1821-1822
The business community, too frequently inert, took notice of the menace to our shipping, especially in the West Indies, and began to exert pressure on our legislators. A memorial, signed by prominent men of the State of Massachusetts, protesting against the prevalence of privateering on the high seas, and asking that Congress take such measures as seemed advisable to bring about the reform of this practice, was written to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, under date of January 26, 1821.
It may be supposed that as a result of such communications to the government, "a number of small vessels were accordingly dispatched to the West Indies, but were so hampered by their instructions that they were obliged to surrender all pirates captured in Spanish American waters to the Cuban authorities for punishment, who, after a mockery of a trial, often released the wretches, to commence anew their depredations."
The events of the early months of this year have left but scanty traces on the record. It is only in July that we get a glimpse of naval activity through Commodore Patterson's report of the 16th to the Secretary of the Navy, that the Lynx and the Nonsuch were on a cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, " scouring our own coast from the Perdito to Sabine and generally run along the shores of Florida, then touch at Havana and Jamaica, &c, and return to the Balize, occasionally extending their cruise into the Bay of Campeachy and along the coast of Yuccatan."
The Bull Dog was then in Lake Borgne and working through the islands between Mobile and the Mississippi River. A division of small boats was at Barataria.
This disposition of Commodore Patterson's force suggests that it was more largely employed against slavers and smugglers than against pirates, and indeed its nature indicates a regrettable lack of appreciation at Washington of the extent to which piracy in adjacent waters had increased. The schooners Lynx, Lieutenant J. R. Madison, and Nonsuch, Lieutenant Daniel Turner, were the only efficient craft under his command for protecting our commerce on the high seas and of these, the former disappeared during the summer, her loss being attributed to a severe hurricane.
The majority of the cases of piracy are but briefly noticed in contemporaneous newspapers. It is therefore refreshing to get such fuller and official reports as this letter contains:
New Orleans, Sept. 10th, 1821.
Sir:
I have the honor to report that two acts of Piracy have very lately been committed on Vessels bound to this place, one on the Packet Ship Orleans of Philadelphia on the 19th ultimo, off the Island of Abaco, by a corvette of 14 guns, which detained the Orleans two days, plundered her of Goods to a large amount, said to be $60,000. and threatened to put the Capt. and crew to Death, which 'tis said they escaped only from the wind increasing & which compelled the Pirates to leave her and take the necessary measures of safety for their own Vessel.
The other act was committed on the American Brig Clarissa Ann from Greenock, bound to this place, on the 28th ulto., off Cape Antonio, by a small schooner manned by 12 or 14 Spaniards, who plundered her of Goods to the amt. of $20,000., besides the Capt. and Crew of their clothing and every valuable they could find, the Pirates behaving in the most infamous
manner and threatening them with Death
I have the honor to be,
With Great Respect,
Your obt. Servt.,
Danl. T. Patterson
Hon. Smith Thompson,
Secretary of the Navy,
Washington.
The boldness of the pirates is exemplified in the plundering of the schooner Union a little to the south of Cape Henry.5 A week later, we get this outburst:
Piracies of the most horrid description, except that we have not heard of so many murders as might be expected, are numerous off the coast of Cuba. &c. We some times see accounts of two or three vessels being plundered as it were in a day. It appears that several of the U. S. vessels are about to sail in quest of these freebooters—the fag end of what was recently called privateering.
As before, seizures increased in numbers as the sun travelled south.
August 31—The schooner Naticy Eleanor, Bizeul, of Charleston, was plundered of part of her cargo, off Trinidad; after which she was ransomed for $4000.
The schooner Bold Commander, Bogart, was robbed off Cape Cruz, and permitted to proceed, and on the 23rd of September, off the Isle of Pines, was again captured by an open boat and robbed of everything on board— after which the pirates freighted her with thirteen prisoners, and gave them the vessel.
October 11—The brig Melita, Pastorius, off Cape St. Antonio, was taken and plundered by a pirate; a boy and one of the hands hung; the captain stabbed in several places, and all the crew abused; after which they were suffered to proceed.
October 11—The schooner Leo, Chace, was boarded near the Hole-in-thewall, and plundered of sundry articles.
October 15—The brig Aristides, of Boston, Capt Couthouy, was taken and destroyed off Cape St. Antonio—the crew spared.
October 16—The ship Lucies, Missroon, was taken by the pirates, but rescued by the U. S. brig Enterprise.
