75 
of half a minute or more took place, at the 
end of which, our adversary not shewing a 
further disposition to fire, I hailed, and again 
asked V/hat ship is that ?” I learned, for 
the first time, that it v/as a ship of his Bri¬ 
tannic Majesty's j but, owing to its blowing 
rather fresher than it had done, I was unable 
to learn her name. After having informed 
her commander of the name of this ship. I 
gave orders to wear, run under his lee and 
haul by the wind on the starboard tack, and 
heave-to under topsails, and repair what little 
injury we h’.d sustained in our rigging, which 
was accordingly executed j and we continued 
lying-to on diftbrent tacks with a number of 
lights displayed, in order that our adversary- 
might the better discern our position, and com¬ 
mand our assistance, in case he found it neces¬ 
sary during the night. 
At day-light on the 17th, he was discovered 
several miles to leeward, when I gave orders 
to bear up and run down to him under easy 
sail. After hailing him, I sent a boat on 
board with Lieutenant Creighton, to learn the 
names of the ship and her commander, with 
directions to ascertain the damage she had 
sustained, and inform her cornmander how 
much I regretted the necessity on my part, 
■which had led to such an unhappy result j 
and the same time to offer all the assist¬ 
ance that the ship under mv command afford¬ 
ed, in repairing the damages his had sus¬ 
tained. . Atninea. ?«. Lieutenant Creighton 
returned with information, that it v/as his 
Erffannic Majesty’s ship Little Belty com- 
mgnd.ed by Captain Bingham, who in a 'polite 
iffsnner declined the acceptance of any assist- 
'^nce j saying, at the same time, that he had 
on board all the necessary requisites to repair 
tha damages, sufficiently to enable him to re¬ 
turn to Halifax. 
This, however, was not the most unplea- 
aant part of Captain Bingham’s communica¬ 
tion to Lieutenant Creighton, as he informed 
him that, in addition to the injury his ship 
had sustained, between 20 and 30 of his crew 
had been killed and Wounded. 
Tlie regret that this informarlon caused me 
■was such, you may be sure, as a man might 
be expected to feel, whose greatest pride Is to 
prove, without ostentation, by every public 
as well as private act, that he possesses a hu¬ 
mane and generous heart j and, with these 
sentin)ent?, beliave me, Sir, that such a com¬ 
munication would cause me the most acute 
pain during the remainder of my life, had I 
not the consolation to know that there was no 
caltrrnative left me between such a sacrifice 
and one which would have been still greater, 
namely, to have remained a passive spectator 
of insult to the flag of uiy country, whilst it 
was confided to my protection : and I would 
have you to be convinced, Sir, that, however 
much individually 1 may previously have had 
reason to feel incensed at the repeated out¬ 
rages committed on our flag by British ships 
[Aug. 1, 
of war, neither any passions nor prejudices 
had any agency in this affair. 
To my country I am well convinced of the 
importance of the transaction which has im¬ 
posed upon me the necessity of making you 
this communication ; I must, therefore, rrom 
motives of delicacy, connected with personal 
consideration, solicit that you will be pleased 
to request the President to authorise a formal 
enquiry to be instituted into all the circum¬ 
stance#, as well as into every part of my con¬ 
duct connected with the same. 
The injury sustained by the ship under my 
command is very trifling, except to the fore 
and main-masts, which I before mentioned: 
no person killed, and but one (a hoy) wounded. 
John Rodgers. 
To the Hon. Paul Hamiltony 
Secretary tf the Navy. 
The English Captain’s Account of 
the Same Affair. 
His Majesty’s sloop, Little Belt, May, 21, 
l‘8il, latitude 36. .53. N. long. 71. 49. W. 
Cape Charles bearing West 48 miles. 
Sir.—I beg leav-e to acquaint you, that 
in pursuance of your orders to join his Ma¬ 
jesty’s ship Guirr'iercy ap.d being on my return 
frcni the northward, not having fallen in 
with her, that at about 11, a. m. May Iff, 
saW' a strange sail, to which 1 immediately 
gave chace j at one, m. discovered her - to 
be a man of war, apparently a frigate, stand¬ 
ing to the eastward, who, when she made ns 
out, edged aWay from us and set his royals j 
made the signal 275, and finding it not an¬ 
swered, concluded she -was an American 
frigate, as he had a commodore’s blue pend¬ 
ant flying at the main; hoisted the colours, 
and made all sail south, the course I in¬ 
tended, steering round Cape Hatteras, the 
stranger edging away, but not making any 
more sail.- At hair-past three he made sail 
in chace, when 1 made the private signal, 
which was not ans’wered. At half-past six, 
finding he gained so considerably on us as not 
to be able to eiude him during the night, 
being within gun shot, and clearly discerning 
the stars in his broad pendant, I imagined the 
more prudent method was to bring to, and 
hoist the colours, that no mistake might 
arise, and that he might see what we were ; 
the ship was therefore brought to, ct^ours 
hoisted, guns double shotted, and every 
preparation made in case of a surprise. By 
his iTionncr of steering down, he evidently 
wished to lay his ship in a position for rak- 
ing, which I tiustrated by wearing three 
times. About a quarter-past eight he came 
within hail. I hailed, and asked wliat ship 
it was? He repeated niy question. -I again 
hailed, and asked what ship it was ? He 
again repeated my words, and fired n broad- 
.sirie which I immediaiely returned. The 
action beca.mc general, and continued so ler 
three- 
State of Public Affairs in Jult/, 
