ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Resolution of Congress Voting Medals to Captain Bainbridge, etc.
Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to present to Captain William Bainbridge, of the frigate Constitution, a gold medal, with suitable emblems and devices; and a silver medal,[80] with suitable emblems and devices, to each commissioned officer of the said frigate, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry, good conduct, and services of Captain Bainbridge, his officers, and crew, in the capture of the British frigate Java, after a brave and skillful combat.
Approved March 3, 1813.
Captain Bainbridge to the Secretary of the Navy.
United States frigate Constitution,
St. Salvador, January 3d, 1813.
To
The Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D. C.
Sir: I have the honour to inform you that on the 29th ultimo, at 2 p.m., in south latitude 13°, 06', and west longitude 39°, ten leagues distance from the coast of Brazils, I fell in with and captured His Britannic Majesty's frigate Java, of 49 guns, and upwards of 400 men, commanded by Captain Lambert, a very distinguished officer. The action lasted one hour and fifty-five minutes, in which time the enemy was completely dismasted, not having a spar of any kind standing. The loss on board the Constitution was 9 killed and 25 wounded, as per enclosed list. The enemy had 60 killed and 101 wounded, certainly (among the latter, Captain Lambert, mortally), but by the enclosed letter, written on board the ship (by one of the officers of the Java), and accidentally found, it is evident that the enemy's wounded must have been much greater than as above stated, and who must have died of their wounds previously to their being removed. The letter states 60 killed and 170 wounded.
For further details of the action, I beg leave to refer you to the enclosed extracts from my journal. The Java had in addition to her own crew upwards of one hundred supernumerary officers and seamen, to join the British ships-of-war in the East Indies: also Lieutenant-General Hyslop, appointed to the command of Bombay, Major Walker and Captain Wood, of his staff, and Captain Marshall, master and commander in the British navy, going to the East Indies to take command of a sloop-of-war there.
Should I attempt to do justice, by representation, to the brave and good conduct of all my officers and crew, during the action, I should fail in the attempt; therefore, suffice it to say, that the whole of their conduct was such as to merit my highest encomiums. I beg leave to recommend the officers particularly to the notice of government, as also the unfortunate seamen who were wounded, and the families of those men who fell in the action.
The great distance from our own coast, and the perfect wreck we made the enemy's frigate, forbid every idea of attempting to take her to the United States; and not considering it prudent to trust her in a port of Brazils, particularly St. Salvador, I had no alternative but burning her, which I did on the 31st ultimo, after receiving all the prisoners and their baggage, which was very tedious work, only having one boat left (out of eight) and not one left on board the Java.
On blowing up the frigate Java, I proceeded to this place, where I have landed all the prisoners on their parole, to return to England and there remain until regularly exchanged, and not serve in their professional capacities in any place or in any manner whatever, against the United States of America, until the exchange shall be effected.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
W. Bainbridge.
Extract from Captain Bainbridge's Journal, containing minutes of the action with the British frigate Java.
"Wednesday, December 30th, 1812 (nautical time) in latitude 13 degrees, 6 minutes South, and longitude 39 West, ten leagues from the coast of Brazil, commences with clear weather and moderate breezes from east north-east, hoisted our ensign and pendant. At 15 minutes past meridian, the ship hoisted her colours, an English ensign having a signal flying at her main, red, yellow and red. At 1.26 p.m. being sufficiently from the land, and finding the ship to be an English frigate, took in the main-sail and royals, tacked ship and stood for the enemy. At 1.50 p.m. the enemy bore down with the intention of raking us, which we avoided by wearing. At 2 p.m. the enemy being within half a mile of us, and to windward, and having hauled down his colours, except an Union Jack at the mizzen-mast head, induced me to give orders to the officers of the 3d division to fire one gun ahead of the enemy to make him show his colours, which being done, brought on a fire from us of the whole broadside, on which the enemy hoisted his colours and immediately returned our fire. A general action with round and grape then commenced, the enemy keeping at a much greater distance than I wished, but could not bring him to closer action without exposing ourselves to several rakes. Considerable manœuvres were made by both vessels to rake and avoid being raked. The following minutes were taken during the action:
"At 2.10 p.m. commenced the action within good grape and canister distance, the enemy to windward, but much further than I wished. At 2.30 our wheel was shot entirely away; 2.40, determined to close with the enemy, notwithstanding his raking, set the fore and main-sail and luffed up close to him; 2.50, the enemy's jib-boom got foul of our mizzen rigging; 3, the head of the enemy's bowsprit and jib-boom shot away by us; 3.5, shot away the enemy's foremast by the board; 3.15, shot away his main-top-mast just above the cap; 3.40, shot away gaff and spanker boom; 3.55, shot away his mizzenmast nearly by the board; 4.5, having silenced the fire of the enemy completely, and his colours in main rigging being down, supposed he had struck, then hauled aboard the courses to shoot ahead to repair our rigging, which was extremely cut, leaving the enemy a complete wreck. Soon after discovered the enemy's flag was still flying; hove to, to repair some of our damage; 4.20, the enemy's main-mast went nearly by the board; 4.50, wore ship and stood for the enemy; 5.25, got very close to the enemy in a very effectual raking position, athwart his bows, and was at the very instant of raking him, when he most prudently struck his flag, for had he suffered the broadside to have raked him, his additional loss must have been extremely great, as he laid an unmanageable wreck upon the water.
