The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1793-10-21 00:00:00, page 1

„ Novafcotia.
HALIFAX,) n/rONDAY arrived
sept. 19. ) IVI the schooner Dis
patch, Captain Kidftoo, from St.
John's (Newfoundland.) In her
came paffeoger Mr. Daniel Adams,
who has enabled us co lay before
our readers the following intereft
10g account of the adion between
bis Majesty's frigate Boston, and
the Ambuscade, French frigate :—
On hearing of the depredations
which the Ambuscade, and the
piratical cruizers fitted out in the
States, were making on the British
commerce in the southern parts of
America, Capt. Courtney, without
any order from the Admiralty
whatever, but animated by that
zeal alone which became a Britib
officer, who felt for the honour of
his country and the interest of her
merchants, determined to proceed
without delay in quest of the Am
buscade, (though he knew her to
be of fuperiour force) and either to
take her or perish in the attempt.
With this determination, he failec
from .Newfoundland—flopped at
the mouth of this harbour until a
pilot wasfent down to him-—and
then proceeded towards Newyork,
near which harbour he captured a
ball privateer called the Republi
can ; from which he learnt the ar
rival of the French fleet in the
Chefapeak, under Admiral Gambis,
, and that they might be immediate
ly expeded at Newyork. Not
withstanding this information, Capt.
Courtney remained off the harbour
of Newyork, and endeavoured by
©very means io his power, for some
days, to draw the Ambuscade out.
On the gift of July, the Boston
being about 8 leagues distant from
► Sandy Hook, which then bore a
bout W. N. W.—rhe weather,
which had been thick and hazy,
cleared away about half part three
o'clock P. M. when Capt. Court
ney found himfelf within 4or 5
miles of the French fleet ; 16 fail
could be counted from the deck t
and one large frigate lay very near,
which, on discovering the Borton,
bore down to the body of the fleet,
which then lay about E. S. E. of
the Boston. The weather becom
ing entirely calm, the Boston lay
for 4. hours at about the fame dis
tance from the fleet. Towards sun
set, a light breeze fpruog up at N.
W. arid to get clear of the fleet,
'Capt. Courtney thought it prudent
to run for the Jersey shore, and in
tended to lay nearly abreast of the
'Neverfink until morning, that he
might be enabled to watch the
motions of the fleet. At about 8
'o'clock in the evening, the wind
Shifted to N. N. E. a strong breeze;
on which the Boston fleered for the
light house, and at 10 o'clock saw
Circurnftaritial and authentic Particulars
of the engagement, between the Bfrn
and"ffifflrafcade frigates.
&#■;^ ^mbufeade Frigates.
; [Vol. L+— Num. 52.]
the light; which (he passed ; and
about one o'clock hove too —the
light bearing N. W. by N. distant
3 or 4 leagues, where (he lay until
3 o'clock in the morning ; at which
time a large (hip was dilcovered
under her top fails, which was talc,
ten to be a cruizer. All hands were
immediately called to quarters, and
the ship cleared for action. The.
(hip that was in fight appeared to
be about two miles to windward ofj
the Boston, The Boston (haped
her course off shore, with an eaty
fail, until daylight. The ship kept
her wind and stood off likewise.
As daylight appeared, the ship to
windward was dilcovered to be a
frigate,,and from her size was sup
posed ta be the Ambuscade, being
(till difint about 2 miles. The
BoQc^Tmffied lately got her tack^
aboard; and made fail in order 10
reach,er ; at half past 4 o'clock
Cape Courtney, judged he could
reach the Ambuscade, ordered the
Boston to tack, and^ flood N. Wr
but did not reach her within half a
mile. When the ship was nearly
abreast, the Ambuscade hualed up
her courses, and the Boston imme^
diately did the fame. At 5 o'clock
the Ambuscade bore down on thd
Boston, and came within a cabl^
and a hall's length distance. Ail,
(he ttill continued running dew*
Capt. Courtney ordered a gun to
be fired at her. She paying no at
tention to that, he ordered a broad
fide to be fired, which was instant
ly done. The Boston then bore
away to prevent the Ambuscade
eroding astern, and raking her.—
The Ambuscade difeovering her
intention,immediately brought too,
and difeharged her broadside on
the Boston's quarter, doing little
damage, except carrying away the
cross jack yard. The Borton lay
ing too on the fame tack, running
a little ahead of the Ambufcade —-
and not being in that pofnion to
bring her guns to bear, wore ship
and paffiig the Ambuscade upon
oppose tacks, discharged her
broaofide, and then got her fore
tricks abroad for the purpose of get
ting the weathergage. Immedi
ately on which the Ambuscade wore
across the Boston's ftero witban
intent to rake her ; to prevent
which Capt. Courtney ordered the
helm a lee, and attempted to tack
ship, which was so far accomp'ifh
ed as that the Boston received her
broadside in an angling direction.
