The American commander’s own account of the affair, which appears in a little volume entitled Porter’s Narrative, shows well the spirit of this doughty old seaman, who, to use the expression applied to him, “had rather have fought than ate.”
So virulent, however, were his tirades against the conduct of Captain Hillyar that it is only just to take into consideration that the latter commander, by refusing to take advantage of the many circumstances, would have missed entirely the object of his sailing from England; and his conduct has found many defenders among the writers of history on the other side of the water.
The honor rolls of the United States navy show the records of many a family history, and the name Porter has been associated with the service from the Revolution to the present day. The late Admiral David D. Porter was the younger son of the David Porter of Essex fame, and he had been named after his father, who was a doughty old sea-captain of the Revolution.
The second David Porter was born at Boston on the 1st of February, 1780. Thus he was but thirty-two years of age at the outbreak of the war with Great Britain, and his school of training had been the same as that of all the younger officers who now found themselves for the first time in command. He was with Bainbridge in the Philadelphia when that frigate was captured by the Tripolitans in 1803, and he suffered imprisonment with the rest of the officers during the time that Preble was endeavoring to liberate them. He had the honor of making the first capture of a regular navy vessel of the war, when, in July, the Essex compelled the Alert, of 20 guns, to lower her flag.
XIII
THE “PEACOCK” AND THE “EPERVIER”
[April 29th, 1814]
MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN LEWIS WARRINGTON
“Captain L. Warrington, of Virginia, has been given the command of the Peacock, sloop of war of 18 guns. He expects soon to set sail and cruise to the southward in search of the enemy.”
Such is the personal note appearing in that enterprising newspaper The Register, published in March, 1814.