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

Source