A ball was given at the “swellest hotel in New York,” Gibson’s, to Decatur and his officers on the night of January 2, 1813, and on the night of the 7th a banquet was given to the crew. The decorations at the banquet were all wonderfully nautical, one feature being a model of the _United States_ floating in a tank of grog. The men filed in and took their places to the pipe of the boatswain’s whistle, while the band played “Yankee Doodle.” The men cheered the band. An alderman made “a handsome address” and the men cheered the alderman. The boatswain replied and they cheered the boatswain. And then came the event of the night. As the boatswain sat down, a ship’s sail forty-six by thirty-six feet large, that had been spread at one end of the room, was suddenly brailed up, revealing a huge picture of the three victories that American ships had so far won. The crew gave one look, recognized their own ship triumphant over the _Macedonian_, and leaping to their chairs, and even upon the table before them, “they gave vent to three savage yells of victory.” [Illustration: Medal Awarded to Stephen Decatur, after the Capture of the _Macedonian_ by the _United States_.] The Congress gave Decatur a gold medal and each of his officers a silver medal. States and municipalities hastened to vote swords, resolutions and receptions. Lieutenant Allen was promoted. Eventually the _United States_, the _Macedonian_ and the _Hornet_ were fitted for sea and sailed through the Sound, but they met a British squadron of two seventy-fours and a frigate, and were obliged to take refuge in New London. Only the _Hornet_ succeeded in escaping the blockade thereafter maintained, and what she did will be told further on. As for the rest of the American squadron that sailed under Commodore Rodgers with the _United States_, it should be said that Rodgers in the _President_, with the _Congress_ as a consort, chased the British frigate _Nymphe_ on October 10, 1812, but failed to catch her. The Yankee frigates, it will be observed, did not prove faster than all of the British frigates, as it had been hoped they would do. The two captured a prize on the Banks of Newfoundland on October 18th that had $200,000 in coin on board. Then they chased the frigate _Galatea_, and failed to catch her, and eventually, on December 31st, came into Boston after having taken nine prizes. The _Argus_, next to the _United States_, won most glory. After parting from the _United States_ she cruised eastward and captured six prizes, one of which she took and manned while a British squadron was in chase of her. The enemy arrived so near that they opened fire, but by cutting away anchors and boats and starting some water, she escaped, although the chase lasted during three days and three moonlight nights. She reached home on January 3d. CHAPTER VIII WHEN THE _CONSTITUTION_ SANK THE _JAVA_