Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1805-03-26 00:00:00, page 1

, All Persons indebted to, or
Thomas Leavitt juo. late of Hampton, in said
county, trader, deceaied, will be fold at Public Ven
due, at the fate dwelling house of the deceased in
said Hampton, on Monday 15th day of April next,
at ten of the clock before noon, as will raise the
fam of twenty one hundred and fifty dollars to pay
and difeharge the debts and demands with inciden.
jal charge, due front said estate.
Said property consists of one half a house and out
buildings, andpaets of several pieces of land/ and
salt marsh, in Hampton, also of one third part of a
hundred and fifty acre lot, in Northwood lying in
Common with land of Samael J. Leavitt, and Abra
ham Towle. The conditions will be made known
at the time and place oflaie.
THO. LEAVITT, Administrator to said estate.
Northhampton, March 18.
To Let,
<r^™° convenient Rooms in a House situated on
Frame Point, Inquire of JOSEPH DROWNE
South End. March 9.
purpose.
He reduces to any size from the shadow; there
fore, the person is not incommoded with any thing
passing over the face, nor detained over six miu
jantes. The correctness of his PROFILES is well
•known, he having taken above eight thousand in
Salem, Newburyport and the adjoining towns;
and from them he has selected a few as speci
mens, that may be seen at his room,—where he
has for sale, Elegant Frames, oval, round and
square, either gilt or black, and the profiles hand
somely framed at a.moderate price—he has also for
sale, Correct reduced profiles of the President of
tile United States.
This work is in high repute in the middle States and
is much read—it is haodfomely printed in 130 pages, is
fold at the very low price of fig, seven Cents—ls one use
, ful hint can be drawn from this volume, it will abun
dantly compensate thelFarmer for the purchafe—acxi-
CUlTurs has not yet arrived at that state of excellence in
Newhampthire that it has, in the middle States, and per
haps it is owing to the little knowledge our Farmers have
of the modern improvements in this important science—
They have now an opportunity of furnishing themselves
with the experiments and difeoveries of the more highly
cultivated Gates.'
TCrOfICE is hereby given, that by
virtue of licence from the Hon. Nathan
iel Rogers, Esq. Judge of Probate of Wills, &c.
for laid county, that f 6 much of the Estate of
&l|i^-'The schooner Enter
prize, to Sail next week—for Freight
or passage, apply to
MARK SIMES.
who has for Sale,
Philadelphia FLOUR ; Maryland CORN;'
Philadelphia, and Russia IRON ;
MOLASSES; N. E. RUM; SALT;
Russia and Raven's DUCK ; CORDAGE;
Cut NAILS of all sizes ; Nail Plates and Iron Hoops,
Chain Tirps, and Tin Iron ; Nail and Spike Rods ;
Horn and Ox Shoe Shapes ;
Cod anef Pollock FISH, &c. ^c.
Marek 16, 1805.
at Colonel MOSES WOODWARD's House, Broad
street, where he purposes staying a short time to
take PROFILE LIKENESSES, with his new in
vented patent Delineating Pencil; which for accu
racy, excels any machine before invented for that
have any demands against WILLIAM COFFIN,
of this town, trader are hereby requested to call on
the subscriber for settlement.
Introductory Remarks—Soils generally, Clay Soils, a
Loamy Soil, Manures Farm Yards, and comport, Marie,
Sawdust, fanners Bark, Improvement of Wet Lands,
Ploughing Fallows, Land under Tillage, Fertilizing Steeps,
Wheat Barley, Clover, Rye Grass, Timothy Grafs,Barnet,
Railing Turnips and preventing the Fly, feeding Sheep on
Turnips, Grafting and Budding Trees, Planting Trees.
Malt Beer, Swir% Fattening Horses, Botts, Saintfox
Grass, or Holy Hay, Failing Cattle, How to Purify Salt,
Thorn Hedge, Tillage, Corn and Buck Wheat, Barley,
Oats, Flax, Wheat, and Rye, Turnips, Peach Trees, Qne
rice, Gypsum, Aites, Mired Barth, Creek and Harbour
Mud, Indian Corn, Potatoes, fruit Trees, Butter, and
Cheese, Culture of the Apple Tree, Asparagus, Spring
Barley, Bees, Carrats, Cows, Goats, Water, Manures gen
erally, Moffs, Black Mulbury,Oxen, Poplars, Duration of
Seeds—how to be kept in long voyages, Crofi Breeds,
Paint, Trees generally, Wheat generally, Plainer, Farm
Yard, Cider, Conclusion.
late of Porrfmouth, widow deceased, are requeued
to exhibit them for adiuftment to
NATH'L. ADAMS, Ex'r.
