A corresponding state of unanimity existed, I was told, among the officers. Commodore Decatur showed himself to be a gentleman as well as a hero in his treatment of the officers of the _Macedonian_. When Captain Carden offered his sword to the commodore, remarking, as he did so, “I am an undone man. I am the first British naval officer that has struck his flag to an American:” the noble commodore either refused to receive the sword, or immediately returned it, smiling as he said, “You are mistaken, sir; your _Guerrière_ has been taken by us, and the flag of a frigate[13] was struck before yours.” This somewhat revived the spirits of the old captain; but, no doubt, he still felt his soul stung with shame and mortification at the loss of his ship. Participating as he did in the haughty spirit of the British aristocracy, it was natural for him to feel galled and wounded to the quick, in the position of a conquered man. We were now making the best of our way to America. Notwithstanding the patched-up condition of the _Macedonian_,[14] she was far superior, in a sailing capacity, to her conqueror. The _United States_ had always been a dull sailer, and had been christened by the name of the Old Wagon. Whenever a boat came alongside of our frigate, and the boatswain’s mate was ordered to “pipe away” the boat’s crew, he used to sound his shrill call on the whistle, and bawl out, “Away, Wagoners, away,” instead of “away, _United States_ men, away.” This piece of pleasantry used to be rebuked by the officers, but in a manner that showed they enjoyed the joke. They usually replied, “Boatswain’s mate, you rascal, pipe away _United States_ men, not Wagoners. We have no wagoners on board of a ship.” Still, in spite of rebuke, the joke went on, until it grew stale by repetition. One thing was made certain however by the sailing qualities of the _Macedonian_; which was, that if we had been disposed to escape from our foe before the action, we could have done so with all imaginable ease. This, however, would have justly exposed us to disgrace, while our capture did not. There was every reason why the _United States_ should beat us. She was larger in size, heavier in metal, more numerous in men, and stronger built than the _Macedonian_. Another fact in her favor was, that our captain at first mistook her for the _Essex_, which carried short carronades, hence he engaged her at long shot at first; for, as we had the weather gage, we could take what position we pleased. But this manœuvre only wasted our shot, and gave her the advantage, as she actually carried larger metal than we did. When we came to close action, the shot from the _United States_ went through and through our ship, while ours struck her sides, and fell harmlessly into the water. This is to be accounted for both by the superiority of the metal and of the ship. Her guns were heavier and her sides thicker than ours. Some have said that her sides were stuffed with cork.