dexterous management of the long guns, and for their 

 promptness in re-manning their guns as their crews were 

 slaughtered. The conduct of that brave and heroic officer, 

 acting lieutenant John G. Cowel, who lost his leg in the lat- 

 ter part of the action, excited the admiration of everyman 

 in the ship, and after being wounded, would not consent to 

 be taken below, until loss of blood rendered him insensi- 

 ble. Mr. Edward Barnewall acting sailing-master, whose 

 activity and courage were equally conspicuous, returned 

 on deck after his first wound, and remained after receiving 

 his second until fainting with loss of blood. — Mr. Samuel 

 B. Johnson, who had joined me the day before, and acted 

 as marine officer, conducted himself with great bravery, 

 and exerted himself in assisting at the long guns ; the 

 musketry after the first half hour being useless, from our 

 great distance. 



Mr. M. W. Bostwick, whom I had appointed acting 

 purser of the Essex Junior, and who was on board my ship^ 

 did the duties of aid, in a manner which reflects on him the 

 highest honour, and midshipmen Isaacs, Farragut, and 

 Ogden, as well as acting midshipmen JamesTerry, James 

 R. Lyman, and Samuel Duzenbury, and master's mate Wil- 

 liam Pierce, exerted themselves in the performance of their 

 respective duties, and gave an earnest of their value to the 

 service ; the three first are too young to recommend for 

 promotion. — The latter I beg leave to recommend for con- 

 firmation, as well as the acting lieutenants, and Messrs. 

 Barnewall, Johnson, and Bostwick. 



We have been unfortunate, but not disgraced — ^the de- 

 fence of the Essex has not been less honourable to her 

 officers and crew, than the capture of an equal force ; 

 and 1 now consider my situation less unpleasant than that 

 of Commodore Hillyar, who, in violation of every principle 

 of honour and generosity, and regardless of the rights of 

 nations, attacked the Essex in her crippled state, within 

 pistol shot of a neutral shore — when, for six weeks, I had 

 daily offered him fair and honourable combat, on terms 

 greatly to his advantage. The blood of the slain must be 

 on his head, and he has yet to reconcile his conduct to 

 heaven, to his conscience, and to the world. — The an- 

 nexed extract of a letter from Commodore Hillyar, \j'hicb 



VOL, ir. '22 



