...riere on the American coast. Rodgers was in the port of New York when war was declared, in command of a small squadron—the President (his flag-ship), forty-four guns; the Essex, thirty-two, Captain Porter ; and the Hornet, eighteen, Captain Lawrence. He received orders (June 21, 1812) to sail immediately on a cruise. He had received information that a fleet of West India merchantmen had sailed for ...