The following particulars subsequent to the rescue of the ship Lucies by the Enterprise were afforded by the "U. S. schooner Tartar, Lieut. Crowley," on its arrival at Pensacola, several months later:
Captain Kearney having rescued the ship Lucies from the pirates, put a midshipman and some men on board, and ordered her to the Havana. On his arrival at Havana he found the Lucies in charge of a guard of Spanish soldiers, under the orders of the captain-general, claiming her as under his jurisdiction. Capt. K. repossessed himself of the ship, denying the right of the captain-general, and declaring that he would take her to the United States for adjudication. Whilst making his arrangements for this purpose, he was waited on by an officer of the Government, and told that he would not be suffered to leave the port with the Lucies, and, if he persisted, his vessel would be sunk. This threat did not alter his determination, and shortly afterwards he made sail with his fleet, the Enterprise, Lucies and piratical vessels, resolved to carry his point at all hazards. He proceeded until he was nearly abreast of the Moro, when he was overtaken by another message from the captain-general, in which the captaingeneral offered to make himself personally responsible for the amount of salvage due the Enterprise, pledging himself to this effect. This was done with a view to conciliate, and Capt. K. actuated by the same motives, yielded to the compromise, and gave up the Lucies.
October 18—The Charles Sidney, Haskell, was robbed of a number of articles.
November 15—The schooner Industry, Llufrio, of Baltimore, was plundered off Cape Nicholas-mole. The mate was three times hung by the neck.
November 27—The brig William Henry, of Baltimore, was robbed in the Mona passage. Escaped, leaving one man with the pirates.
December 9—The schooner Camden, of Camden, Maine, boarded and robbed off Cape St. Antonio by a piratical schooner and a boat. Took vessel inshore and destroyed her.
December 9—The schooner Peacock, Harraden, of Boston, was boarded near Havana, from a piratical schooner, and robbed of many articles.
December 12—The schr. Emily, Robbins, of Middletown, was boarded near Matanzas by a piratical schooner. After abusing the crew, hanging Capt. R. twice by the neck, and taking a quantity of plunder, they left the Emily to pursue her course.
December 16—The ship Liverpool Packet, Bicker, of Portsmouth, N. H, was boarded off Cape St. Antonio by two schooners and two barges, who robbed her of everything. The crew were beaten in a shocking manner and the mate hung until he was thought to be dead, but has since recovered. Vessel given up.
December 16—The schooner Planet, Denison, was boarded off Cape St. Antonio by two schooners who robbed her of many articles. Vessel given up.
A few other cases of piracy during this year are those of the John, Milo, Collector and Evergreen, mentioned in the introductory chapter.
Such happenings could not fail to bring forth protests, and under the caption Piracy, we read:
The present time seems to be entitled to the appellation of the age of piracy—caused chiefly by the spewings out of the late wars, and, especially so of the contests between Spain and her late "American colonies." The coasting trade of the United States is almost daily insulted—the voyage to and from New Orleans cannot be made in safety; and indeed, we are deficient in present means to protect it and bring the marauders to justice; for we have few vessels fitted for the purpose, notwithstanding the weight of our naval establishment. We want more strong, but "flying" schooners, to scour the coasts, and cause the property and persons of our citizens to be respected. The instances that reach us are of the most provoking description, and we can hardly open a newspaper without seeing "piracy" or "more piracy" staring us in the face…
To recapitulate all the cases of piracy that have occurred in our neighborhood, and give a list of all the vessels plundered within the last two months, would perhaps, fill a whole page! They are well known at "headquarters."
The gentleman rover who plundered the ship Orleans, already referred to in Patterson's communication of September 10, seems not to have been lacking in humor.
The ship Orleans of Philadelphia from New Orleans, was robbed off Cape Antonio, by a piratical corvette of 14 guns, of goods to the value of $40,000. The marauders appeared to be Spaniards. After robbing the ship, the chief of the pirates penciled in the French language, and delivered or sent to a United States' officer, a passenger on board the Orleans, the following note, which is correctly translated into English:
"At Sea and in Good Luck.
"Sir—Between buccaneers, no ceremony; I take your dry goods, and, in return, I send you pimento; therefore we are now even: I entertain no resentment.
"Bid good day to the officer of the United States, and tell him that I appreciate the energy with which he has spoken of me and my companions in arms. Nothing can intimidate us; we run the same fortune, and our maxim is, 'that the goods of this world belong to the brave and valiant.'
