of her people being wounded, while 7 of the British 

 were killed and 13 wounded. 46 The defence of 

 No. 121 was very creditable, but otherwise the honor 

 of the day was certainly with the British; whether 

 because the gunboats were themselves so worthless 

 or because they were not handled boldly enough, 

 they did no damage, even to the grounded sloop, 

 that would seem to have been at their mercy. 47 



On June i8th the American brig-sloop Argus, 

 commanded by Lieutenant William Henry Allen, 

 late first of the United States, sailed from New 

 York for France, with Mr. Crawford, minister for 

 that country, aboard, and reached L'Orient on July 

 nth, having made one prize on the way. On July 

 1 4th she again sailed, and cruised in the chops 

 of the Channel, capturing and burning ship after 

 ship, and creating the greatest consternation among 

 the London merchants; she then cruised along 

 Cornwall and got into St. George's Channel, where 

 the work of destruction went on. The labor was 

 very severe and harassing, the men being able to 

 get very little rest. 48 On the night of August I3th, 



46 Letter of Mr. Shead, Aug. 5, 1813. 



47 The explanation possibly lies in the fact that the gun- 

 boats had worthless powder. In the Naval Archives there is 

 a letter from Mr. Angus ("Masters-Commandant's Letters," 

 1813, No. 3; see also No. 91), in which he says that the frig- 

 ate's shot passed over them, while theirs could not even 

 reach the sloop. He also incloses a copy of a paper, signed 

 by the other gunboat officers, which runs: "We, the officers 

 of the vessels comprising the Delaware flotilla, protest against 

 the powder as being unfit for service." 



48 Court of Inquiry into loss of Argus, 1815. 



