1812	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	114

approximating, we will give an account of the force of each. In addition to her 28 maindeck long 18-pounders, the Macedonian mounted on the quarterdeck and forecastle 16 carronades, 32-pounders, fitted with their chocks outside (a new, but as far as we can learn, not much approved principle), the two long 12-pounders, and two brass long French 8-pounders (the captain's private property), total 48 guns, exclusive of the usual 18-pounder launch carronade. The crew of the Macedonian at this time consisted of 262 men and 35 boys. To account for this extraordinary proportion of boys, we must state that, shortly before the Macedonian sailed on her last cruise, 12 supernumerary boys were put on board, by way, possibly, of " strengthening " her crew. With respect to the quality of the 35 boys, very few of them, it appears, were worth ship-room. It has already been shown, that the established armament of the United-States was 56 guns, long 24-pounders, and 42-pounder carronades. * Subsequently the ship appears to have landed two of her 42s, and to have received on board, in lieu of them, a travelling 18-pounder carronade ; making her carriage-guns, in all, 55. She also mounted a brass howitzer in each top. With respect to crew, the United-States victualled 477 men and one lad or boy.

At about 7 h. 30 m. a.m. the two ships were not above three miles apart. Having by this time hoisted her ensign and broad pendant, the United-States was known to be one of the American 44s ; but, having on board one of Commodore Rodgers's spy-glasses, Commodore Decatur mistook the Macedonian for a much larger ship, a sail of the line probably. The United-States accordingly wore round on the starboard tack, keeping a point or two off the wind. Having sailed from Portsmouth as long ago as the 29th of September, Captain Carden, although he knew of the war, had received no information of the Guerrière's capture. The Macedonian had since been at Madeira, where she had heard that the American frigate Essex was cruising ; but, even had the force of the United-States in guns and men been at this time fully known, such was the confidence of victory on board the Macedonian, that every officer, man, and boy, except perhaps the eight foreigners, who requested and were allowed to go below, was in the highest spirit.

As, from sailing better than the United-States, the Macedonian gradually advanced more fully into view, the American officers seem to have fallen into the opposite mistake. They now believed the Macedonian to be a 32-gun frigate ; and, with the determination to attack her, the United-States, at 8 h. 30. m. a.m., wore round the larboard tack, and hauled sharp up. This brought the two ships, at 8 h. 45 m., into the relative positions marked in the diagram at p, 116. Knowing that the greatest force of his ship lay in her quarter, and the smallest force of the enemy's

* See p. 5.

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