Inarch 14, 1805."
ALL Persons indebted to or that have
any demands againft^the estate of
HANNAH ELLIOT,
EBENEZER CHADWICK,
Attorney to said Coffin.
N. B. It is expected that those indebted will make
immediate payment.
Portsmouth, March 16, 1805.
To Farmers.
Just received and For Sale by
, W. & D. TREADWELL,
T THE
Pennsylvania Farmer;
BEING a feleaion from the tn oft approved Treatises on
Husbandry—iocerfperfed with obfervatioss and ex
periments. by JOB ROBERTS.
CONTENTS ;
His price is 25 cents for two profiles of one per
son, and the hours of attendance are from nine
o'clock in the morning till nine in the e vening.
Portsmouth, February 23, 1805.
RESPECTFULLY informs the Ladies and Gen
tlemen of Portsmouth,that he has taken a room
Vol. XVI.]
William King,
PHYSIOGNOTRACE,
For Philadelphia,
OF ALL THE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS WHICH LEAD TO POLITICAL PROSPER I TY, R ELI I? X, ND MORALITY ARE INDISPENSABLE SUPPORTS. WASHINGTON.
Oil ACT F PA^T
On the 16th of July we arrived at Malta, where
we were detained by contrary ga'es until the 21st,
when we left it and arrived in fight of Tripoli the
afb and were joined by the Siren, Argus, Vixen
and Scourge. Our fqttadron now consisted of the
Constitution, three brig*, three schooners, two
bombs and fix gun boats—our whole number of
men 1060. I proceeded to makethe neceffiry ar
raugemems for an attack on Tripoli, a city well
walled, proteaed by batteries judiciously conftrua
ed, mounting 115 pieces of heavy cannon, and de
fended by 25, oop Arabs and Turks, the harbour
protected by 19 gun boats, two gallies, two ichoon
ers, of eight guns each, and a brig mounting ten
guns ranged in order of battle, forming a strong
line of defence at secured moorings, inside a long
range of rocks and shoals extending more than two
miles tu the eastward of the town, which from the
harbour, protests them from the nothern gales, and
renders it impossible for a vessel of the Constitu
tion's draft of water to approach near enough to de
stroy them, as they are Weltered by the rocks and
can retire under that (helter to the shore, unless they
choose to expose themselves in the different chan
nels and openings of the reefs for the purpose of
annoying their enemies. Each of their gun boats
mounts a heavy 18 or 26 pounder in the bow and
two brass howitzers on her quarters, and carry from
36 to 50 men. The gallies have each 100 men ;
schooners and brigs about the fame number.
The weather was not favorable for anchoring
until the 28th, with the wind E. S. E. the squadron
flood in for the cost, and at 3 P. M. anchored per
signal, Tripoli bearing fouth, two and a half miles
distant ;—At this moment the wind drifted fuddeo
ly from E. S. E. to N. N. W. and from thence to
N. N. E. at § o'clock it blew strong with a heavy
jea,fetting dirc&ly on fl>ore. Imadefignal to prepafeto
weigh—at 6,the wind & sea having considerably iri
creafed, the Signal was male for the squadron to
weigh and gain an offing ; the wind continued veer
ing to the east ward, which favoured our gaining sea
room, without being obliged to carry so great
a press of fail, as to lose any of our gun boats, al
thougfrthey were in great danger. The gale con
tinued varying from N. E. to E. S. E. without in
creasing much until the 31st, when it blew away
our reeled forefail bod ctofe reeled main-top-lail ;
fortunately the sea did not rife in proportion to the
ftrengthof the gale or we must b, loft all our
boats. August the xft, the gale Subsided and we
flood towards the coast ; eviry preparation was
made for an attack on the town and harbour. Au
gust the 3d, pleafont weather, wind east, flood in'
with theJquadron towards Tripoli ; at noon we
were between two and three miles from the batte
ries, which werc all manned ; and observing sever
al of their gun boats and gallins had advanced in
two divifioos without the locks, I determined to
take advantage of their temerity; at half past is
o'clock, I wore off Shore, and made the signal to
come within bail, when I communicated to each
of the commanders my intention of attacking the
enemy's Shipping and batteries. The gun and
mortar boats were immediately manned and prepar
ed to cast off; the boats in two divisions of three
each : the fiift division commanded by captain So
mers in Na. I, lieutenant Denature in No. 2, and
lieutenant Blake in No. 31— —The fecund divihen
The energy and Judgment displayed by this
excellent officer through the whole course of the
service lately confi led to him, and the zeal and
bravery of his officers and men in the feveial en
terpriz.3 executed by them, cannot fail to give high
(atisfadionto congress and their country, of whom
they have deferred well.
