“Major Cook, of Baltimore, aged twenty-seven, prest by the Royal William, late Mercury, entered September 10, 1810.
“William Thompson, of Boston, aged twenty, prest at Lisbon, entered January 16, 1811, drowned at sea in boarding an American.
“John Wallis, American, aged twenty-three, prest by the Triton, entered February 16, 1811 (killed in action in the Macedonian).
“John Card, American, aged twenty-seven, prest by the North Star, entered April 13, 1811 (killed in action in the Macedonian).”
John Card, “as brave a seaman as ever trod a plank,” was spokesman for the seven men, and on going to the mainmast asked that he and his countrymen be not compelled to fight against their flag.
Carden drove them back to their places. Then he stationed midshipmen with drawn swords at intervals, and marines with loaded muskets around every hatch, and these he ordered to kill every man who attempted to leave the guns or to pass below without authority. And so it happened that when the victorious Americans boarded the Macedonian they found John Card and John Wallis dead beside the guns.
James says that Captain Carden allowed the Americans to go below. If a deliberately written falsehood is ever creditable to a man this one is certainly to the credit of James.
After a brief inspection of the Macedonian, Lieutenant Nicholson carried Captain Carden over to the United States. Decatur, “wearing an old straw hat and a plain suit of clothes which made him look more like a farmer than a naval hero,” met him at the head of the ladder. Stepping to the deck Carden offered his sword to Decatur in the usual form.
“No, sir,” said Decatur; “I cannot receive the sword of a man who has so bravely defended his ship. But I will receive your hand,” he added, and shook hands cordially with the defeated captain.
Decatur is described as a man “five feet ten inches high, and had a somewhat slender figure, a long face, prominent, restless eyes, dark skin, and black hair.”