treated, under the specious pretext, that he was an Englishman. In consequence of this conduct towards a prisoner of war, Captain Biddle wrote a letter to the British Admiral commanding at NewYork, informing him of the circumstance, and threatening that he would treat a son of Lord Cranstoun, who was his prisoner, in the same manner as Lieutenant Josiah was treated. Captain Biddle also wrote to the marine committee on the subject. The committee laid his letter before Congress, who passed a resolve directing General Washington to propose Lieutenant Josiah's exchange for a British naval officer of his rank, and at the same time to remonstrate to Lord Howe against the cruel usage, which he had received.—After ten month's captivity, the Lieutenant's exchange was effected. On his return to the Delaware, Captain Biddle had only five of his original crew, the rest having been distributed among the vessels, which he had captured, out of the crews of which he recruited his; and to guard against any misfortune arising from mutiny, he never left the deck of his vessel for several days before he got into port..

The latter end of 1776, the command of the Randolph, a new frigate of thirty-two guns, was given to Captain Biddle. To complete his crew, he was compelled to receive on board several British prisoners of war, who wished to enter.

This frigate put to sea from Philadelphia in February, 1777. Upon examining her masts, the lower ones proved unsound, and all of them were carried away by the board, in a heavy gale of wind. Captain Biddle bore away for Charleston, where he intended to refit. But before his arrival at that port, the British sailors, who had entered at Philadelphia, with some mal-contents,

formed the design of raising on the officers and taking the ship. Having made, as they thought, the necessary arrangements, they gave three cheers on the gun-deck; but were overcome by the determined resolution of the Captain and his officers. The ringleaders of the mutiny were seized and punished and the remainder quietly submitted. He refitted as speedy as possible and put again to sea. Three days after he left Charleston bar, he fell in with four sail of Jamaicamen bound to London. The commander of one of them called the True Briton mounting twenty guns, who had boasted to his passengers his wish of falling in with the Randolph, made all sail to get away from her, now that his wish was accomplished. Finding his escape impossible, he hove to and kept up a steady fire upon the Randolph, which bore down upon him and was preparing a broadside, when he struck his flag. Captain Biddle captured the other three and returned to Charleston in one week after he had sailed from that port. The prizes were very rich.

The successful termination of so short a cruise inspirited the government of South Carolina to fit out a squadron to sail under Captain Biddle's command. The Carysfort frigate, Perseus, of twenty-four guns, Hinchinbrook of sixteen guns, and a privateer had been for some time off Charleston bar annoying its trade. This British force was to attract the first attention. The ship General Moultrie of eighteen guns, Captain Sullivan, brigs Fair American of fourteen guns, Captain Morgan, Polly of sixteen guns, Captain Anthony, and Notre Dame of 16 guns, Captain Hall, were, in a short time, fitted for sea. A corps of 50 men from the first regiment of South Carolina continen

tal infantry* was ordered to act as marines on board the Randolph frigate. Her mainmast having been struck and shattered by lightning, a new one was got in, and a conductor was fixed, to obviate a similar misfortune. As soon as this was effected, the squadron went into Rebellion roads, where they were, some time, detained by adverse winds and shoal water on the bar, which prevented the Randolph from getting over it. These obstacles being surmounted, the fleet put to sea, and steered an easterly course, in hopes of overhauling the British squadron already mentioned.

The

following day our commander re-took a ship belonging to the Eastern states, which had been, dismasted. She had no cargo on board. The crew, six guns of small calibre, and some small stores, were consequently taken out and the vessel burnt.. The British vessels having left the coast, the American squadron directed their course to the West Indies, and cruised, for some days, in the latitude of Barbadoes, where Captain Biddle boarded several Dutch and French vessels. He also took an English schooner, bound from New-York to Grenada. The Captain of the schooner mistook the Randolph for an English frigate, nor did he discover his error until after her capture.

For some days prior to the 7th of March, 1778, Captain Biddle expected an attack and was consequently on the alert. Captain Blake who com,

*The inconvenience arising from the state establishments, in several ways, at the commencement of the war, induced the troops of South Carolina to be put on the same footing as the continentals, the officers of the state troops enjoying their rank as junior officers to those of their grade in the continental

army..

guns.

A

In con

manded a detachment of the second regiment of South Carolina troops, acting as marines on board the General Moultrie, two days before she engaged with the Yarmouth, relates, that, at dinner, Captain Biddle observed" we have been cruising here, for some time, and have spoken a number of vessels, who, no doubt, will give information of us, and I should not be surprised if my old ship should be out after us. As to any thing, that carries her on one deck I think myself a match for her.” signal was made from the Randolph, about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th of March, for a sail to the windward, which, as she neared before the wind, appeared as a large sloop with a square-sail set, although when first distinctly seen she was supposed to be a ship. This was about four. sequence of the signal, the squadron hauled upon a wind in order to speak to the Randolph. Near seven, the Randolph, at windward, hove to; the General Moultrie, rather leeward, about one hundred and fifty yards astern, hove to likewise. The enemy fired a shot a little ahead of the Moultrie and hailed her about eight in the evening.The reply from the Moultrie was, "the Polly of New-York." The other hauled his wind and then. hailed the Randolph. She was only at that time first discovered to be a two decker. After several questions and replies, as the English ship was getting on the weather quarter of the American frigate and ranging along, Lieutenant Barnes of the latter vessel, hallooed "this is the Randolph," upon which the American stripes were immediately hoisted and a broadside poured into the British ship. The action shortly after waxed warm and Captain Biddle fell, wounded in the thigh. Some degree of confusion resulted from this accident, as a report was spread through the ship that he was killed.

He soon restored order by calling for a chair and causing himself to be brought forward on the quarter deck, where he sat encouraging his crew. As the enemy's stern cleared the Randolph, the Commander of the General Moultrie, Captain Sullivan, directed a broadside to be poured into him. The enemy having shot ahead, brought her between the hostile ships and the General Moultrie, whose last broadside was supposed to have been partially received by the Randolph, from that circumstance. Her fire was well directed-her broadsides three to the enemy's one, and during the engagement she appeared in one continual blaze. About 20 minutes after the action commenced, when the surgeon was busily engaged on the quarter-deck, the Randolph blew up. The cause of this disaster was never ascertained. Only four men, out of 315, survived. After four days tossing on a piece of the wreck on the ocean, they were taken up. So close were these two ships engaged, that the crew of the Fair American believed it to have been the enemy's ship that was blown up. The Captain of her was so convinced of it, that he stood for the enemy's vessel with his trumpet in hand to hail her, in order to ask after captain Biddle, when he discovered his error, and the other vessels escaped in consequence of the disabled condition of the enemy, which proved to be the British line of battle ship Yarmouth, of sixty-four guns.

Prior to this cruise, captain Biddle had made a matrimonial engagement with a young lady of Charleston, who had won his affections. In his person, he was remarkably handsome, about five feet nine inches in height, active and very strong. He was of a mild temper and modest suavity of manners. His courage was undoubted and some, times bordered on rashness. He rendered him.