TH : JEFFERSON.
February 20th, 1805.
• °fy o,a letter,ram commodore Treble, to the
.secretary of the navy.
%
I had the honour to write you from Meffina,
under date of the sth July ; I tlwu expeaed co have
failed the day following but was detained by bad
weatira until the 9th, when I left it with two
small bomb vessels under convoy, and arrived at
Syracuse ; where we were oeceffirily detained four
days. On the 14th I failed; the fohoooers Nautilus
and Enterprise in company, with fix gun boatsand
two bomb veffcls, generously loaned us by his Si
cilian majesty. The bomo vessels are about thirty
tons, carry a thirteen inch brass lea morter; and for
ty men. Gun bjats twenty five tons; carry a
long iron twenty four pounder in the bow, with a
compliment of thirty five men. They are officer
ed and manned from the squadron, excepting twelve
Neapolitan bombardiers, gunners & sailors attach
ed to each boat ; who were flipped by perm iffion
of their government. This Rep I found neceffiry.
as every veffl in the squadron was considerably
short of complement. The gun boats are conftrud
ed for tire defence of harbours ; they are flat bot
tomed and heavy, and do not fail or row even tol
erable well. They were never intended to go to sea,
and I find cannot be navigated with fafety, nnleis
assisted by tow ropes from larger and better failing
vessels : ooreven then, in very bad weather. How
ever, as they were the best I could obtain, I have
thought it for the good of out service to employ
them, particularly as the weather in July and Au
gust is generally pleasant ; and without them my
force too (mail to make any impression on Tripo-
7b the senate and House of reftreaentatives of the
United States^
I communicate for the information of congress, a
letter of September lßih, from commodore Preble,
giving a derailed account of the tranuaions of the
vcffels under bis command from July the 9:6 to
the loth September last past.
4'ripoline War.
MESSAGE.
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1805.
commuted by captain Decatur, in No. 4, lieu-1
"' 3# ibrid^itt No. fy and lieutenant Tiippe
two bombards were commanded
ndant Dent,& Mr. Robbinfomfirß
1) p. At half past 1 o'clock hav
effrfy arrangements for rhe attack
>d toward, the batteries ; at 2,
0 caßoff the boats; at quarter
i ' I'• ' " omis an I gun boats to advance
' my ; at half pall 2 general fig-l
Ldi for G .tL iree quarters past 2 the
commenced the action by throwing (bells into the
town. In an infant the enemy's flipping and bat
teries opened a tremendous fire, which was prompt
ly returned by the whole Iquadron within grape (hot
distance ; at the fame time the lecond division of
three gun b^ats, led by the gallant capt. Decuure,
was advancing with tails and oars, to board the ea
fterp division of the enemy, confining of nine boats,
20 boats gave the .enemy (bowers of grape and|
mulker balls 'as they advanced, they however, loon
closed, when the piflol fabre, pike and tomahawk,
were made good use oft f our brave tars. Capt.
Somers being io a dull ailer made the best use of
his sweeps, but was not able to fetch far enough to
the windward to engage the fame division of the
enemy's boats which capt. Decatur fell in with ;
he, however, gallantly bore down with his single
boat on five of the enemy's weftern division and
engaged within pistol (hot, defeated and drove them
within the rocks in a shattered condition, and with
the Infs ofa great uu mber of men. Lieut. Decature,
in No, 2, was closely engaged with one of the en
emy's hugefts boats, of the caftern division, which
struck to bi n, after having loft a large proportion
of men, and at the ioftaor that braveoificcr was
boarding her, to tske possession, he was treacherously
flint through the head by the captain of the boat
that had surrendered, which base condua enabled
the poltroon (with the alDßance he received from
other boats) to escape. The third boat of capt. So
men, division, kept to the windward, firing at the
boats and flapping in the harbour ; hid (he gone
down to his abidance, it is probable, federal of the
enemy's boats would have been -captured in that
quarter. Capt. Decatur in No. 4, after having with
diftinguilhed bravery, boarded and carried one of
the enemy, of fnperiour force, took his prize in
tow, and gallantly bore down to engage a second,
which, after a severe and bloody conflia, he also
took possession of. These two prizes had 33 of
ficers and men killed, and 27 made prisoners ; 19
of whom were badly wounded. Lieut. Tripp,, ot
the Vixen, in No, 6, ran along fide of one of the
enemy's large boats which he boarded, with only
midfllipmtn Jolin Henly and nine men; his boat
falling off before any more could get on board';
thus was he left compelled to conquer or perifli
with the odds of 36 to 11. The Turks could,
not withstand the ardour of this brave officer and
his affiftanti; in a few minutes the decks were
cleared, and her colours, hauled down. On board
of this boat 14 of the enemy were killed and 22
male prifoneis^ven of which were badly wound
ed, the rest of their boats repeated within the rocks.
