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13th Congress.] 

No. 108. 

[2d Session.

NAVAL TROPHIES ACQUIRED FROM GREAT BRITAIN.

COMMUNICATED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FEBRUARY 4, 1814.

Committee Room, December 22d, 1813.

Sir:

The following resolution has been adopted by the House of Representatives of the United States, viz:

"Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the present condition and distribution of the flags, standards, and colors, which have been taken by the forces of the United States, from their enemies, and whether it would be expedient to make any provision in relation to them; with leave to report by bill or otherwise."

The committee to whom the above resolution has been referred have instructed me to state, that they contemplate the collection, preservation, and public exhibition, of the subjects therein embraced. On the 23d of June, 1778, Congress "Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to collect the standards and colors taken from the enemy by the army of the United States, since the commencement of the war." The committee request such general information as the Navy Department can furnish on this subject It is particularly desired to know; whether any order and practice have been, at any time, adopted, under the resolution of June 23d, 1778. The committee are anxious to ascertain the number of naval flags which remain, of those that were taken during our revolutionary struggles, their present condition, and manner of preservation. Can the names of the captured vessels to which these flags belonged, be ascertained, together with their rates; and the names of the victorious and vanquished commanders? The same information is requested concerning such flags as have been taken by the forces of the United States during their dispute with France, in 1798; concerning those which were gained from Tripoli, and such as have been taken since the commencement of our present war with Great Britain.

With sentiments of respect, I have the honor to be, &c.

ADAM SEYBERT, Chairman.

Hon. Wm. Jones, Secretary of the Navy.

Navy Department, January 25, 1814. Sir:

In reply to the inquiries contained in your letter of the 22d ultimo. I have to remark that the resolution of Congress of the 23d of June, 1778, directing the collection of standards and colors taken from the enemy, appearing to relate to those only which were taken by the army of the United States, it is not supposed that "any order and practice have been, at any time, adopted," in pursuance of that resolution, concerning naval trophies of a similar kind. The records and documents of this Department afford no light respecting such flags as are inquired for by the committee, anterior to the declaration of the present war, nor are there any such flags or standards in any depository of the Department, that were taken prior to this time. Those which have been captured from the enemy by the public armed vessels of the United States, and received at this Department since the 18th of June, 1812, have been carefully preserved, and are now suspended in the office of the Secretary of the Navy, subject to such disposition as Congress may provide for their better security and exhibition. The enclosed paper embraces all the particulars in relation to them within the power of the Department to present to the committee.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. JONES

The Hon. Adam Seybert, Chairman of the Committee, &c. &c.

Statement showing the number of Naval Flags taken from Great Britain, since the commencement of the present war, together with the names of the captured vessels, &c. to which they were attached, their rales, the rates of the capturing vessels, the dale of capture, and the names of the vanquished and victorious commanders.

Names of the vessels captured.

Commanders' names.

No. of Guns.

By what vessel captured.

Commanders' Names

No. of Guns.

Date of capture.

Sloop Alert,

T. L. Laugharue,

20

Frigate Essex,

D. Porter,

32

August 13, 1812.

Frigate Guerriere,

J. R. Dacres,

49

Frigate Constitution,

Isaac Hull,

44

August 19, "

Sloop Frolic,

Thos. Whinyates,

22

Sloop Wasp,

Jacob Jones,

16

Oct. 18, "

Frigate Macedonian,

John Carden,

49

Frigate United States,

Stephen Decatur,

44

Oct. 25, "

Frigate Java,

H. Lambert,

49

Frigate Constitution,

Wm, Bainbridge,

44

Dec. 29,

Sloop Peacock,

W. Peake,

22

Sloop Hornet,

Jas. Lawrence,

18

Feb. 24, 1813.

Sloop Boxer,

Samuel Blyth,

18

Brig Enterprise,

Wm. Burrows,

14

Sep. 5,

Ship Detroit,

Comm. Barclay,

22

Brig Lawrence,

O. H. Perry,

20

Sep. 10, "

Ship Queen Charlotte,

Ditto,

18

Brig Niagara,

Ditto,

20

" " "

Sch'r Lady Prevost,

Ditto,

14

Brig Caledonia,

Ditto,

3

" " "

Brig Hunter,

Ditto,

10

Schooner Ariel,

Ditto,

4

" " "

Sloop Little Belt,

Ditto,

3

Schooner Scorpion,

Ditto,

2

" " "

Schooner Chippewa,

Ditto,

3

Schooner Somers,

Ditto,

2

" " "

Sloop Trippe,

Ditto,

1

" " "

Schooner Tigress,

Ditto,

1

" " "

Schooner Porcupine,

Ditto,

1

" " "

N. B. In addition to the flags which belong to the captured vessels above named, there are, in this Department a Royal Standard of Great Britain, taken at York, on the 27th of April, 1813, a Royal Mace taken from the Parliament House, at the same time and place, and a Union Jack and flag, taken at Fort George, on the 27th of May, 1813. These were transmitted to the Department by Commodore Chauncey. It is believed that this statement includes all the flags of the public armed vessels of the enemy that have have been taken by the public armed vessels of the United States, since the commencement of the present war, excepting those of five small vessels, captured by Commodore Chauncey, on Lake Ontario, and those of the brigs Detroit and Caledonia, taken by Lieutenant Elliott, on Lake Erie, which have not been received.

Note.—See Military Affairs, No. 128.