Providence Blessed Our Efforts

Thus the United States were forced into a war which they had not provoked;---America took up arms in support of her rights, and for the preservation of her national honour, with a firm determination not lay them down until the object should be attained. Providence blessed our efforts, and our arms were crowned with the most brilliant triumphs over those of our enemy. The army and navy exhibited a noble rivalship of zeal, devotion, and glory. In the one Lawrence, Bainbridge, Decatur, Perry, McDonough, Porter; — in the other *Pike, Scott, Brown, Jackson, and many more, proved to the enemy, and to the world that we possessed resolution to defend our rights, and power to avenge our injuries. [Source]

*Portrait Of Zebulon Pike (Seen At Fort Pike, Louisiana)

Jackson And Horseshoe Bend (Alabama)

Important War Of 1812 Orders

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"You will on receipt of this turn over this boat dispatch to sailing master Richard Cox...on a survey of the waters of the Chesapeake...".

Commodore Decatur At The Close Of 1813

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"Decatur remained with his squadron in the harbor of New London in the same state of hopeless inactivity until the close of 1813."

Worthless Mother?

Source - Unknown Ship

"On the 25th of October [1812] off the Western Islands she [The United States commanded by Commodore Decatur] fell in with the [HMS} Macedonian.... ."   "The superiority of the American gunnery in this action was very remarkable both for its greater rapidity and effect."

"The commodore arrived at New York on the 4th of December with his prize."

"....the generous conduct of our heroick seamen has uniformly drawn forth the praise of the enemy; all the private property belonging to the men and officers on board the Macedonian was restored to the captured..." "...their treatment was the most polite and humane."

The carpenter, who was unfortunately killed* in the conflict with the Macedonian, had left three small children to the care of a worthless mother. When the circumstance became known to the brave seamen, they instantly made a contribution amongst themselves to the amount of eight hundred dollars and placed it in safe hands, to be appropriated to the education and maintenance of the unhappy orphans. [Source]


Killed:
John Archbold, ordinary seaman, Of wounds in action
Thomas Brown, boatswain's mate, In action
John M. Funk, Lieutenant, Of a wound
William Murray, seaman, In action
Henry Shephard, seaman, In action

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Captain William Henry Allen

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At the first fire from the H.M.S. Pelican, Captain Allen [of the U.S.S. Argus] fell.

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"By the fall of these young officers, Captains Allen and Burrows, the naval service experienced a heavy and almost irretrievable loss. Captain Allen had distinguished himself in a gallant manner in the action with the Macedonian, at which time he was first officer to Commodore Decatur...".

War-Weary New London

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The Day newspaper published an online edition article entitled "War-weary New London suffered through blockade and standoff."

"The last thing New London needed in 1812 was another war."

"Three decades after the city was burned by Benedict Arnold during the Revolution, it was a primitive backwater...rebuilding from its destruction...hopeful the new industry of whaling would bring better days."

"But the war did not reach New London for nearly a year. When it did, it was brought not by the enemy, but by an American hero [Commodore Stephen Decatur]."

"...Decatur set out from New York with his three-ship squadron. Near the eastern end of Long Island Sound, they encountered British warships and retreated into the nearest harbor, New London.  The British had managed to trap what amounted to a sizable chunk of the tiny U.S. Navy and quickly established a blockade."

A synopsis of Decatur's actions at New London, Connecticut:

"Commodore Decatur, in 1814, command of a squadron, with the Macedonian equipped as an American frigate, and was blockaded at New London by a far superior British naval force. He challenged the British commander to meet him with any two of his ships, with two American frigates, but the British admiral declined. In January, 1815, he fell in with a British squadron of four ships and was captured, as his vessel had been injured in passing a bar, and retarded in her sailing--before he surrendered however, he silenced one of the British ships, with which had a running fight of two hours."

Stephen Decatur, Jr.

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Stephen Decatur, Jr.

Then came Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, Jr., to command the Enterprise. He had gone out to the Mediterranean as executive officer of the Essex, and was now to have his chance for fame, along with the others. And like the majority of our officers to-day, one chance was all he needed. [Source]

American Naval Officers

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