that the American Navy should be taught to disregard problematic dangers and that our force should be employed while the French have but little force, in destroying what little they have and in producing a scarcity of provisions and the consequent discontent flowing from such a source, in their Islands, I have the honor, sir, to submit for your cousideration" an arrangement for sending successive expeditions to the West Indies, while at the same time maintaining the patrol of the Atlantic coast of the United States with an adequate force. New England would be guarded by the Herald and Pickering, the middle section by the Baltimore and two revenue cutters, and the southern coast by a frigate and two cutters. Meanwhile another frigate with the Montezuma, 20, would sail for the West Indies and relieve Barry, who would return home with the United States and Delaware; later the frigate on the southern coast would be sent to the West Indies with the Ganges. The general plan here proposed was carried out, though with changes of detail. The Constellation and Baltimore went to Havana soon after this, as has been seen, and later the Montezuma, with two smaller vessels, was sent to cruise among the Windward Islands. In his letter the secretary adds: "By keeping up incessant attacks on the French cruisers on their own ground they will, in a degree at least, be prevented from coming on ours." 1

1 Barry, pp. 356-358.

Commodore Barry returned to Delaware Bay with his little squadron after a cruise of nearly two months, arriving at New Castle September 20. The Secretary of the Navy complained to the President of this early return, attributing it to fear of hurricanes. Yet in his instructions to Barry he had mentioned two months as the proper length of the cruise. The results of the expedition were disappointing to the naval commanders as well as to the secretary, for little had been accomplished but the capture of two small French privateers, the Sans Pareil and Jaloux. In the fall the United States patrolled the coast for a month, to the eastward, and the Delaware to the southward. The frigate sprung her bowsprit and was otherwise disabled in a severe gale, during which Lieutenant James Barron saved her masts, and possibly the ship too, by setting up the rigging, which had become dangerously slack, under great difficulties. The United States was now obliged to cut short her cruise and return to Delaware Bay, arriving at Chester November 9. The damage having been repaired, Barry received orders, dated December 7, to proceed with the United States to the West Indies and take command of a squadron to be employed there during the winter. 1

On July 2, 1798, "precisely at 10 minutes before one o'clock, the frigate Constitution, Captain Nicholson, came to sail from her moorings off the Long

1 Barry, pp. 358, 359, 361-364, 366–372; Decatur, pp. 26–29.

Wharf. The wind was about West, a moderate breeze. She proceeded half the way to the Castle under her three topsails and fore-topmast stay-sail; after which the top gallant sails were set. She passed the Fort at 10 minutes after one, having run three miles against a strong tide; and a few moments subsequent came to anchor in King Road, just below Spectacle Island. In getting under way, a Federal Salute was given to the town; and on passing the Castle that fortress received and returned a salute. The beauty of her appearance on the water and the rapidity of her sailing is the subject of admiration and conversation by both foreigners and native citizens who are connoisseurs in naval excellence."1 The frigate got to sea Sunday, July 22. "She has on board 388 young, well-built, healthy Americans. Captain Nicholson merits great applause for his unwearied assiduity and unremitted endeavors to render her the pride of the American navy—and a pattern of the glorious palladium, whose name she bears."2 Isaac Hull, under whose command she afterwards won the first of her famous victories in the War of 1812, was at this time one of her lieutenants.

After a month at sea the Constitution put into Newport August 21, where Captain Nicholson found the secretary's orders of the 13th directing him to cruise along the coast south of Cape Henry in com1 Mass. Mercury, July 3, 1798.

2 Columbian Centinel, July 25, 1798.