18 Febry, 1813
Royal Naval Dockyard
at Bermuda
My dearest Emily,
As you do go on so about my not writing often enough, I have taken up my pen in an attempt to remedy the situation and forgo your certain wrath.
Since my last letter we have had several great windfalls!
On Christmas day we captured the American Privateer Herald as she and her prizes were bound for Baltimore. She had two other vessels with her, the Friendship and the Little Catharine.
The Herald, being a ship of only 10 guns and barely 50 men, was no match for the combined might of the Poictiers and the Acasta. According to the reports I've heard from the Acastas that have been aboard the Friendship, she had a fortune in cargo aboard her, a fine Christmas present for every man in the crew, in terms of prize money.
Then, upon my birthday, in company with the Poictiers, we captured the American schooner privateer Highflyer, mounting five guns, and having on board a complement of seventy-two men : she was on her return from the West Indies, where she had made several captures, is a particularly fine vessel, coppered and copper fastened, and sails remarkably fast.
We only just finished a hunt for a mysterious American Frigate that chased one of our ships into Bermuda.
It caused quite a stir at the Royal Navy Dockyard. The story got 'round with haste of the Captain of the Dotterel's claim that they had been chased the previous night by an unidentified American frigate. As a result, the Ramillies, Acasta, and Dotterel were sent out in search of the enemy.
Whoever she might have been, she must have been fast and well ahead of us. We searched for near on a month with no success, and have returned to Bermuda to report and take on fresh victuals before returning to the blockade.
The Acasta will be ashore in Halifax again in June, and if you are able, I should very much enjoy your company there. I know that the Captain and your other friends aboard would be gratified to see you again as well. It is my sincere wish to see you there upon our arrival!
Please forgive the brevity of this letter, but it must go into the post with haste before we depart. Know that the length of this missive is not directly proportional to my esteem and affection for you my dear, but that I must also get a letter out to my man of business in London. Please pass along my regards to our friends, and know dear that I am
Yr ever faithful, loving & obt,
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