A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions (1915) (14598221009)

Identifier: historyofuniteds03morr (find matches)
Title: A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: Morris, Charles, 1833-1922
Subjects:
Publisher: Philadelphia London : J.B. Lippincott Company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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that time the Java was a total wreck, and had lost two hundred and thirty men. In February, 1813, the sloop Hornet met the British ship Peacock, and handled her so severely that she sank before her crew could be taken off. Causes of the American Success.—In six months the Americans had taken more British ships than the French had done in twenty years, and had not lost one. This was due to several causes. The American vessels carried more men than the British, and these were mainly the hardy THE SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN. 277 fishermen of New England, men who had made the waves their homes. The ships were better built, the crews better disciplined, the gunners better marksmen. Heavier guns were carried, and every shot told. There was no firing at random as in the British ships. The result of this superiority in men and equipment was the remarkable series of victories we have detailed. Dont Give Up the Ship.—On June 1, 1813, the British navy gained its first success. The Shannon captured
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Capture of the Cyane and Levant by the Constitution. the Chesapeake near Boston harbor. Captain Lawrence of the Chesapeake was mortally wounded, and as he was carried below cried out, Don't give up the ship! But his vessel had entered the combat when in no proper fighting trim and was forced to yield. Other Ocean Battles.—The Essex, under Captain Por- 278 THE EARLY PERIOD OF THE REPUBLIC. I ter, cruised for a whole year in the Pacific, taking numbers ^of British merchantmen. In March, 1814, she was attacked by two British frigates in the harbor of Valparaiso and forced to surrender. This and the capture of the Chesapeake were the only British naval successes during the war. The last fight took place in February, 1815, after the war had ended. The glorious old Constitution, which had already won such fame, was attacked by two British vessels, the frigate Cyane and the sloop Levant, off the coast of Madeira, and after a forty minutes action captured them both. While the small American fleet was