"The occupation of the Floridas is a pledge that the course I follow, is conformable to the policy pursued by the United States.
(Signed) Richard Coeur de Lion
Compared with the list of vessels seized or plundered by the pirates, that of the navy's successes, in its operations against them, is regrettably small. So far as can be determined, the 18-gun sloop of war Hornet, Master-Commandant Robert Henley; the 12-gun brig Enterprise, Lieutenant Lawrence Kearney; the 12-gun brig Spark; the 12-gun schooner Shark; the 12-gun schooner Porpoise, Lieutenant James Ramage; the 12-gun schooner Grampus, Lieutenant Francis Hoyt Gregory; and three gunboats were its sole representatives in West Indian waters outside of Commodore Patterson's command, and these were not sent there until the fall of 1821. They appear to have acted independently of each other. A brief summary of the results achieved is officially given:
Statement of Captures of Piratical Vessels and Boats Made by Vessels of the United States Navy in the West Indies
Four piratical schooners, of about 40 tons each, and one sloop, of 25 tons, in all carrying about 100 men, captured by Lieut. Com't L. Kearny, in the United States brig Enterprize, at Cape Antonio, Island of Cuba, Oct. 16th, 1821, in the act of robbing the American ship Lucies, American brig Aristides, and English brig Larch; burnt two of the piratical schooners; the other two, and the sloop, were sent into Charleston, S. C. and condemned.
Schooner Moscow, captured by Capt. Robert Henley, in the sloop of war Hornet, Oct. 29th, 1821, sent into Norfolk."
A boat laden with goods, captured by Lt. Commandent Ramage, off Cape Antonio, Nov. 8th, 1821; took out the goods, and destroyed the boat; crew escaped.
A schooner of about 35 tons, captured by Lieut. Commandant Kearny, 21st Dec. 1821; crew, about 25, escaped.
The first exploit of those just enumerated was accomplished by the boats from the Enterprise, and an interesting account was published within a short time. The pirate chief was the "notorious Gibbs."
The Pirates, even yet, appear to be very busy, and generally successful, though it seems that two or three of them have been caught and hung at Matanzas. We notice the robbery of several vessels, under the most aggravating circumstances. These wretches most probably have a residence in Cuba, and, as the people and government of that island are deeply interested in stopping their ravages, there is reason to hope that, with the aid of our small vessels, this much desired purpose may be effected. It is reported that there are eleven piratical vessels cruising between Cape Maize and St. Jago.
The ink with which the preceding was written was hardly dry, before we met with the following gratifying intelligence from Havana, via Charleston—the whole so stated that its truth seems undoubted. The ship Lucies, for Charleston from Liverpool, arrived at Havana on the 24th ult. in charge of a midshipman belonging to the U. S. brig Enterprise, captain Kearney. On the 16th of that month, this ship was taken possession of by four piratical vessels, off Cape Antonio (Cuba) who, after much abusing the crew, brought her to anchor in four fathoms water, where they had also in possession the brig Aristides, of Boston.—While they were engaged in plundering the ship, a brig and schooner hove in sight, which proved to be the U. S. brig Enterprise, and the schooner La Centilla, under the Colombian flag, commanded by Charles C. Hopner, both of whom, after due observation, opened fire on the piratical vessels. These run for it; but five boats were manned from the Enterprise, and the result was that three schooners and one sloop were captured, and another schooner (fully laden with plundered dry goods) was so closely pressed, that the wretches set fire to and abandoned her—she was consumed, but the pirates reached the shore. Captain Kearney also re-captured the British brig Larch. The prizes and the pirates taken (who do not exceed 40) were ordered for Charleston, to award the awful award of their crimes. It is probable that this fortunate and well managed affair will check, if it does not break up, piracy in this quarter, and will probably lead to a discovery of who they are that fit out and encourage these marauders, to whom the government of Cuba, we have no doubt, will render justice. We say—Let It Be Done.
It seems that the pirates, when the Enterprise approached them first, had the audacity to hoist the red Hag. Captain Hopner seems to deserve much credit for the aid which he rendered on this occasion. To captain Kearney many thanks are justly due. Captain Hopner was in want of some supplies, which the captain of the Lucies was able and gratefully willing to furnish—but he would not accept them on any other terms than paying more than was asked for them.
Another, and what is apparently a later account, says, that only one of the piratical vessels was taken—yet the fact of the re-capture of the Lucies, &c. is confirmed. The robbers escaped to and landed on Cape Antonio.