Lreut. Trippe, received eleven fabre wounds, fume
of which very severe : he speaks in the highest
terms of Mr. Henly and those who followed him.
—Lieutenant Bainbridge, in No. 5. had his latteen
yard fliot away early in the adion, which prevent
ed his getting along fide of the enemy's boats ; but
be galled them with a ft. ? ady and well directed fire
within musket foot ; indeel he perilled the enemy
until his boat grounded under the batteries; (he
was fortunately foot )cot off. The bomb /tffels kept
their Rations, although covered with the spray of
the sea, occasioned by the enemy's (hot ; they were
well conduced by lieutenants Dent and Robinson,
who kep:upa constant fire from the mortars and
threw a great number of RieVsinto the town. Five
of the enemy's gun boats and two gallies composing
the centre division, and Rationed ui,hin the rocks
as a relerve, joined by the boats that had been driven
in and fupphed with frefh men to replace those they
had loft, twice attempted to row our to endeavour
to surround our gun boats and their prizes, I as
often made the signal to cover them, which was
promptly attended to by the brigs and schooners,
all of which were gallantly condi&d, and annoyed
the enemy exceedingly; but the fire from the fliip
kept their flotilla completely in check. Our grape
(hot made great havock among their met), not only
on board their flapping, but on fliore. We were
leveral times within two cable's length of the rocks
and within three of their batteries ; every one of
which, In succession, were Glenced so long as we
could bring our broad fide to bear upon them. But
the moment we palled a battery it was reanimated,
and a constant heavy fire kept up, from di that we
could not point our guns at. We (offered most
when wearing or tacking ; it was then I most sen
sibly felt the want of another frigate. At half past
four the wind inclining to the northward, I made
the figrial for the bombs and gun boats to retire
from action, and immediately after, the signal to tow
off the gun boats and prizes,which was haodfomely
executed by the brigs, lehrs.and boatsof the Iqaud
ron, covered by a heavy fire from the Constitu
tion. At three quarters past 4 P; M. the light
vessels, gun boats and prizes being out of the reach
of the enemy's fliot,! hauled eff to take the bomb
vessels in tow.
We were two hour's under the fire of the enemy' s
batteries, and the only damage received in this
ship is a 24 pound shot nearly through the centre
of the mainmast, 30 feet from the deck,main royal
yard and sail shot away ; one of our quarter deck
guns damaged by a 32 pound shot, which at the
sam^'time shattered a marine's arm. .The lower
shrouds and 2 back stays were shot away, and our
fails and running rigging considerably cut ; we must
Impute our getting off thus well, to our keeping so
near that they shot over us, and to the annoyance
our grape shot gave them ; they are however but
Wretched gunners. Gun boat No 5, had the main
yard shot a fray,and the rigging & sails of the brigs
& schooners were considerably cut. Lieut. Deeatur
was the only officer killed, but in him the service
has lost a valuable officer ; he was a young man who
gave strong promise of being an ornament to his
profession his conduct in the action was highly
honorable, and he died nobly. The enemy must
have suffered much in killed and wounded, both a
mong their shipping and on shore. Three of their
gun boats were sunk in their harbour, several of
them had their decks nearly cleared of men by
our shot,and a number of shells burst in the town fc
batteries, which must have done great execution.
The officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron
behaved in the most gallant manner. The Nea
politans in emulating the ardour of our seaman an
swered my highest expectations. I cannot but no
tice the active exertions and officer like conduct of
Lieut Gordon and the other Lieutenant of the Con
stitution. Mr. Harriden, the master gave me fall
satisfaction, as did all the officers and ship! compa
ny. I was much gratified by the conduct of Capt. Hall
and Lieut. Greenleaf, and the marines belonging to
his company in the management o' > long 26 poun,
ders on the spare deck, which I paced under his
direction.' Capt. Ifecatur speaks in the highest
terms of the conduct of Lieut. Thain, and midship
man M'Donough, of No 4, as does Capt. Somers of
midshipmen Ridgeley and Miller attached to No. 1.
Annexed is a list of killed and wounded, and inclo
sed a copy of my general orders on this occasion.
Killed-gun boat No. 2,lieutenantJames Decatl r.
Wounded—Constitution, one marine.
Dnto—gun boat No. 4, Capt Decatur, slightly,
one sergeant of marines, and two seamen.