But the Boston, being baulked by
flaying, was under the necessity of
wearing again, and meeting the
Ambuscade nearly before the wind,
the Boston crowded close upon her,
and obliging her to bring too with
her starboard tacks aboard. The
Boston brought too on the . fame
rack, about half a cable's distance,
when the action became warm and
spirited on both sides, without any
material cessation for three quarters
of an hour. The Boston, during
BY E. RUSSELL. C
§At about a quarter pafl 6; in the
aiidft ot a tremendous difclur&,f
broadsides from bojh fhipsj||the
prove Capr. Courtney, vrith oeut.
Sutler of (he Marines, received
their death wounds, and instantly
expired—notwithftaiding this me
lancholy event, and that the firft
and second Lieutenants Edwards
and Kerr, had been dangeroud
wounded at an early part of the
engagement; the Matter continu
ed to fight the ship, until Mr. Ed
wards, not withstanding the painfu'
wound he had sustained, took the
command of her. The saion wa<
hen continued with renewed ar
dour, and a determination to re
venge the death of Capt. Courtney,
who was driver (ally beloved ; and
continued until fix minutes before
7 o'clock, when the Ambuscade's
fire began greatly to darken, and
(he fell astern of the Boston. The
rigging & Gils of the Boston were
so disabled on her main and mizen
masts, that they could set no after
fail td prevent the ship from rang
ing a head ; her topsail being the
only fail left of any use, and that
being full on the cap. In this fit
uatios, Lieut. Edwards attempted
to wear the ship to come to ac
tion on the other rake ; but find
ing nearly one half of their larboard
guns rendered useless by the wreck
of the maintopmaft and yards, it
was thought prudent to bring to
on the fame tack for the purpose
of clearing the wreck. All this
time the Ambuscade lay astern,
without making any attempt to
come up to the Boston, though
this period, fired nearly three broad
sides to the Ambufeade's two. At
the expiration of this period, the
Lofton's main-sop-mast was carried
iway—notwithstanding which, and
without paying any attention to
the wreck, the adion was continu.
^d with unabating warmth.
(he had it in her power. This in
terval giving time for the smoke
and haze to clear away, (hey dii
covered several lofty vessels to the
windward, two of which appeared
to be bearing down to them, and
were febn known to be a part of
the French fleet. This circum
fiance only put an end to the en
gagement, which, had not those
vessels appeared in fight, would
have been renewed by the Boston,
as soon as they had cleared the
wreck of the topmast, and had got
up some after fail, the want of
which prevented their fighting the
(hip to advantage.
Besides the firft and second Lieu
tenants, who were wounded, the
Matter's Mate, Mr. Johnson, and
Mr. Forth, Mid shipman, were al
!fo wounded.
The greater part of the action
was on both sides warm and fpirir
ed, but it is impoffibie to account
for the Ambufeadt's dropping a
stern, which terminated the engage
ment—or why, white the Boston
ORD —NEWHAMPSHIRE.
was clearing away the wreck of
rheir top mzft, they fhou!d not
hive attempted to renew the en
gagement—as they, being to wind
ward, had it always in their power,
and were by no means fa disabled,
in their fails and rigging, as to have
prevented ir.
rhor of the vapouring account of
rh^ engagement, which was pub
hfekf% th^ Newyoik papers, by
a person cho writes as if he was on
board l'Ambufcade during the ac
tion, this p!ain narration of fads,
and we would enquire why, when
he gave the gafconading account
of the Ambufeade's chafing the
-Boston, after (he bore away, ha
had not al(o candidly owned that
rhe French fleet was in fight, and
assigned chat as a reason for the
departure of their antagonist.
We will now concraft the ftrengch
of the two (hips and the circum
ances under which they fought—
from which every candid person
will be enabled to determine to
which party belonged the greater
honour.
The Boston, at the time of the
action, mounted 32 guns, 6 and 12
pounders, and had on board but
191 hands including men and boys.
This crew though by no means
deficient in spirit were a great part
but very ordinary fearnen.
The Ambuscade, at the time of
the adion, mounted 40 guns, 12
and 9 pounders—and had, from
their own account, 350 hands ac
least. When the Ambuscade fail
ed to meet the Boston, Capt. Bom
pard knew that the French fleet
could not be far from the Hook,
and had he met Capt. Courtney
a little later in the day, they would
have been surrounded by the fleet
before the engagement had been
half over ; and had the Ambus
cade even continued the engage
ment, as (he had in her power to
do, the Boston would not have dis
covered the fleet, or been enabled
to bear away, if the had.
Instead of Capt. Courtney hav
ing the knowledge of an English
fleet being at hand to encourage
him, he on the contrary, knew he
was the only British ship of force
in those leas—He knew of the
French fleet being near him, hav
ing seen them the day before. He
knew the superiority of the enemy
he had fought to combat ; but
none of these circumftancesdifcour
aged him. Surrounded by officers
and men who loved him as a far
ther, and whose obedience appear
ed to flow more from affedio,
than duty, he met his enemy with
the fulleft confidence of success, &
with a determination at least to de
serve it ; he fought the ship up
wards of an hour, and gave his or
ders with a coolness and delibera
tion not to be exceeded ; and when
he fell, and his death was known
through the ship, the mingled
We would recommend to the su-
October 21, 1793-1