For the wishes and prayers of a nation are yours.
CHAPTER VI
FOUGHT IN A HATTERAS GALE
WHEN THE SECOND YANKEE WASP FELL IN WITH THE BRITISH FROLIC—THEY TUMBLED ABOUT IN THE CROSS SEA IN A WAY THAT DESTROYED THE BRITISH “AIM,” BUT THE YANKEES WATCHED THE ROLL OF THEIR SHIP, AND WHEN THEY WERE DONE THEY HAD KILLED AND WOUNDED NINE-TENTHS OF THE ENEMY’S CREW AND WRECKED HIS VESSEL—THE FROLIC WAS A LARGER SHIP, CARRIED MORE GUNS, AND HAD ALL THE MEN SHE COULD USE, “FINE, ABLE-BODIED SEAMEN,” SURE ENOUGH!
Of glorious memory was the little Yankee sloop-of-war Wasp. Though carrying the rig of a ship—square sails on three masts, she was of the size of one of the smaller schooners that in these days cruise along the United States coast. She measured, that is to say, four hundred and fifty tons. But being built to a different model, she stood somewhat higher out of water than the schooners do. Her guns included sixteen short thirty-twos and two long twelves. Her commander in 1812 was Captain Jacob Jones, a Delaware sailor who had worked his way up, beginning as a midshipman under Captain Barry.
Jacob Jones.
From an engraving by Edwin of the portrait by Rembrandt Peale.
On October 13, 1812, the Wasp sailed from Philadelphia, bound eastward to lie in wait in the track of British merchantmen in the voyages from the West Indies. She had on board one hundred and thirty-seven men, including marines, but two of her sailors were lost overboard in a gale of wind on the 15th. They were at work on the jib at the time. The Wasp in plunging down a wave buried her bowsprit under water, and when she rose out of it the bowsprit was broken off and the men carried away.
For two days the gale blew hard, making an ugly sea, and then on the night of the 17th moderated somewhat, although the wind was still properly called a gale. That night at half-past eleven o’clock several lights were seen, showing that a number of vessels were weathering the storm together, and Captain Jones hauled to the wind, where he could keep his eye on them. When daylight came he found there were six large merchantmen under the convoy of a big brig. Although the brig was plainly as large as the Wasp, and some of the merchant ships carried guns, Captain Jones reefed down his topsails to fighting trim, sent his topgallant-yards down on deck and squared away for the fleet. As was afterwards learned the ships were a part of a fleet of fourteen bound from British Honduras to England, and the brig was the Frolic, Captain Thomas Whinyates. The fleet had been separated by the storm and the Frolic had sprung her main-yard. She was making repairs when morning came, but as the Yankee bore down on the fleet the Frolic, under a fore-and-aft mainsail, fore-topsail and a jib, bore up to meet her.
So heavy was the gale and so short the canvas under which the ships had to work, that it was not until after 11 o’clock that they got within fighting distance, but when there, the Englishman hoisted a Spanish flag. This little trick did not deceive the Yankee, however, for he held his course, and very soon the two vessels were within sixty yards of each other and were steadily drawing nearer, both running almost before the wind, but not quite, the Yankee having a little the better of it, being a little to windward.