A month later Kearney destroyed a nest of pirates at Cape Antonio.
The second episode is thus officially reported:
U.S. Ship "Hornet," At Sea, October 30th, 1821.
Lat. 190 47' N. Long. 740 05' W.
Sir:
…Having had bad weather and unfavorable winds almost ever since, we did not get through Turks Island passage until yesterday, when we fell in with and captured off St. Domingo, the Piratical Armed Schooner called the Moscow, mounting one two-pounder. She has no commission and a mixed crew of Blacks and Spaniards, Nineteen in number. I have put on board the necessary officers and men to Navigate her, and have instructed Mids. Kennon to proceed with her and such part of her crew as I have thought it safe to leave on board, to the first convenient port, agreeably to your general instructions, and deliver her over to the Civil authority.
We found on board a number of articles, evidently, of her plunder. She has been out but a short time, as she had on board fresh fruit, &c She was in pursuit of a Merchant Brig at the moment we came up with her.
I have the honor to be,
Sir, with great respect,
Yr. obt. Svt.
R. Henley.
The Honble.
Smith Thompson, Secretary of the U. S. Navy.
On December 1, 1821, the brig Larch, recaptured by the Enterprise, arrived at St. Andrews. The Larch and the Lucies furnished volunteers for the affair with the pirates.
Better than nothing, however slight, was Ramage's seizure of a boat on November 8. The work was done by boats from the Porpoise under the immediate command of Lieutenant Curtis, and is referred to in a letter from Ramage to the Secretary of the Navy:
U. S. Schooner "Porpoise" Off Matanzas,
Island of Cuba, 24th November 1821.
Sir:
On the 4th instant I received information of a piratical boat off Cape Antonio; on the 8th, I arrived there and captured her loaded. The goods I took on board here. The crew of the captured boat made their escape to the woods on the approach of force…
It is impossible to share the optimism of President Monroe, or to discern the "considerable check" he mentions in his fifth annual message to Congress on December 3, 1821:
Vessels have likewise been employed in cruizing along the Atlantic coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, on the coast of Africa, and in the neighboring seas. In the latter, many piracies have been committed on our commerce, and so extensive was becoming the range of those unprincipled adventurers, that there was cause to apprehend without a timely and decisive effort to suppress them the worst consequences would ensue. Fortunately, a considerable check has been given to that spirit by our cruizers, who have succeeded in capturing and destroying several of their vessels. Nevertheless, it is considered an object of high importance to continue these cruizers until the practice is entirely suppressed.
Many more vessels of war, under vigorous and skilful control, were needed. Adequate means in the competent hands of a local commander-in-chief would alone suffice. Anything less was a waste of time and effort so far as the total extirpation of pirates was concerned. An occasional brush with them here and there was of no avail. For years, this system had been pursued and under it piracy had flourished. That it still continued to do so is proved by a letter from Havana, dated December 14, 1821:
The cruisers are again plundering the vessels of the United States, as soon as the latter leave the coast; and there are now three out from Regla, full manned, who board every vessel they fall in with, and have this week ransacked several and maltreated the crews. We do not know where the vessels are which were about out here for our protection, as none of them have appeared for many days nor entered the port.
It was just at the time of writing this letter—December 13, to be exact, that the schooner Exertion, Captain Barnabas Lincoln, was captured off Cape Cruz by a Mexican schooner of 4 guns and 40 men, and robbed of everything.
The year 1822 was marked, on the one hand, by increased depredations upon our commerce and, on the other, happily, by a larger number of captures of piratical craft by our cruisers, heavily reinforced in those waters during the spring. The West India squadron was placed under the command of Captain James Biddle, in the frigate Macedonian. During the year the following vessels were under his orders:
Frigate Congress 36 guns
Corvette John Adams 24 guns
Sloop of War Hornet 18 guns
Sloop of War Peacock 18 guns
Brig Spark 12 guns
Brig Enterprise 12 guns
Schooner Alligator 12 guns
Schooner Grampus 12 guns
Schooner Shark 12 guns
Schooner Porpoise 12 guns
Gunboats No. 158 and No. 168.
