The Battle Between the United States and the Macedonian.
(Drawn by a sailor who was on the United States.)
From the original drawing at the Naval Academy, Annapolis.
To add to the horror of the spectacle, some of the crew, taking advantage of the inevitable disorder, broke into the spirits-room and quickly got hilariously drunk. And so, singing and shouting and screaming, they went reeling about the decks, falling and smearing themselves with blood, and rising to sing and shout again in drunken glee, until enough of the American crew had come to confine them.
Nor does that tell all that the victors found to stir their feelings. Among the dead were two whose story must not be forgotten, for they were impressed Americans. As the Stars and Stripes first fluttered from the gaff of the United States (before the battle began) seven of the seamen of the Macedonian asked permission to speak to the captain. The following is a list of these men as literally copied from the muster-roll of the Macedonian—copied after the battle, of course—together with the name of one other man whose case was of interest in like fashion:
“Christopher Dodge, American, aged thirty-two, prest by the Thisbe, late Dedaigneuse, shipped in the Macedonian July 1, 1810.
“Peter Johnson, American, aged thirty-two, prest by the Dedalus, entered August 24, 1810.
“John Alexander, of Cape Ann, aged twenty-nine, prest by the Dedalus, entered August 25, 1810.
“C. Dolphin, of Connecticut, aged twenty-two, prest by the Namur, late Ceres, entered August 4, 1810.