159Porter had no inkling there was bad blood: Porter, Journal, 252–53; Alexander, The Bounty, 351.
Chapter Fourteen: The Hunt for the Essex
161While waiting for Downes to return: Porter, Journal, 255–58.
162With all this in place, Porter left: Ibid., 269–70.
163Porter expected Downes to arrive any day now: Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:712.
164The rest of the news from Downes: Porter, Journal, 271–72.
164In fact, in March 1813, the Admiralty: Admiralty to Hillyar, March 12, 1813, in Dudley, ed., Naval War of 1812, 2:710–11.
165The Canadian Northwest Company: Kenneth McNaught, The Penguin History of Canada (London: Penguin, 1988), 64–65.
165The large storeship Isaac Todd: Gerald S. Graham and R.A. Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 1807–1823: Correspondence of the Commanders-in-Chief on the South American Station (London: Spottiswoode, Ballantyne and Co., 1962), 93; Kevin D. McCranie, Utmost Gallantry: The U.S. and Royal Navies at Sea in the War of 1812 (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2011, 181.
167Dixon did not know Porter’s exact whereabouts: Dixon to Croker, June 9, 1813; Dixon to Croker, June 11, 1813; Captain Heywood to Dixon, May 10, 1813; Brown and Watson (British agents) to Captain Heyward, April 8, 1813; in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 90–92.
167When Hillyar arrived in Rio: Dixon to Croker, June 21, 1813, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 93.
167Nearly a month went by, however, before Hillyar: Report of Captain William Black of the Racoon to Croker, Columbia River, Dec. 13, 1813, in Oregon Historical Quarterly, xvii (1916), 147–48; McCranie, Utmost Gallantry, 184.
168Hillyar’s expectations about the Essex: Captain William Bowles to Croker, Sept. 5, 1813; Hillyar to Croker, March 30, 1814, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 141.
168Meanwhile, Captain Black sailed the Racoon: Report of Captain William Black of the Racoon to Croker, Dec. 15, 1813 in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 149.
168The Pacific Northwest had been of great interest: Frederick Merk, The Oregon Question: Essays in Anglo-American Diplomacy and Politics (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1967), 1–29.
169Porter enumerated in his journal: Porter, Journal, 273–77.
170Porter left the Galapagos in the nick of time: Hillyar to Croker, Jan. 24, 1814, ADM 1/1949/186; McCranie, Utmost Gallantry, 184.
Chapter Fifteen: The Marquesas Islands: “In Vales of Eden”
171When Porter stood out from the Galapagos: Porter, Journal, 281.
172When, in the late nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson: Robert Louis Stevenson, In the South Seas (London: Penguin, 1998, first published in 1896), ix.
172“No part of the world exerts the same attractive power”: Ibid., 5–6.
173“I can only conjecture”: Quoted in Anne Salmond, Bligh: William Bligh in the South Seas (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011), 215–16; Alexander, The Bounty, 357.
173Bligh was undoubtedly right: Quoted in Alexander, The Bounty, 155.
173The mutineers had firm control: Ibid., 107.
173Once the Bounty left Tahiti: Ibid., 140.
174At the time of the mutiny, the Bounty’s: Ibid., 171.
174Bligh’s chances of survival were practically nil: Lieutenant William Bligh to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Aug. 18, 1789, in William Bligh & Edward Christian: The Bounty Mutiny (New York: Penguin Books, 2001), 72.
174Porter studied Bligh’s account carefully: Alexander, The Bounty, 77.
175Mutiny was in the air in those days: N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649–1815 (New York: W.W. Norton, 2004), 446–47.
175Inspired by the apparent success at Spithead: Ibid., 447–50.
176Not long afterward, another sensational mutiny: John Wetherell, The Adventures of John Wetherell, ed. by C.S. Forester (New York: Doubleday, 1953).
176For nine months, Pigot’s abusive behavior: The best account of the mutiny is Dudley Pope, The Black Ship (New York: Henry Holt, 1963); see also Rodger, Command of the Ocean, 452.
178As light trade winds swept the Essex: Porter, Journal, 284.
179“the beauties of the islands they were about visiting”: Ibid.
