by John Marshall

“ Mr. Cooke continued in the Hornet until Feb. 1, 1778, when he joined the Glasgow, a 20-gun ship, commanded by the late Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Bart., with whom he afterwards removed successively into the Sibyl frigate, and Jupiter of 50 guns, of which latter vessel he was appointed a Lieutenant immediately after the action between Commodore Johnstone and M. de Suffrein, in Porto Praya Bay, April 16, 1781 [2] . ”

“ Cooke not relishing so idle and uninteresting a life as that of a Midshipman in a guard-ship, applied for and obtained permission to join the Crescent frigate, then fitting for the Leeward Islands station. ”

“ This address was presented to Captain Cooke on the occasion of his receiving a commission from the late Sir Benjamin Caldwell, commander-in-Chief pro tempore at the Leeward Islands, promoting him to the command of the Quebec frigate, vacant by the demise of Captain Josias Rogers [3] . An unfortunate mistake, however, on the part of the late Sir Charles Thompson, who had received orders to send Captain Cooke to St. Christopher’s, where the Quebec was to assemble the homeward bound trade, prevented him from joining his ship ”

“ The number of row-boats and other vessels which he has destroyed, witness his great activity in cruising, and evince the services which he has rendered our town. Anxious in the very fullest manner to express their just sentiments to Captain Cooke, the inhabitants of this town supplicate the Commodore that he will be pleased to continue him on the station. They will not cease to pray for the continuation of success to his Majesty’s arms.”
Signed by Januarius Duquesne, various other officers of the garrison, and all the principal inhabitants of the town of St. ”

“ They have, therefore, conferred on me the grateful task of communicating to you by letter, their acknowledgments for the steady zeal you have displayed on all occasions [and more especially in times when alarms and threatened dangers have worn the most serious aspect,] in readily co-operating with the President in the adoption of all such measures as were deemed expedient for our safety and protection ”