The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-06 00:00:00

ACTION Wl= PIRATES.

(From the Ainericari Papers )
PHILADELPHIA, N oN. 9.B.—The following ac-
count of an engagement between the United
States schooner Alligator, and some pirates,. in
which the gallant ALLEN was slain, we have
translated from en Havanna Paper,. received by
the Mary Ann, arrived here yesterday, from our
correspondent in that:place.
HAVANNA, Nov. 14.—8 y an express arrived yesterday,
13th inst. we notice the following :
MATANZAS, Nov. IL—The gallant Allen (commander of
the United States schooner Alligator) is no more ! You wit-
nessed the activity with which he hastened to recapture the ves-
sels which were taken in sight of this port. In fact he timely
arrived to save five vessels which he found in the possession of
a gang of pirates, consisting of upwards of 300, stationed in
the bay of Siquapa, about 15 leagues to windward of this port.
fie fell by two musket balls through his body, being in the
foremost boat of a division'' which attacked the principal ves-
sel of the pirates, a beautiful schooner of about 80 tons,
mounting an 18-pounder on a swivel, and 14 other guns, with
the bloody flag nailed on the mast. lie was at the time with
Captain Freeman, Commander of the Marines, with twelve
men in the nearest boat, and took posiession of said
schooner after a desperate action, in which his courage,
mounted to the highest pitch; proved successful in concluenng
her. All the pirates mails their escape, except one, betore the
Alligator's boats could reach them; some running sway in
their boats, and others by swimming. Two other piratical
schooners got off' with a light wind, by taking to their oars.—
Captain Allen died four hours after receiving his wounds, ma-
nifesting in his conversation a calMness and-fortitude honour.
able to his character, and left his friends somewhat consoled by
his heroic courage and intrepidity of mind. The schooner Al-
ligator came in this day, bringing along her prizes and five
vessels retaken.

The Government of this place is.making arrangement jointly
with the Commander of., the Spanish brig of war (whdse con-
duct is highly. praised by the officers of the Alligator) for the
interment, with all the honours of war, which is to take place
to-morrow. This event has greatly dejected us, and our com-
merce with this island and New Orleans will be entirely de.
strayed, if an adequate force is not stationed here to protect it.
The best comment I can make for the present is, to enclose
a list of the recaptured vessels, and tell you as a truth that
many of our men arc missing, who probably may have been
murdered.
Loss of the Alligator's two boats.—Killed, Capt. Allen and
2 seamen. Mortally wounded, 2; severely ditto, 3.
Vessels re.captUred.—Brig Iris, of Boston, bound to New
Orleans ; brig Sarah Alary-Ann, of ditto, ditto ; schooner
Argo,. of Salem, bound to 3lantanzas ; schooner Nancy and
Mary, of Boston, from Norfolk to Pensacola ; ship IVilliarn
Henry, of New York, bound to New Orleans, with passengers
on board. •

In addition to the preceding, the following was furnished by
a passenger in the ltlary•Ann :
About the 9th, two masters of American vessels came to
Ilavannah, for the express purpose of raising money for the
ransom of their vessels bound to savannah, which, with two
other Americans (bound to New Orleans), had been recently
captured by two piratical schooners near Key-Itomain, and
left at anchor in that neighbourhood, waiting for their return.
—Captain Allen,. of the Alligator, on coming .into port next
clay, being informed therelf, started,, without coming to an
anchor, in search of the pirates, whom, on that or the next
day, he discovered in the Channel of Matanzas. The Alli-
gator drawing too much water, two boats were manned and
stood for them r an action ensued, in - the early part of
which Captain Allen received two musket balls, one in the
head, the other in the breast, and soon died, encouraging his
men to do their duty, which they nobly performed ; fur after a
short contest the pirates khandoned their vessels, and swam to
the shore. The vessels were taken possession of by the victors,
and carried into Matanzas. _

They mounted one gun each amid ship, with 40 men each,
well armed, and had considerable plunder on board. Our in.
formant does not know whzil became of their prizes.
The Mary Ann has dispatches on board from the American
Agent at Ilavannah, Ranishing official information in relation
to this disastrous occurrence..