179Cook personally led the initial landing party: J.C. Beaglehole, The Life of Captain Cook (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 1974), 375–79.
179But what was truly striking: Ibid., 275.
179Unfortunately, Cook soon got caught up: James Cook, The Journals, Philip Edwards, ed. (New York: Penguin, 2003), 339–44.
179Porter knew the story well: David Dixon Porter, Memoir of Commodore David Porter, 168.
180The first island in the archipelago that Mendaña: J.C. Beaglehole, The Exploration of the Pacific, 3rd ed. (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 1966), 66.
180Mendaña’s chief pilot: Ibid., 68.
180The Marquesas were spared more European visitors: Greg Dening, Island and Beaches: Discourses on a Silent Land: Marquesas 1774–1880 (Chicago: Dorsey Press, 1980).
181As the Essex drove west: Porter, Journal, 282.
181In spite of the idyllic conditions: Ibid., 286.
181Disgusted, he moved on, continuing west: Ibid., 289–90.
182Soon, more canoes filled with men: Ibid., 290–93.
183This first encounter with what the Essex men: Ibid. 293–98.
184Porter anchored off Ua Huka for the night: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 25, 1813.
Chapter Sixteen: Nuku Hiva
185“No description can do justice to its beauty”: Herman Melville, Typee (New York: Penguin Classics, 1996; originally published 1846), p. 12; Hershel Parker, Herman Melville, A Biography, Volume I, 1819–1851 (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005), 211.
185Robert Louis Stevenson was just as enthralled: Robert Louis Stevenson, In the South Seas (London: Penguin, 1998, first published in 1896), 6–7.
185Porter renamed Taiohae as Massachusetts Bay: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 25, 1813; Porter, Journal, 300–301.
186After looking into the bay: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 26, 1813; Porter, Journal, 443–44.
186Before Downes arrived, Porter had a surprise: Diana Fontaine Maury Corbin, A Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, U.S.N. and C.S.N. (London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1888), 11–13.
188The tattooed man who had accompanied Maury: Porter, Journal, 303–4.
188When Porter first arrived on the beach: Ibid., 320–24.
189When it came time to reassemble: Ibid., 306.
189The women beguiled Porter: Ibid., 308.
190Porter does not mention where David Farragut: David Farragut, Some Reminiscences of Early Life, quoted in Lewis, David Glasgow Farragut, 85 and 324; Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 27.
190Porter wanted no part in the politics or wars: Porter, Journal, 305–6.
191While the messenger to the Hapa’a was away: Ibid., 311.
191After selecting his strongpoint: Ibid., 318.
191Gattanewa soon paid a visit: Ibid., 315.
192While all this activity was going on: Ibid., 317–18.
192On October 28, Gattanewa: Ibid., 326.
193Lieutenant Downes now departed: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 29, 1813.
193Mouina was barefoot: Porter, Journal, 421–22.
193Porter continued to follow Downes’s movements: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 30, 1813; Porter, Journal, 327–28.
194When they arrived, Porter released Gattanewa: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Oct. 31, 1813.
194Porter was interested in what the Taiohae: Ibid.; Porter, Journal, 329–39.
195Mowattaeeh noticed the tents: Porter, Journal, 349–51.
195On November 3, an amazing event occurred: Ibid., 357–58.
19
6As the days went by, Porter and his men: Ibid., 359.
197Over thirty percent of the Bounty’s crew: Salmond, Bligh, 163.
197contact with people like Cook: Glyn Williams, The Death of Captain Cook: A Hero Made and Unmade (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2008), 2.
197By the time the Taiohae and Hapa’a: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Nov. 2, 1813.
197After the rats had been removed: Porter, Journal, 361.
Chapter Seventeen: Annexation and War
199With repairs going well: Porter, Journal, 366–68.
200Before attacking the Taipi: Ibid., 374–78; Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Nov. 19, 1813.
201At the same time that he was taking: Porter, Journal, 379.
202On November 28, Porter set about: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Nov. 29, 1813.
203Deeply chagrined, Porter believed: Porter, Journal, 393.
204At daylight, Porter went about: Ibid., 395.
