Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-11-12
NARRATIVE OF CAPT. FERRIS.
Mr.. P,efdtnt, and gentlemen

ces which led TO the lois OF his Majefty's
late hip the Hannibal, then under my
command, l am forty that, owing to
my clerk being killed, and whole remarks
were loft, / cannot be 10 particular as to
the exact times OF fgnal$ being made as
hould otherwife have been !; but l lhall
fate them 10 you to the belt OF my recol-
lection.
On the morning of the 9th of July
lan, at about 6 O'Clock, his MajeGy's hips
Venerable, Pompee, Audacious, Celar,
Spencer, and Hannibal, under the com
mand of Admiral Sir James Saumarez,
being OF Cabarctta Point, Handing in for
Algeziras Bay upon the larboard tack,
with the wind wefterly, che Adu,iral made
the fgnal to the Venerable, 10 know if
he could fetch the enemy's Chips then n
Gght in THAI Bay, which being auiwered
IN the affirmative, the Admiral made the
ignal for cIofc action.
" AT about eight O'Clock the Venera-
bic began the action at a comfortable dill.
tance TO the leeward, as Che could not fetch
further into the Bay and ioon after the
Pompee anchored nearer in iborc, and the
Audacious aGern of her, The Admiral
in the Cafar, next anchored anead of the
Audacious, and made rhe fgnal for (hips
TO anchor in the bea pofible manner for
their Mutual fupport. We ,hen anchored
ahcsdo the Csfar, within hail of her, &
hy a fpring got our broadlide to bear ON
one OF the enemies line of battle fhips, at
about ten minutes before 9 O'Clock where
We kept up "a good Gse for ABOUT an hour.
4" At this time, about ten o'clock, no,
having underiood fome aa,bar directions
attempted to be given from the Csfar.I
received an order from the Admiral, by
an officer, TO go and rake the French Adj
miral. ~initantly turned Up the hands to
pakc fail cut tie cable, and caf the hi,
by the fpring, l then cut the fprine, and
made TAI. 30 the northward, Good in TO a
qparterleis fix and then talked for the
French Admiral for the purpoie l had
been ordered TO effect.
As / approached him, I began TO
take IN iail In luch a manner as would have
enabled meto have hauled in fhore atbwart
ms ha"ter, and which l preferred to po-
lng 10 iee~ ard under his Gerr, as tar,
night have fubjected me, from the var;
Gus flaws OF wind, TO have drifteo .arthe,
- lee~ard, and confequently without fol.
hiling, 10 a manner which | deemed the
mott e~ffettual and Deceive, the object Of
my orders. But, jun as ! got the fore
Clue garnets manned, in order to fake in
the tore-iaii, with an intent TO put the
helm alec, and to brace her yards a-box.
the fhip took the ground, within hail Of
me formidable, 1.-THE French Admira],s
hip and which accident alone could have
prevented me from putting my orders into
execution.
In this itus,ion I opened my fire on
the French Admiral, with as many of NV
ioremoit guns as could be brought to bear
or him., The rett being directed. with
much effect, on the town, batteries. and
g%an-boats, with which ] was furrounded
Bot the lhip appearing to fwing a little.
l let 60 the bower anchor and cur the ca
ole, the ifeam cable being clinched 20 the
ring OF the anchor, and in at the gun. room
port, on which INTENDED TO heaye aaern
TO enaeavour t force the fhip round, 70
as to bring her broadfde to bear on tbe |
+ rench Admiral, lhaving at this time no
nope OF getting the hip entirely aAoat. |
the mailer having, BY my directions found, |
round her, and found rather le(s water
t : where ihe lay; but the fpring being
1ho' away before 1t was well taught, the
mp remarked ~immovable. had by this
simf' after much endeavQur (all my ignal
nauiyards being hot away, effected max
the iignal for ltriking and Ticking fan |
on the hoal. Ia"
l ooierved fomc time afterwards ali
our ihips driving out of the Bay. tb- oil