292 Naval War of 1812 



meet us on equal terms. This, however, he carefully 

 avoided doing." In other words, Yeo did not steer 

 for but away from Chauncy. Both sides admit that 

 Yeo got the worst of it and ran away, and it is only 

 a question as to whether Chauncy followed him or 

 not. Of course in such light weather Chauncy's long 

 guns gave him a great advantage. He had present 

 10 vessels ; the Pike, Madison, Oneida, Sylph, Tomp- 

 kins, Conquest, Ontario, Pert, American, and Asp, 

 throwing 1,288 Ibs. of shot, with a total of 98 

 guns. Yeo had 92 guns, throwing at a broadside 

 1,374 Ibs. Nevertheless, Chauncy told but part of 

 the truth in writing as he did : "I was much disap- 

 pointed at Sir James refusing to fight me, as he was 

 so much superior in point of force, both in guns and 

 men, having upward of 20 guns more than we have, 

 and heaves a greater weight of shot." His inferi- 

 ority in long guns placed Yeo at a great disadvan- 

 tage in such a very light wind; but in his letter 

 he makes a marvelous admission of how little able 

 he was to make good use of even what he had. He 

 says: "I found it impossible to bring them to close 

 action. We remained in this mortifying situation 

 five hours, having only six guns in all the squadron 

 that would reach the enemy (not a carronade being 

 fired)." Now according to James himself ("Naval 

 Occurrences," p. 297) he had in his squadron 2 long 

 24*3, 13 long i8's, 2 long I2*s, and 3 long 9's, and, 

 in a fight of five hours, at very long range, in smooth 

 water, it was a proof of culpable incompetency on 

 his part that he did not think of doing what Elliott 