204Porter’s party spent the night: Ibid., 397.
205The compulsion he felt was peculiar to him: Ibid.
205This was a far cry from his claim: Ibid., 398.
205After briefly resting his party at the summit: Ibid., 392.
205Taipi drums were beating: Ibid., 400–401.
206Once the work of savaging the Taipi: Ibid., 403.
206When the column reached the summit: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Nov. 29–Dec. 2, 1813.
206With the defeat of the Taipi, Porter believed: Porter, Journal, 405.
Chapter Eighteen: Mutiny
209While Porter was dealing with his other problems: Porter, Journal, 369.
209A seaman named Lawson: Journal of Midshipman William W. Feltus, Nov. 16, 1813.
210On the afternoon of November 15: Ibid., Nov. 17 and 18, 1813.
210Lawson and his mates were a small problem: Porter, Journal, 371–74.
211Dealing with the problem of expiring enlistments: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 29–30.
213Porter thought that he had to guard: Porter, Journal, 443.
Chapter Nineteen: Showdown in Valparaiso
215The Essex and Essex Junior were stuffed: Porter, Journal, 281.
215Actually, his orders were to engage: Secretary of the Navy Jones to Master Commandant John O. Creighton, Dec. 22, 1813, in Dudley, ed., Naval War of 1812, 2:296–97.
216Shortly after they left Nuku Hiva: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 30–33.
216For nine days after the Essex and Essex Junior left: Ibid., 31; Porter, Journal, 438 and 446.
216As Porter approached the coast of South America: Porter to Downes, Jan. 10, 1814, Porter Papers, Naval Academy Museum.
218On January 12, a month after leaving: Porter, Journal, 446.
218After exchanging salutes with the battery on old Fort Viejo: Luis Galdames, A History of Chile, trans. Isaac Joslin Cox (New York: Russell & Russell, 1964), 177–80.
219Soon after Porter’s arrival in February: Porter to Secretary of the Navy Jones, July 13, 1814, in Michael J. Crawford, ed., The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History (Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center, 2002), 3:715–16.
220All was in readiness on the Essex as well: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 33.
220Playing on the fact that Valparaiso: Ibid., 33–34.
221“O, sir,” Hillyar shouted to Porter: Porter, Journal, 474–75.
221Nonetheless, Porter was leery: Mahan, Admiral Farragut, 32–33.
221In trying to extricate himself: Porter, Journal, 475.
222But the Phoebe never touched the Essex: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 33–34.
222As soon as the Phoebe was in place: Porter, Journal, 475–76.
222Porter insisted that respect for Chilean neutrality: Ibid., 476–77.
223During their later meetings, Porter made it clear: Dixon to Croker, June 21, 1813, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 93–95.
224Hillyar could afford to wait: Hillyar to Croker, Feb. 28, 1814, in ibid., 133–34.
224Porter for his part continued trying: Statement of Master Commandant John Downes, Niles Weekly Register, Aug. 20, 1814; Porter, Journal, 484–89.
225During this set-to, the Phoebe showed: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 34; Captain James Hillyar to First Secretary of the Admiralty John W. Croker, June 26, 1814 in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:719–20.
226On March 14, Porter began a paper war: Porter, Journal, 253–54.
226An opportunity arose on March 28: J. Fred Rippy, Joel R. Poinsett, Versatile American (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1935), 54.
226At that moment, Phoebe and Cherub: A piece of the Log Book of U.S. Frigate Essex, printed in the New York Evening Post, July 8, 1814 in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:725–26; David G. Farragut, “Some Reminiscences of Early Life,” in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:748–59.
227Being in neutral territory did not put a check: Alfred Thayer Mahan, Sea Power in Its Relationship to the War of 1812 (Boston: Little Brown, 1905), 2:248.
228Despite the significant advantage he now had: Rippy, Joel R. Poinsett, 54; Porter, Journal, 462.
228The men from all the ships were ready for a fight: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 35.
228They hoped in vain: Hillyar to Croker, March 30, 1814, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 140.
229Farragut was stationed beside the captain: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 40.
230When he wasn’t employed otherwise, Farragut: Ibid., 41.
