The Battle of New Orleans 279 



counted in; I excluded it because the two Ameri- 

 can officials differed in their account of it, because 

 I did not know through what port it could be fought, 

 and because James asserted that it was dismounted 

 and lashed to the forecastle. The Wasp left port 

 with 138 men; subtracting the pilot and two men 

 who were drowned, makes 135, the number on 

 board during the action. As the battle was fought, 

 I doubt if the loss of the brig's mainyard had much 

 effect on the result; had it been her object to keep 

 on the wind, or had the loss of her after-sails en- 

 abled her antagonist to cross her stern (as in the case 

 of the Argus and Pelican}, the accident could fairly 

 be said to have had a decided effect upon the con- 

 test. But as a short time after the fight began the 

 vessels were running nearly free, and as the Wasp 

 herself was greatly injured aloft at the time, and 

 made no effort to cross her foe's stern, it is difficult 

 to see that it made much difference. The brig's 

 head-sails were all right, and, as she was not close- 

 hauled, the cause of her not being kept more under 

 command was probably purely due to the slaughter 

 on her decks. 



Professor Soley represents the combat of the 

 States and Macedonian as a plain yardarm and yard- 

 arm action after the first forty minutes. I have fol- 

 lowed the English authorities and make it a running 

 fight throughout. If Professor Soley is right, the 



