The news of the victory over the Cyane and Levant, and the after chase, reached New York from St. Bartholomews, without giving the results, and it was feared for a time that she had fallen into the hands of the enemy. When her safety was ascertained the exultation was great, for she was a great favorite, and had become deeply fixed in the affections of the people. As she came sweeping up Boston harbor, crowds gathered to the shore, answering with deafening cheers the thunder of her guns, as they broke over the bay. The abandonment of this frigate by the whole English squadron, to chase a single ship, furnished the occasion of many witticisms, levelled against the English officers. They reported that they lost her in a fog, but if either vessel had kept on alone, Captain Stewart would have been careful not to have been lost, and when a safe distance from the others had been obtained, allowed himself to be easily overtaken.[10] [Footnote 10: One "SQUIB" represented King George as walking his lawn one morning, anxiously waiting to hear the success of this squadron, which he had sent out expressly to capture the Ironsides, when the three captains of the vessels that chased her presented themselves. King George, in his peculiar manner, asks:-- "with sparkling eyes, 'Hey! hey! what news? what news? hey! hey! he cries-- His Majesty to hear, was all agog; When Stuart--Collins--Kerr--with crimsoned face Thus spake--'We gave the Constitution chase, And, oh! great sire, we lost her in _a fog_!' "'Fog! fog! _what fog? hey! Stuart, what fog? say!_ _So then the foe escaped you, Stuart? hey!_' 'Yes, please your Majesty, and hard our fate'-- 'But why not, Stuart, _different courses steer_?' Stuart replied, (impute it not to fear,) 'WE THOUGHT IT PRUDENT NOT TO SEPARATE.'"] [Sidenote: 1815.] The President, that did not get to sea till the middle of January, or just before the news of peace was received, was more unfortunate. Commodore Rodgers, during the summer, had been transferred from that vessel to the Guerriere, and Decatur took the command. The latter, with the United States and Macedonian, had been blockaded, as before stated, all summer at New London, where he had challenged Captain Hardy to meet him ship with ship, or to make a match between the United States and Macedonian, and the Endymion and Statira.