It should have been evident that the larger ships could be of little value on such service except through the moral influence of their presence and as mother-ships to the smaller vessels. Biddle's squadron had, however, the effect of making plain to the local authorities in Cuba. Porto Rico, etc., that the United States had taken up the matter of piracy seriously and with the determination to suppress it at all costs. It is to be noted that an extra number of officers was assigned to certain of these vessels, doubtless with a view to their employment in surveying and in boat expeditions. Thus, borne on the books of the Porpoise as on duty, "West India Station," were no less than 22 lieutenants besides Ramage, her captain. Her medical staff under the same head comprised six surgeon's mates.
As the detailed narrative shows, the credit for the actual work done must be largely awarded to the brigs, the schooners and the gunboats. The total tonnage and the total number of men in the squadron, distributed among light draft swift schooners, would have yielded a far greater return.
On the 7th of January, the brig Spark, Captain John H. Elton, recaptured a Dutch sloop from the pirates and sent her to Charleston, S. C, with a prize crew.
United States Brig "Spark"
Charleston Harbor, 26 Feby. 1822.
Sir:
I have to report having brought into this port for trial seven men found on board a Dutch vessel, which I recaptured from them in the early part of January last off the island of Aruba.
Perhaps, Sir, in the re-capture of this vessel I have exercised to the full extent the authority vested in me by your orders, and also all the power authorized by an extensive construction of the act of Congress relating to pirates. But, Sir, I trust that upon reflection you will approve the steps I have taken in displacing them and bringing them to the United States for trial.
They report themselves as originally belonging to a Spanish felucca privateer sailing under a commission granted by the commander of a Spanish Frigate, then laying in Puerto Cabello, but had no document whatever to confirm what they asserted, nor any paper shewing their authority for cruising upon the high seas. Even admitting that authority was invested from such source, I acted under a belief that it was illegal, and of course ought to be discountenanced by a commander situated as I was, for I felt myself obligated to use all means compatible with the maritime law of nations for the protection of our vessels, which from their defenceless state in those seas were subjected to the aggression of armed forces fitted by private individuals for the avowed purpose of capturing every vessel that should fall in their way, and which they did on the plea of an intention on the part of vessels so captured of violating the royal Spanish blockade which was said to be ordered. And, Sir, in arresting the progress of these men I conceived that I saved much property that was afloat in those seas belonging to citizens of the United States, as they were armed and prepared to capture such vessels as were found in their way.
Independent of these considerations, there was circumstantial evidence sufficient to confirm a belief in my mind of their being pirates of the worst class…
I have the honor to be,
Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedt. Servant, Jno. H Elton.
Honorable
Smith Thompson,
Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D. C.
That piracy was becoming more and more rampant is certain from the following record of depredations:
"January 14—The brig Bolivia, of Boston, was robbed by pirates off Cape St. Antonio. The crew were treated in a cruel and inhuman manner. Vessel given up.
This was probably the brig Bolina mentioned in the log of the Porpoise, under date of January 15.
January 15—The schooner Emerald, Bradford, of New York, was treacherously seized by pirates on the coast of Cuba, the pirates, eight in number, using a boat from shore. The captain and crew were wounded more or less by knives, &c. Vessel given up.
The brig Alliance, Perkins, of Kennebunk, Maine, bound from Port au Prince to New Orleans, was plundered and burnt off Cape St. Antonio by a schooner of 30 tons and 25 men. The vessel was run ashore and her crew turned adrift in an open boat.
January 16—The schooner Charles, Glavery, of Baltimore, was taken by the pirates off Cape St. Antonio; afterwards abandoned.
The schooner Camden, Perkins, of Camden, Me., was destroyed off Cape St. Antonio. Crew saved.
The brig Dover, Sabins, was robbed a few hours out of Matanzas, and suffered to proceed.
January 24—The schooner Jane, Miller, of Boston, was taken possession of by pirates in the Santara channel; plundered and given up.
This was a dreary record of losses, but the indefatigable Ramage delivered a telling blow in reply:
From the 15th of January to the 1st of February, 1822, the U. S. schooner Porpoise, swept the N. W. coast of Cuba, and captured and destroyed twelve vessels and two on the stocks, besides three establishments on shore.
The official notification of this good work on Ramage's part is contained in the following letters:
U. S. Schooner "Porpoise,"
Off the North Coast of Cuba, 20th January 1822.
