“The _Frolic_ mounted sixteen 32-pound carronades, four 12-pounders on the main-deck and two 12-pound carronades. She was, therefore, superior to the _Wasp_ by exactly four 12-pounders. The number of men on board, as stated by the officers of the _Frolic_, was 110. The number of seamen on the _Wasp_ was 102. But it could not be ascertained whether in this 110 were included marines and officers, for the _Wasp_ had, besides her 102 seamen, officers and marines, making the whole crew about 135. What, however, is decisive as to their comparative force is that the officers of the _Frolic_ acknowledged that they had as many men as they knew what to do with, and, in fact, the _Wasp_ could have spared fifteen men.... The exact number of killed and wounded on board the _Frolic_ could not be determined, but from the observations of our officers and the declarations of those of the _Frolic_ the number could not be less than about thirty killed, including two officers, and of the wounded between forty and fifty, the captain and lieutenant being of the number. The _Wasp_ had five killed and five slightly wounded.” Captain Jones in his report speaks of the bravery of his officers, the gallantry of his adversary, Captain Whinyates, and makes little mention of himself. Upon his exchange and return to the United States he was received with every honor belonging to a victor, and the sum of $25,000 was voted by Congress to be divided as prize money among his crew. The _Wasp_ soon flew the British flag, but was lost at sea. Strange to relate, this was also the fate of the second _Wasp_ that was soon afloat in the American service, and that had a career which was surpassed by none of the smaller vessels of the day. IV THE “UNITED STATES” AND THE “MACEDONIAN” [October 25th, 1812] [Illustration: MEDAL PRESENTED BY CONGRESS TO CAPTAIN STEPHEN DECATUR] “Then quickly met our nation’s eyes The noblest sight in nature-- A first-rate frigate as a prize Brought home by brave Decatur.” --_Old Song._ Eighty-four years ago, throughout the country, the name Decatur was toasted at every table, was sung from the forecastle to the drawing-room, from the way-side tavern to the stage of the city playhouse. Today, written or spoken, it stands out like a watchword, reminiscent of the days of brave gallantry and daring enterprise at sea. Those writers who have been tempted by their Americanism and pride to take up the navy as a field have repeated over and over again, more than likely, everything that could be said about Stephen Decatur. On his father’s side he was of French descent, as his name shows, his grandfather being a native of La Rochelle in France, and his grandmother an American lady from Rhode Island. He was named after his father, Stephen Decatur, who was born at Newport, but who had at an early age removed to Philadelphia, where he had married the beautiful Miss Pine.