"After the enemy had struck, wore ship and reefed the topsails, then hoisted out one of the only two remaining boats we had left out of eight, and sent Lieutenant Parker, 1st of the Constitution, to take possession of the enemy, which proved to be His Britannic Majesty's frigate Java, rated 38 but carried 49 guns, and manned with upwards of 400 men, commanded by Captain Lambert, a very distinguished officer, who was mortally wounded. The action continued, from the commencement to the end of the fire, one hour and fifty-five minutes. The Constitution had 9 killed and 25 wounded. The enemy had 60 killed and 101 certainly wounded, but by a letter written on board the Constitution, by one of the officers of the Java, and accidentally found, it is evident the enemy's wounded must have been considerably greater than as above stated, and who must have died of their wounds previously to their being removed. The letter states 60 killed and 170 wounded. The Java had her own complement of men complete, and upwards of one hundred supernumeraries, going to join the British ships-of-war in the East Indies; also several officers, passengers, going out on promotion. The force of the enemy in number of men, at the commencement of the action, was no doubt considerably greater than we have been able to ascertain, which is upwards of 400 men. The officers were extremely cautious in discovering the number. By her quarter bill she had one man more stationed at each gun than we had.
"The Constitution was very much cut in her sails and rigging, and many of her spars injured. At 7 p.m. the boat returned with Lieutenant Chads, the first lieutenant of the enemy's frigate, and Lieutenant-General Hyslop (appointed governor of Bombay), Major Walker and Captain Wood, belonging to his staff. Captain Lambert, of the Java, was too dangerously wounded to be removed immediately. The cutter returned on board the prize for the prisoners, and brought Captain Marshall, master and commander of the British navy, who was passenger on board, as also several other naval officers, destined for ships in the East Indies.
"The Java was an important ship, fitted out in the completest manner, to carry Lieutenant-General Hyslop and staff to Bombay, and several naval officers for different ships in the East Indies; and had despatches for St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, and every British establishment in the India and China seas. She had on board copper for a 74 and two brigs building at Bombay, and I expect a great many other valuables; but everything was blown up in her except the officers' baggage, when we set her on fire at 3 p.m., on the 1st of January, 1813 (nautical time)."
[Copy.]
H. D. Corneck to Lieutenant Wood.
Prisoner on board the American frigate Constitution.
St. Salvador, Brazils, January 1st, 1813.
To
Lieutenant Peter V. Wood,
22d Regiment of Foot,
Isle of France or Bourbon, East Indies.
My dear Sir: I am sorry to inform you of the unpleasant news of Mr. Gascoigne's death. Mr. Gascoigne and myself were shipmates in Marlboro', and first came to sea together. He was shot in the early part of the action by a round shot in his right thigh, and died a few minutes after; four others of his messmates shared the same fate, together with 60 men killed and 170 wounded. The official account you no doubt heard of before this reaches you. I beg you will let all his friends and relations hear of his untimely fate. We were on board the Java frigate for a passage to India, when we fell in with this frigate. Two parcels I have sent you under good care. Hope this will reach you safe.
Yours truly,
H. D. Corneck.
[A true copy.]
William Bainbridge.
September 4, 1813.
Edward ℞. McCall navis Enterprise præfectus. Sic itur ad astra. ℞. Vivere sat vincere.