Star.
London, England, 1805-12-24 00:00:00

AMERICA.

CHARLESTON, NOV. s.

We mentioned yellerday, the critical fituation in
which the Britini !hips Either and Minorca were left
on Sunday evening, with the French privateer in
company ; and the probability that one or both of
the (hips would be taken. We regret, that our fears
have been realifed by the capture of the Either, ac- ,
companied with Each a horrid and bloody maffacre,
that our feelings revolt at the bare recital of the
dreadful tale. The cireumflances, as far as we have
been able to coiled them, are thefe:
On Monday morn:ng, about feven o'clock, the pri-
vateer bore down on the Either, but was kept off by
the gallantry and well dire led fire of the brave Cap-
tain Irving and his crew, for nearly an hour ;—the
wind, however, becoming fo light, that th (tip
would not anfwer her helm, the privateer taking the
advantage, with her fweepa, got along fide and grap-
pled. In this fituation the conteß was continued
for three quarters of an hour, when the Frenchmen
fueceeded in getting on board the (hip ; here they
were kept at bay for nearly twenty minutes by the
!hip's crew ; but Captain Irving being feverely
wounded in the thigh, and having five of his men
killed, ordered the colours to be (truck, and retired
to his cabin. Mr. Lowdon, the Third Mate, after
having hauled down the colours, was coming for-
ward. when he was 'hot, and thrown overboard.
Four of the privateer's men, then followed Captain
Irving into the cabin, where he was (hot, and molt
cruelly mangled, and his body was thrown over tile
fide before life was extinft. Mr. Edwards the ad
Mate, a fine young man, while in the aft of fupport-
ing his dying Captaib in his arms, was (tabbed in le-
veret places with a Nall (word, and otherwife fo fe-
verely cut in his head, that no hopes are entertained
of his recovery. By this time the refidue of the crew
were di iven below ; when the Frenchmen, having
complete nonillion of the (hip, the. inhuman mon(ter,
Rots, ordered the prifoners to be brought on deck,
and put to death. This being remonftrated againft
by tome of the privateer's men, be ordered them to
fire upon them, when revere) mulkets were difeharg-
ed into the hatchway, which killed the carpenter, and
mortally wounded two few wen, who have fince died.
The privateer is called the Creole, mounts fix guns
of &fluent calibre, is 'commanded by one Pierre
Burgman, and had on board, at the commencement
of the aelion, one hundred and eleven then, They
flare their lots to be fix killed, feven feverely wound-
cd, and a number miffing, fuppofed to have been
knocked overboard and drowned. _ _

I' ee wounded Englifhmen were yeflerday put on
board one of our pilot boats. Two of the feamen
died before the reached the town. Mr. Milton, the
Firft Mate, died on board at the wharf; one poor
fellow died while they were conveying him to the
hnfpital. Two feamen at the hofpital, and thirteen
others, are fo dreadfully cut up, that it is fuppofed
only two of the number can poflibly recover.
The Captain of the privateer was wounded in the
flefhy part of the arm by a mufket ball, and Rofs
flightly in the writ : they were both {chocked over-
board, but fucceeded in regaining the privateer.
We are (*fury to (tate, that three of the feamen (a
Venetlanand two Portugnefe) helongingto the Either,
hare enteted on board the privateer, notwithflanding
they had Itood to their quarter., and behaved well
dor ng tl e
The privateer has gone off with the Either. She
was a fine Ihip, and had on board a valuable cargo
of fugars, &c. but being in a leaky condition, doubt•
are entertained of her reaching port. She made fix
teen inches of water per hour.