Sir:—Having completed the necessary equipments of this vessel, at New Orleans, on the 7th inst. and previously given public notice that I should sail from the Balize on the 10th, with convoy, I have now the honor to inform you that I proceeded to sea on the day appointed, with five sail under my protection. On the 15th, having seen the vessels bound to Havana and Matanzas safe to their destined ports, I made all sail to the westward, and 011 the following day boarded the brig Bolina, of Boston, Gorham master, from whom I received the following information: That, on the day previous, his vessel was captured by pirates, and robbed of every material they could carry away with them, at the same time treating the crew and himself with inhuman cruelty. After supplying him from this vessel with what necessaries he required, I made sail for the land, and early the following morning, (Saddle Hill, on the north coast of Cuba, then bearing. S. by E.) I despatched our boats, with forty men, under command of lieut. Curtis, in pursuit of these enemies of the human race. The boats having crossed the reef, which here extends a considerable distance from the shore, very soon discovered, chased, and captured, a piratical schooner, the crew of which made their escape to the woods. Lieut. Curtis very judiciously manned the prize from our boats, and proceeded about ten miles to leeward, where it was understood, the principal depot of these marauders was established. This he fortunately discovered and attacked. A slight skirmish here took place, but, as our force advanced, the opposing party precipitately retreated. We then took possession, and burnt and destroyed their fleet, consisting of five vessels—one of them a beautiful new schooner, of about sixty tons, ready for sea, with the exception of her sails. We also took three prisoners; the others fled to the woods.
In the affair just mentioned, the officers of the expedition state the enemy's loss to be severe. Only one man was wounded in our boats—and it is worthy of remark, that this man was one of their own gang, then a prisoner in our possession, and surrounded by our people.
The destruction of this place will, I trust, be of some service. From information by me received, it was their principal depot, from whence they dispatched squadrons to Cape Antonio. These returning, loaded with plunder, it was transhipped to Havana in vessels sent from there for that purpose. Stores and materials were collected on the spot, not only for repairing but building vessels.
The prisoners now on board are recognized by a seaman in my possession, who was one of \he crew of the English ship Alexander, of Greenock, lately burnt by these pirates; and, not content with destroying the vessel, they inhumanly butchered her unfortunate commander. The seaman in question, I retain as an evidence in the case.
Lieut. Curtis speaks in the highest terms of the gallantry and good conduct of midshipmen Pinkney, Kingston and Morris; as also of doctor Terrill, and every other officer and man employed in the expedition. Nothing could exceed their ardor in pursuit but their enthusiasm in attack; and both affording abundant proof that more would have been done had more been required.
I have manned one of the schooners taken, a very fine fast sailing vessel, and keep her with me. She will prove of great service in my farther operations on this coast.
I cannot close this letter, sir, without naming to you lieut. Curtis, whose conduct, not only in the present instance, but in every other respect, during the period he has been under my command, has merited my warm and decided approbation.
I have the honor to be, &c.
James Ramage
Honorable Smith Thompson,
Secretary of the Navy.
The following extract from a letter of Lieutenant Ramage to the naval officer commanding at Charleston, throws a little more light on his operations at this time:
Off the North Coast of Cuba
25th January, 1822.
I have just time to tell you I shall be at Charleston in two or three weeks. I have taken and destroyed six piratical vessels, burnt two of their establishments, killed some of their people, and have now some prisoners on board. I also recaptured from them an American vessel, which had been in their possession three days. I have one of the schooners taken, acting as a tender, and find her of great service.
?
He also writes to Commodore Patterson a few days later:
United States Schooner "Porpoise,"
Off the North Coast of Cuba,
29th Jany, 1822.
Dear Sir:—
Another opportunity affords me another occasion of addressing you. I yesterday captured and destroyed four more piratical Vessels and made six prisoners. I have also, since I last communicated to you, burnt two of their principal depots, containing stores, materials, &c, and two new Vessels on the stocks. I believe I have pretty well cleared this part of the coast, and am now proceeding with my Tender off Matanzas, where, I understand, some depredations have lately been committed.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours Respectfully,
James Ramage
Com. D. T. Patterson,
U. S. Navy,
New Orleans.
His immediate superior (for Biddle, who did not sail from Boston until March, had not arrived on the station) had likewise not been idle:
New Orleans, January 30, 1822.
Sir:
The Boats of the Barataria Station, under Lieut. Cunningham, succeeded a few days ago in capturing a Pirogue, Campeachy built, with eight armed men on board, of most suspicious appearance and character, whom he sent to this place for trial, and a Bill has been found against them for Piracy.
I have the honor to be,
With Great Respect,
Your obt. Servt
Danl. T. Patterson
Hon. Smith Thompson
Secretary of the Navy,
Washington.