The ship having undergone the necessary repairs, which was very heavy work during the severe winter of 1813, towards the end of March we sailed for Spithead, where we embarked three hundred and fifty marines, and proceeded, in company with the _Tonnant_ (80), _Regulus_ (44), and _Melpomene_ (38), _en flute_ to Bermuda, at which place we arrived after a passage of eight weeks. Nothing particular occurred on our voyage out, except my having the measles very badly, which, not knowing what ailed me, I had driven inwardly by cold bathing. We remained at Bermuda until the 3rd of July, when, in company with the _Asia_ (74), _Regulus_, and _Melpomene_, we proceeded to the Chesapeake, and made Cape Henry on the 11th, and anchored in Synhaven Bay. The following morning we proceeded up the Chesapeake, and on the 15th joined Rear-Admiral Cockburn in the _Albion_ (74), who was lying at anchor, with two frigates, at the entrance of the river Patuxent. I was placed under the orders of Captain J. Nourse, of the _Severn_ (44), and sent up the river Patuxent for the purpose of assisting to blockade the American flotilla, under Commodore Barney, whose broad pennant was flying in a sloop of eight guns, and who had under his command seventeen gun-boats, each carrying a long 32, 24, or 18-pounder in the bow, and a 32-pound carronade in the stern, and manned with a crew of from sixty to seventy men. We ran thirty miles up the river, to the village of Benedict, in company with the _Severn_, _Ætna_, and _Manly_ (brig). Rear-Admiral Cockburn proceeded with the others into the river Potomac to annoy the enemy in that quarter. As we advanced, the gun-boats retreated up the river to a town called Nottingham, twenty-five miles above Benedict, where, from the shoalness of the water, we could not follow them with the ships. During the time we continued in the Chesapeake we had guard-boats rowing every night to prevent the Yankees from trying the effect of their torpedoes or fire ships. From the 17th of July until the 17th of August our time was taken up in making incursions into different parts of the country, with 300 marines, attacking and, to use an American expression, “scaring the militia,” getting fresh provisions, destroying their store-houses and other public buildings, with the arms found there. Some of the Americans used to say, “What did King George send you here from the old country to come and scare us for? We don’t go to yours to frighten you, I guess. Your confounded sarpents come and anchor in our waters; then send their barges, full of armed men, who are pulling about day and night, landing here and there, scaring us and our families very considerably--tarnation seize them.” Our reply used to be, “You must ask your President, Jim Madison: he invited us.”