Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-03-11


with the deputation, and they reached
rhe town about ianie,, when they went ca
TO General Chritophe, and uniformed hin
of the i1le of their milton. He deelar.
ed he would nor yield point on his part.
Mr.. Lear then aIkel him what the Ameri-
cans lad to depend upon. He laid lie
would give perniaion in the morning for
them TO go on board their veliels. Mr..
Lear retired to his hoafe, and put up his
moa valuable papers and few clothes, to
rake on board the American velels with
him in the morning. The town was fill
ed with troops AID other blacks from the
country during me night. Ii the morn
ing, at day -iishs, Mr.. Lear went. TO
Chrisophe's for the order of the, Aaeri-
cans to embark, and alto dehred that all
the women and children, and other whites,
might be permitted to go on board the
American yelIels, which would be ready
to receive them. He wss mounting his
aorle, and told him he would ride to the
water, and give orders to the guard to
permit the Ameneaa, only to go on board
the vea.ls. Mr.. Lear entrea,ed TOR the
others, but in vain. Mr.. Lear made
Cleh difpoi,ion. as to get of with num-
Der of women and children who were
there, and fuch Americans as appeared
all but 4 or 5 having gone On board.
The wind was high all day. aud the Rcct
which was ciofc in TO the reef, could not enter
the harbour--In the afternoon armed men were
fsnt On beard the American vei1els, and every
white and black French,nan found on board was
taken our ard carried in there. Ju!t before dark,
one o. the f;ips food in very near the tortf with
ev-ry appearance Of entering. The tort fired at
her, which was returned, and can Grading took
place. All the forts around the harbour tired
conlantly, although fon,c were not within 8
miles of the fhps. This was the fgaai Tor flr
ing the town, which was Immediately begun -:
ard in ahou: one hour it exhibited an awful
rc.,e of corhagraeion. The ihips did not attempt
u cone In.
The fituation of the Americans on hoard the
veilc!s was 70: very p!eaf.n. They were total
ly defcncelefs, ana within the power OF the
blacks; and report had gone oil iii the after
no,n, that they would come on beard, after
burning the town, and dcaroy the vedels and
n>alTacre the people on board. There were IS
American veIels in the por, (which was the
whole number, few fmal French ones except
ed( and as there appeared no other chances tor
lafety, after they mould have goyged themie'ves
on ihore, but from fome of the lhips coming in
(which they could no, do in the night or from
detach nent of boats fcrt in by them with the
rroops, Mr.. Lear determined at once to $50 out
by the forts in boat, and endeavour to get in
| detachment Of boats.-On pa!ing the forts. eve
| nv thing was iilsnt, which convinced him they
! had abandoned them, after fetting fire to the
tcwu.-tse GIT cut iaely; and as the ihips food
! of, it was daylight before he got on board the
| Admiral. He told his iitaa,i,u to him, and the
Admiral ahured him he would go in with ms
fhips without delay, as they could now 60 in as
| 70 vi or f,oner than the boats. Accordingly a.
| bout II o'clock they entered The harbour, within
! -nn from the forts, which had been abandoned.
| They found the American fhipping fate, as the
blacks were ft,l piaging the town amidR the
flames. The troops inttantly landed from the
! ihips and the town was Immediately cleared Of
! the blacks, AM few houtcs (perhaps % cut OF
| 6oo) fared. ~ -
To attenp. to defcribc the fcene Of defola,ion
is inpoilible. The property lott by the Ameri--
cans in the town was very coniiderab!e.--ln
goods ard debts due from shofe VIII loft their
all, It mutt be nearly 10000 dollars. Only one
American loif his lie, Mr. Lanchsiter. OF
the houle of Lancheiler and Riehardfon, from
Charlcaon, IS. c. He tarricd on fhdre with
determination to fave his property or perth with
it, and urhappily fuffered. He was killed in
his hnul-z and al,noh confirmed in the fanes.-
Few other whites were killed, as they appeared
to be more inteat on p'uader than murder
Three Americans iaved their houfes, but their
good, were pllagcd. viz. Mr.. Dodge, Meiirs
Hsi.en and Williams, and Meflrs Darcy and
Stevenf;n.
Capt. Rogers, Of the American,navy,
was there, and who diff !ayed that'daunt-
LET'S fpirit which he is known to potleis,
carried on ihorc through the whole, and by
his good management and intrepidity Re.
cured the lives of many whom he got off
from the flames, and was the Gseans OF fas-
ing feversl houie,.
The general 10 chief, exprefies himtelf
difpofsd to befriend the Americans in e.
very way: but as yet, no American vef-
isls have been allowed to difpofe of or land
their careoes, neither have any been per-