April 10.
The Cyane, in the mean time, had disappeared in the fog, and finding that she was shut out of view, changed her course, and escaping the enemy, finally arrived safely in New York. The Levant, however, was not so fortunate. Seeing herself closely pressed, she put back to port, and though receiving the enemy's fire, stood on till she anchored within 150 yards of the shore, and under the very guns of a powerful battery. Disregarding her position which rendered her inviolable, the three vessels continued to approach, firing as they did so, throwing their shot even into the town, doing considerable damage. Lieutenant Shubrick, finding that the battery would not protect him, and that the enemy had no intention of respecting the neutrality of the port, struck his flag. The firing, however, continued for some time after.
The English officer, when he came on board to take possession of her, supposed she was an American vessel, but to his great chagrin found that the whole squadron had succeeded, after a chase of several hours, in recapturing a prize in a neutral port.
"Old Ironsides" swept proudly onward over the ocean, remaining unconquered to the last, the glory of the navy and the boast of the land.
The news of the victory over the Cyane and Levant, and the after chase, reached New York from St. Bartholomews, without giving the results, and it was feared for a time that she had fallen into the hands of the enemy. When her safety was ascertained the exultation was great, for she was a great favorite, and had become deeply fixed in the affections of the people. As she came sweeping up Boston harbor, crowds gathered to the shore, answering with deafening cheers the thunder of her guns, as they broke over the bay.
The abandonment of this frigate by the whole English squadron, to chase a single ship, furnished the occasion of many witticisms, levelled against the English officers. They reported that they lost her in a fog, but if either vessel had kept on alone, Captain Stewart would have been careful not to have been lost, and when a safe distance from the others had been obtained, allowed himself to be easily overtaken.[10]
1815.
The President, that did not get to sea till the middle of January, or just before the news of peace was received, was more unfortunate. Commodore Rodgers, during the summer, had been transferred from that vessel to the Guerriere, and Decatur took the command. The latter, with the United States and Macedonian, had been blockaded, as before stated, all summer at New London, where he had challenged Captain Hardy to meet him ship with ship, or to make a match between the United States and Macedonian, and the Endymion and Statira.
Although he took command in the summer, he did not go to sea till mid-winter, when with the Hornet, which had run the blockade at New London in November, the Peacock, and store ship Tom Bowline, he prepared for a long cruise to the East Indies. Jan. 14. The President dropped down to Sandy Hook on the night of the 14th, but in attempting to cross the bar struck, and lay thumping for an hour and a half before she swung clear. She was evidently damaged by the shock, but Decatur thought it best to keep on, as a heavy storm the day before had driven the blockading squadron southward.