82 LOSS OF THE HORNET. 
along the coast of Mexico in the early part of September, 
1829, was built as a brig in Baltimore, in the year 1805. 
In the summer of that year, captain, now commodore Isaac 
Chauncey, was appointed to the command of her. In October, 
Captain Chauncey sailed from Baltimore for New- York. 
Shortly after his arrival at the latter port he received orders 
to proceed in the Hornet to Hampton Roads, and on his arri- 
val there received further orders to sail for Charleston, and 
to cruise off the harbor of that city for the protection of our 
commerce against the depredations of privateers, which at 
that time so frequently annoyed and interrupted our merchant 
vessels along that coast. In the discharge of the duties con- 
nected with that important service, he continued until March, 
1806, when, by order of the secretary of the navy, he returned 
to New- York, and resigned the command of the Hornet to 
Captain John H. Dent. 
tinder the latter commander she was fitted out, and soon 
after sailed for the Mediterranean, where she remained until 
ordered to return to the United States. After her arrival. Cap- 
tain Hunt commanded her for some time, and made several 
cruises in her, and in 1810 she proceeded to Washington, at 
which place she was converted into a ship. 
In 1811 the Hornet left Washington for Norfolk, in charge 
of Mr. Henry E. Ballard, her first lieutenant, now commander 
of the Delaware. At Norfolk the late lamented James Law- 
rence joined her as her commander, and sailed for New- 
York, where she took on board Messrs. Biddle and Tayloe, 
who were proceeding to France and England, as bearers of 
despatches to those governments. After performing this 
service she returned to New- York. War having been de- 
clared between the United States and Great Britain, she sailed 
from this port on the 21st of- January, 1812, as one of the 
squadron under Commodore Rogers ; she joined in the chase 
of the Belvidere frigate, and afterward assisted at the capture 
of eight vessels during the cruise. She remained with the 
squadron until its arrival in Boston, August 31st, 1812. Her 
second cruise during the war, under Captain Lawrence, was 
in company with the Constitution, Commodore Bainbridge; 
having separated from that ship on the coast of Brazil, the 
Hornet captured many very valuable prizes, and blockaded, 
from the sixth to the twenty -fourth of January, 1813, the 
Bonne Citoyenne, in the harbor of St. Salvador, when the 
Montague 74 hove in sight, and chased her ofl^. While cruis- 
ing off Pemambuco, she captured the British brig Resolution, 
