USS President & HMS Endymion

The Endymion was a 40-gun British frigate of 1277 tons and 159 feet in length. She had a crew of 320 men when launched on the Thames in 1797. The President was a 44-gun American frigate built in New York City in 1800. This vessel fired the first shot of the war (of 1812) during a skirmish with the British frigate Belvidera on the evening of June 23, 1812.

The War of 1812 was over when the British captured the frigate USS President. But no one knew a peace treaty had been signed. President was a sister ship of the USS Constellation, preserved today in Boston. Blockaded in New York, she ran aground when trying to break out off Sandy Hook in a snow storm. Commodore Stephen Decatur got off but was caught by a British squadron of 4 vessels led by the 56-gun HMS Majestic. She fought off the fast 40-gun frigate Endymion but was heavily damaged, so much so that when she was then caught by two smaller 38-gun frigates, Pomone and Tenedos, who took the President after only two broadsides from Pomone. British artists and songwriters were delighted.

“Now let Commodore Decatur and all his Yankee crew
Write home to cowardly Madison what British Tars can do
Whilst our trophies we’ll bring home unto the British shore,
And cans of grog we’ll pledge, my boys, now tempests cease to roar.”