“I HAVE the honor to enclose you the result of my inquiries relating to the men mentioned in your letter of yesterday. . . .

William Ware, pressed from on board the brig Neptune, Captain Crafts, by the British frigate Melampus, in the Bay of Biscay, and has served on board the said frigate fifteen months.

William Ware is a native American; born on Pipe creek, Frederick county, State of Maryland, at Bruce’s Mills, and served his time at said Mills; he also lived at Ellicott’s mills, near Baltimore, and drove a wagon several years between Hagerstown and Baltimore; he also served eighteen months on board the United States’ frigate Chesapeake, under the command of Commodore Morris and Captain James Barron; he is an Indian looking man.

Daniel Martin was pressed at the same time and place; he is a native of Westport, in Massachusetts, about thirty miles to the eastward of Newport, Rhode Island; served his time out of New York with Captain Marrowby in the Caledonian; refers to Mr. Benjamin Davis, merchant, and Mr. Benjamin Corce, of Westport; he is a colored man.

John Strachan, born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Queen Anne’s county, between Centreville and Queen’s town; refers to Mr. John Price and Pratt, Esq., on Kent island, who know his relations; Strachan sailed in the brig Martha Bland, Captain Wivill, from Norfolk to Dublin, and from thence to Liverpool; he there left the brig, and shipped on board an English Guineaman; he was pressed on board the Melampus, off Cape Finisterre; to better his situation he consented to enter, being determined to make his escape when opportunity offered; he served on board the frigate two years; he is a white man, about five feet seven inches high.

William Ware and John Strachan have protections; Daniel Martin says he lost his after leaving the frigate.

John Little, alias Francis, and Ambrose Watts, escaped from the Melampus at the same time; known to the above persons to be Americans, but have not been entered by my recruiting officer.

William Ware, Daniel Martin, and John Strachan, state that, some time in February last, there was an entertainment on board the Melampus, lying then in Hampton Roads; that while the officers of were engaged, and all the ship’s boats, except the captain’s gig, being hoisted in, themselves, and the two other men mentioned, availed themselves of a moment to seize the gig and row off; that, as soon as they had got into the boat, they were hailed to know what they were going to do; they replied they were going ashore; a brisk fire of musketry instantly commenced from the ship; that, in defiance of balls, and the hazard of their lives, they continued to pull, and finally effected their escape to land, namely, Lowell’s Point; that they then carefully hauled up the boat on the beach, rolled up the coat, and placed that and the oars in the boat, gave three cheers, and moved up the country.”

Reference Data:

American History Told By Contemporaries, Vol 3, by John Gould Curtis, 1845, page 396