at has been,
under similar circumstances, may be again.

Early in the month of July, we were not a little disturbed by the
arrival of the crew of our ill omened, ill fated Chesapeake.

The capture of this American frigate by the British frigate Shannon of
equal force, was variously related. From all that I could gather, she
was not judiciously brought into action, nor well fought after Capt.
Lawrence fell. It is too much like the British to hunt up every
possible excuse for a defeat; but we must conclude, and I have since
found it a general opinion in the United States, that the frigate was
by no means in a condition to go into action. The captain was a
stranger to his own crew; his ship was lumbered up with her cables and
every thing else. She ought to have cruised three or four days before
she met the Shannon, and that, it seems, was the opinion of the brave
captain of the British frigate; who was every way prepared for the
action.

The rapid destruction of the British sloop of war Peacock, gave
Lawrence high reputation; and he felt as if he must act up to his high
character. He seemed like an hero impelled, by high ideas of chivalry,
to fight, conquer or die, without attending to the needful cautions
and preparations. His first officer he left sick on shore, who died a
few days after the battle; his next officer was soon killed; soon
after which he fell himself, uttering the never to be forgotten words,
"DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP," which has since become a sort of national
motto. While the British captain prudently dressed himself in a short
jacket and round hat, so as not to distinguish himself from the other
officers, our Capt. Lawrence, who was six feet and upwards tall, was
in his uniform and military hat, a fair and inviting mark for the
enemy's sharp shooters. No one doubted his bravery, but some have
called his prudence in question.

This heroic man and his Lieutenant, _Ludlow_, were three times buried
with great military pomp; first at Halifax--then at Salem, and last of
all at New-York. The name of Lawrence is consecrated in America, while
his ever unlucky ship is doomed to everlasting ignominy; for this was
the vessel that preferred allowing the British ship Leopard _to muster
her crew_, instead of sinking, with her colors flying.

In the month of August, Halifax was alarmed, or pretended to be
alarmed, by a rumor that the prisoners on Melville Island, which is
about three miles, or less, from the town,