the 27th Jan. 1809, he took, after a long chase, le Pommereuil cutter privateer, of 14 guns and 60 men.
The comparatively unimportant series of services to which Captain Broke was now restricted, he being attached to the Channel fleet, and principally employed in watching the enemy’s ports, would not justify us in trespassing on the patience of our readers by entering into a detail of them: we shall therefore proceed with him to the Halifax station, where he arrived Sept. 24, 1811. At this period the machinations of the French government to produce a war between England and America had long been sufficiently evident, and the hostile inclination of the United States was now equally obvious.
On the 18th June, 1812, a formal declaration of war against Great Britain was made on the part of Congress; and on the 5th of the ensuing month Captain Broke was despatched by Vice-Admiral Sawyer, with the Africa 64, and Belvidera and AEolus frigates under his orders, to blockade the enemy’s ports[1]. Eleven days afterwards he captured the American brig Nautilus, of 14 guns and 106 men, off Sandy Hook. The same evening another vessel was seen, which proved to be the Constitution, of 56 guns. All sail was immediately made in chase, and by 3h 30' A.M. on the 17th, one of the British squadron had arrived within gun-shot of the enemy’s ship, notwithstanding which the latter succeeded in effecting her escape, after an anxious pursuit of sixty-five hours[2]. Captain Broke now proceeded to the eastward in quest of Commodore Rodgers, who had sailed from New York with a squadron to intercept our homeward bound West India trade.
On the 29th Captain Broke fell in with the fleet from Jamaica, under convoy of the Thetis frigate; and having seen them in safety over the banks of Newfoundland, stood back towards the enemy’s coast, where he destroyed many American merchantmen, and re-captured several British vessels. His provisions and stores being at length exhausted, he returned to Halifax on the 20th September, and there had the mortification to learn that the Guerriere had been taken by the Constitution [3].
- ↑ The Guerriere was subsequently added to Captain Broke’s squadron.
- ↑ See Captains Richard Byron, C.B. and James R. Dacres.
- ↑ The Guerriere, Belvidera, Africa, and AEolus, had successively parted
