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Constellation* under the command of Captain Woolsey, was de¬ 
signed for the West India station* called the pirate station; the 
principal object being to suppress these wretches. The frigate 
is one of the oldest ships, and served in the last war* but being 
blockaded in Hampton roads, could not come to any engage¬ 
ment. She is what they call a thirty-six gun ship* but carries 
forty-eight pieces, thirty-two pounders* and caronades of the 
same calibre. The guns were almost all from the captured Eng¬ 
lish frigate Macedonian. 
We passed by a small fortified Island, called Crany Island, and 
by a fort on our right* both rendered useless, since Fort Monroe 
was built, and their works will be demolished; we approached the 
Constellation* our steam-boat on her left side, where she was made 
fast with cables. The steam-boat Richmond did the same on the 
right of the frigate. Captain Woolsey finding that I was on board 
of the boat* had the kindness to invite me on board the frigate. 
His cabin was in the forepart of the gundeck; and was very neat* 
having four guns in it. The after-cabin was arranged as a par¬ 
lour and contained two cabinets* all tastefully contrived. The 
officers had their lodgings below* as in a ship of the linei I was 
very much pleased with the great neatness and general order that 
prevailed. Even by the sentry at the captain’s door was placed a 
spit-box* and every thing of iron or copper* shone like mirrors. 
Instead of the ordinary and very often incorrect hour-glasses of 
our ships* there was by the sentry a chronometer* for the pur¬ 
pose of calling the hour. We came on board, as the last anchor 
was lifted* and then proceeded* being towed by the two boats 
till we came opposite Fort Monroe; where* on account of the fee¬ 
ble breeze, the anchor was dropped, and the steam-boats continu¬ 
ed on their way. 
Captain Woolsey gave us a boat with twelve oars* under the 
command of a midshipman* to carry us to Fort Monroe. A guard 
composed of thirty marines was under arms, and made a military 
salute, whilst the frigate saluted me with seventeen guns. When 
we landed we stopped at a very good tavern* where we found 
two majors of artillery. After dinner we went to survey the 
fortress, which General Bernard planned; but the workw^s yet 
far from being completed. The fortress consists of a bastioned 
heptagon, which can be attacked from land* but by a single front. 
The sides facing the ^ea* are entirely casemated* and every gun 
has its particular arch- On the most dangerous side where the 
ships of the enemy can approach the land* there is on the coun¬ 
terscarp, a casemated coast-battery protected by the fire of heavy 
guns on the rarripart. This battery on the counterscarp was built 
temporarily of wood, like a block-house, and served the garrison 
for quarters. The coping is of granite, found in the vicinity of 