230Hillyar soon returned to the attack: Porter, Journal, 455.
230The Cherub was forced to haul off: Ibid., 455–56.
231At this moment, Lieutenant Downes appeared: Ibid., 456.
231All the while, fires continued to threaten: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 45.
232Roach’s conduct puzzled Farragut: Ibid.
232The Essex had now drifted to a point: Porter, Journal, 457.
232Farragut received orders to bring gun primers: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 41.
233Not long afterward, Farragut saw: Ibid., 43.
233The Essex’s condition had now deteriorated: Porter, Journal, 457–58. 233 In spite of the American flag having come down: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 41.
Chapter Twenty: The Butcher’s Bill
235Porter and Farragut, although remaining exposed: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 42.
236The dying men—ordinary jack tars: Ibid.
236A young Scot named Bissley: Ibid., 42–43.
236Porter said of his crew: Porter, Journal, 458.
236Captain Hillyar reported only four killed: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 39–40.
237Some months later, when Porter wrote: Porter to Jones, July 3, 1814, in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:730–39; Porter, Journal, 459–60.
237Looking back many years later, Farragut: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 38.
238“I had done all the injury that could be done”: Porter, Journal, 452.
238At length, a boarding officer arrived: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 41–42.
238Somewhat absent-mindedly, Hillyar accepted: Hillyar to Porter, April 4, 1814, in Porter, Journal, 463.
238Much controversy arose over Hillyar’s conduct: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 39.
239It was said that William Ingram: Ibid.
239Theodore Roosevelt, in his study: Theodore Roosevelt, The Naval War of 1812 (New York by Putnam, 1882; New York: Random House, 1999), 167.
239Hillyar, as might be expected, heatedly denied: Captain James Hillyar to First Secretary of the Admiralty John W. Croker, June 26, 1814, in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:719–20.
239“In justice to Commodore Hillyar”: Porter, Journal, 461.
240Porter did not expect to receive any comfort: Ibid., 490.
240Far
ragut volunteered to assist: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 44.
240By April 4, 1814, Hillyar: Hillyar to Porter, April 4, 1814; Porter to Hillyar, April 5, 1814, in Porter, Journal, 466–67.
241Porter suspected that Hillyar: Ibid., 491.
241Once their business was completed in England: Stephen W.H. Duffy, Captain Blakeley and the Wasp: The Cruise of 1814 (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2001), 265–73.
242Now it was time for Porter to take his leave of Hillyar: Porter, Journal, 491.
242When Essex Junior stood out from Valparaiso: One of the 130 was John Maury. He eventually went back to the United States after the Battle of Valparaiso and was assigned to Commodore Macdonough on Lake Champlain, but he arrived just after his historic fight. Frances Leigh Williams, Matthew Fontaine Maury, Scientist of the Sea (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1963), 22–25.
242Two of the wounded were left behind: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 45.
243As late as July 1814, when he was reporting to Secretary of the Navy Jones: Captain David Porter to Secretary of the Navy Jones, July 3, 1814, in Crawford, ed., Naval War of 1812, 3:730-39.
243Hillyar, on the other hand, was always confident: Log Book of HM Frigate Phoebe, April 27, 1814, in Crawford, ed., Naval Documents, 3:745; Hillyar to Croker, March 30, 1814, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 142.
243Hillyar was not exaggerating: Hillyar to Croker, May 11, 1814, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 145.
243Since the great war with France: Robotti and Vescovi, USS Essex and the Birth of the American Navy, 255–58.
243Soon after his victory over Porter, Hillyar: Hillyar to Don Francisco de la Lastra, Supreme Governor and Director of the State of Chile, April 21, 1814, in Graham and Humphreys, eds., The Navy and South America, 143–44; Galdames, History of Chile, 181–82.
244Given the new political situation, the American consul general: Long, Nothing Too Daring, 163.
244The peace that Hillyar arranged: Galdames, A History of Chile, 186–200. O’Higgins had been badly wounded at Chacabuco but recovered.
Chapter Twenty-One: The Heroes Come Home
247David Farragut reported that the passage home: Farragut, Life of David Glasgow Farragut, 45.
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