gress voting
this medal is given under No. 25, page 154.]

_____

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.

_Captain Jacob Jones to the Secretary of the Navy._

To the Honourable
Paul HAMILTON, New York, November 24th, 1813.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.

Sir: I here avail myself of the first opportunity of informing
you of the occurrences of our cruise, which terminated in the
capture of the Wasp, on the 18th of October, by the Poictiers, of
74 guns, while a wreck from damages received in an engagement
with the British sloop-of-war Frolic, of 22 guns; 16 of them
32-pound carronades, and four twelve-pounders on the main deck,
and two twelve-pounders, carronades, on the top-gallant
forecastle, making her superior in force to us by four
twelve-pounders. The Frolic had struck to us, and was taken
possession of, about two hours before our surrendering to the
Poictiers.

We had left the Delaware on the 13th. The 16th had a heavy gale,
in which we lost our jib-boom and two men. Half-past 11, on the
night of the 17th, in the latitude of 37 degrees north, and
longitude 65 degrees west, we saw several sail; two of them
appeared very large. We stood from them for some time, then
shortened sail, and steered the remainder of the night the course
we had perceived them on. At daylight, on Sunday the 18th, we saw
them ahead, gave chase, and soon discovered them to be a convoy
of six sail, under the protection of a sloop-of-war, four of them
large ships, mounting from 16 to 18 guns. At 30 minutes past 11,
A.M., we engaged the sloop-of-war, having first received her
fire at the distance of fifty or sixty yards, which space we (p. 162)
gradually lessened until we laid her on board, after a well
supported fire of 43 minutes; and although so near, while
loading the last broadside, that our rammers were shoved against
the side of the enemy, our men exhibited the same alacrity which
they had done during the whole of the action. They immediately
surrendered upon our gaining their forecastle, so that no loss
was sustained on either side after boarding.

Our main-topmast was shot away between four and five minutes from
the commencement of the firing, and falling, together with the
main-topsail