Naval War of 1812 



were killed or wounded. The Enterprise had 3 

 killed and 7 wounded. 



Comparing these different actions, it is evident 

 that the Americans were superior to the French in 

 fighting capacity during the years 1799 and 1800. 

 During the same two years there had been numer- 

 ous single contests between vessels of Britain and 

 France, ending almost invariably in favor of the 

 former, which I mention first in each couple. The 

 i2-pounder frigate Doedalus captured the 12-pound- 

 er frigate Prudente, of equal force. The British 

 i8-pounder frigate Sybille captured the frigate 

 Forte, armed with 52 guns, 30 of them long 24*5 

 on the maindeck ; she was formidably armed and as 

 heavy as the Constitution. The Sybille lost 22 and 

 the Forte 145 men killed and wounded. The 18- 

 pounder frigate Clyde, with the loss of 5 men, cap- 

 tured the 12-pounder frigate Vestale, which lost 32. 

 The cutter Courser, of twelve 4-pounders and 40 

 men, captured the privateer Guerriere, of fourteen 

 4-pounders and 44 men. The cutter Viper, of four- 

 teen 4-pounders and 48 men, captured the privateer 

 Suret, of fourteen 4-pounders and 57 men. The 

 i6-gun ship-sloop Peterel, with 89 men, engaged 

 the Cerf, 14, Lejoille, 6, and Ligurienne, 16, with in 

 all 240 men, and captured the Ligurienne. The 30- 

 gun corvette Dart captured by surprise the 38-gun 

 frigate Desiree. The Gypsey, of ten 4-pounders 



