ad been declared against Great Britain. He refitted
his ship with all possible dispatch, and repaired to sea, but met with
no other good fortune than the capture of an inconsiderable prize. He
next sailed from Philadelphia on the 13th of October, and on the 18th
of the same month encountered a heavy gale, during which the Wasp
lost her jibboom and two seamen. On the following night, the watch
discovered five strange sail steering eastward. The Wasp hauled to
the windward and closely watched their movements until daylight next
morning, when it was found that they were six large merchant vessels
under convoy of a sloop of war. The former were well manned, two
of them mounting sixteen guns each. Notwithstanding the apparent
disparity of force. Captain Jones determined to hazard an attack;
and as the weather was boisterous, and the swell of the sea unusually
high, he ordered down top-gallant yards, closely reefed the top-sails,
and prepared for action. We cannot give a detail of this brilliant
engagement, which resulted in the capture of the Frolic. It was one of
the most daring and determined actions in our naval history. The force
of the Frolic consisted of sixteen thirty-two pound carronades, four
twelve-pounders on the maindeck, and two twelve-pound carronades.
Both vessels had more men than was essential to their efficiency; but
while there was an equality of strength in the crews, there was an
inequality in the number of guns and weight of metal--the Frolic
having four twelve-pounders more than the Wasp. The exact number of
killed and wounded on board the Frolic could not be ascertained with
any degree of precision; but, from the admissions of the British
officers, it was supposed that their loss in killed was about thirty,
including two officers, and in wounded, between forty and fifty. The
captain and every other officer on board were more or less severely
wounded. The Wasp sustained a loss of only five men killed, and five
wounded.

While erecting jurymasts on board the Frolic, soon after, a suspicious
sail was seen to windward, upon which Captain Jones directed
Lieutenant Biddle to shape her course for Charleston, or any other
port of the United States, while the Wasp should continue upon
her cruise. The sail coming down rapidly, both vessels prepared
for action, but it was soon discovered, to the mortification of
the victors in this well-fought action, that the new enemy was a
seventy-four, which proved to be th