in the polite circles of the Orleans and Mississippi territories.  He was shortly after appointed to the command of the brig Argus, stationed for the protection of our commerce on the southern maritime frontier.  In this situation he acted with vigilance and fidelity, and though there were at one time insidious suggestions to the contrary, it has appeared that he conformed to his instructions, promoted the public interest, and gave entire satisfaction to the government.  In 1811, he was transferred to the command of the sloop-of-war Wasp, mounting eighteen twenty-four pound carronades, and dispatched, in the spring of 1812, with communications to the courts of St. Cloud and St. James.  Before he returned, war had been declared against Great Britain.  He refitted his ship with all possible dispatch, and repaired to sea, but met with no other good fortune than the capture of an inconsiderable prize.  He next sailed from Philadelphia on the 13th of October, and on the 18th of the same month encountered a heavy gale, during which the Wasp lost her jibboom and two seamen.  On the following night, the watch discovered five strange sail steering eastward.  The Wasp hauled to the windward and closely watched their movements until daylight next morning, when it was found that they were six large merchant vessels under convoy of a sloop of war.  The former were well manned, two of them mounting sixteen guns each.  Notwithstanding the apparent disparity of force.  Captain Jones determined to hazard an attack; and as the weather was boisterous, and the swell of the sea unusually high, he ordered down top-gallant yards, closely reefed the top-sails, and prepared for action.  We cannot give a detail of this brilliant engagement, which resulted in the capture of the Frolic.  It was one of the most daring and determined actions in our naval history.  The force of the Frolic consisted of sixteen thirty-two pound carronades, four twelve-pounders on the maindeck, and two twelve-pound carronades.  Both vessels had more men than was essential to their efficiency; but while there was an equality of strength in the crews, there was an inequality in the number of guns and weight of metal—­the Frolic having four twelve-pounders more than the Wasp.  The exact number of killed and wounded on board the Frolic could not be ascertained with any degree of precision; but, from the admissions of the British officers, it was supposed that their loss in killed was about thirty, including two officers, and in wounded, between forty and fifty.  The captain and every other officer on board were more or less severely wounded.  The Wasp sustained a loss of only five men killed, and five wounded.