LOSS OF THE HORNET. 83 
often guns — ^this vessel had twenty-three thousand dollars in 
specie on hoard. The Hornet then cruised some time on the 
coast of Maranham and Surinam, and off Demarara. On the 
twenty-fourth of February she fell in with and captured his 
Britannic Majesty's sloop of war Peacock. After this action 
she returned to the United States, and arrived at Holmes's 
Hole in March 1813, having been absent one hundred and 
forty-five days. In a few days she proceeded to New- York ; 
and Captain James Bid die succeeded Captain Lawrence in 
the command of her in May, 1813. 
The Hornet was again soon prepared for sea, and joined 
the squadron under Commodore Decatur, which was chased 
into New- London harbor in June, and blockaded there. Capt. 
Biddle obtained permission to attempt his escape in the Hor- 
net, and succeeded in evading the British squadron, and join- 
ed a force at New- York, intended to cruise under Commo- 
dore Decatur in the East Indies. In January, 1814, the Hor- 
net sailed in company with the Peacock, but separated from 
that ship when out a few days. She then proceeded to the 
island of Tristan d'Acunha, their first place of rendezvous, 
and arrived there on the twenty-third of March. On that day 
she fell in with and captured his Britannic Majesty's sloop of 
war Penguin. A few days after this action she was joined 
by the Peacock and Tom Bowline ; the latter vessel being a 
store ship, was converted into a cartel, and d(^spatched for St. 
Salvador with the prisoners. 
On the twelfth of April the Hornet left the island of Tris- 
tan d'Acunha for the Cape of Good Flope, and on the twenty- 
eighth she was chased by a line of battle ship ; — during the 
chase (which lasted thirty-six hours) she fired many shot into 
the Hornet, at the distance of not more than three quarters of 
a mile. The Hornet arrived at St. Salvador in June, without 
guns, boats, anchors or cables, it having been found necessary 
to throw them overboard during the chase. After getting a 
supply of necessaries, she left the above place for the United 
States, and arrived in New-York on the thirtieth of July, 
when, in consequence of the ratification of peace, she was laid 
up in ordinary until the year 1818. 
In that year she was again put in commission, and Captain 
George C. Read ordered to her as her commander. She sail- 
ed for the West Indies in February, and after cruising there 
for some time, proceeded to the North Sea and the Baltic, 
and brought home from Copenhagen our Consul-General, 
Mr. Forbes, and several American seamen, (mutineers.) 