Ditio—gun hoat No. 6, Lieut. Trippe, severely,
one boatswain's mate and two marines.
Ditto—gun boat No. 1. two seamen.
Ditto —gnn boat No. 2, two seamen.
Total—one killed and thirteen wounded.
Augustfsth. We were at anchor with the squadron
about two leagues north from the city of Tripoli,
the Argus in chase of a small vessel to the westward
which she soon came up with and brought within
hail. She proved to be a French privateer of 4
guns, which put into Tripoli for water, and left it
this morning. I prevailed on the captain for a con
sideration to return to Tripoli, for the purpose of
landing 14 badly wounded Tripolitans, which I put
on board his vessel with a letter to the prime min
ister, leaving it at the option ,of the Bashaw, to re
ciprocate thisgenerous mode of conducting the war.
The sending these unfortunate men on shore to be
taken care of by their friends, was an act of human
ity on our part, which I hope will make a proper
impression on the minds of the Barbarians—but I
doubt it. All hands were busily employed altering
the rig of the three prizes, from latteap vessels to
sloops, and preparing fora second attack. Obser^
ved one of the enemy's schooners and the brig (two.
corsairs) in the harbour to be dismasted, was in
formed by tha French captain, that the damage
these vessels! received in the action of the 3d, had
occasioned their masts to be taken out.
The 7th the French privateer came out, and
brought me a letter from the French consul, in which
he observed, that cur attack of the 3d inst. has dis
posed the bashaw to accept of reasonable term's ;
and invited me to send a boat to tire rocks with a
flag of truce, which was declined, as the white flag
was not hoisted at the Bashaw's castle. At 9, A. M.
with a very light breeze from the eastward and a
strong current, which obliged the Constitution, to
remain at anchor,! made the signal fi r the light ves
sels to weigh, and the gun and bomb boats to cast
off and stand m shore towards the western batteries,
the prize boats having been completely fitted for
service, and command ofthem given to lieut. Crane
ot the Vixen, Them of the Enterprize, and Cald
well of the Syren : the whole advanced with sails
and oars. The orders, were for the tombs to take
a position in a small bay westward of the city
where but few of the enemy's guns could be brought
to bear on them, but from whence they could annoy
the town with shells. The gun boats to silence a
battery of seven heavy guns, which guarded the ap
proach to that position, and the brigs and schooners
to support them in case the enemy's flotilla should*
venture out. At half past one P. M. a breeze fromN
N. E. I weighed with the constitution,& stood in for "
the town but the wind being on shore, macle it im
prudent to engage the batteries with the ship as in
case-of a mast being shot away, the loss of the ves
sels would probably ensue, unless a change of wind
should favour our getting off. At half 2P. M. the
bomb and gun boats having gained their stations,
the signal was made for them to attack the town
and batteries. Our bombs immediately commenced
thrfring shells, and the gun boats opened a sharp
and well directed fire on the town and batteries
within point blank shot, which was warmly return
ed by the enemy. The seven gun battery in less
than two hours was silenced, except one gun--I
presume the others were dismounted by our shot, as
the walls were almost totally destroyed. At a
quarter past 3, P. M. a ship hove in sight to the
northward, standing for the town—made the Argus
signal to chase—at half past 3, one of our prize gun
boats was blown up by a hot shot from the enemy
which passed through her magazine. She had on
board 28 officers, seamen and marines ; 10 of whom
were killed, and 6 wounded. Among the killed were
James R. Caldwell, first lieutenant of the Syren, &
midshipman John S. Dorsey, both excellent officers ;
midshipman Spence and 11 men were taken up
unhurt. Captain Decatur, whose division this boat
belonged to, and was near her at the time she blew
up, reports to me that Mr. Spence was superinten
ding the loading of the gun at the moment, and not
withstanding the boat was sinking, he, and the brave
fellows surviving, finished charging, gave three
cheers as the boat went from under them, and
.swam to the nearest boats, where they assisted dur
ing the remainder of the action. The enemy's
gun-boats and gallies, (15 in number) were all in
motion close under the batteries and appeared to
meditate an attack on our boats ; the Constitution
Nautilus and Enterprize were to windward, ready
at every hazard to cut them off from the harbour
if they should venture down ; while the Syren and
Vixen were near our boats to support and cover a.
ny of them that might be disabled. The enemy
thought it most prudent, however, to retire to their
snug retreat behind the rocks, after firing a few
shot. Our boats, in two division, under Captains
Somers and Decatur, were well conducted, as were
our bomb-vessels, by lieutenants Decatur and Rob
inson. The town must have suffered much from
this attack, and their batteries particularly the sev
en gun buttery must have lost many men. At half
[No. 27.