Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-07-28

n,5t, valuable Part OF the Mays cargo,
her, and put The l.illy's and the o.hvf
ships men on board. They detained MIR
Ashton, Captain OF the Mary) on board
The privaecr,and purpose carrying him To-
Guadaloapc Us an evidence for her con-
domination.
TIE following account IF the cqtfvre Of ne
English sto2h Of 1rar Litiy, ms 6eca stSs'.
en- as 6y Mr.. Norcock, the hurser:
~ beg leave 10 acquiint you with my arr
rival here this day with the remaining rs
hcers and crew OF II. M. sloop OF war
Lilly. On the 18th inst. on or about The
hour of P. NJ. being then in lat. 81 ~
y. and long. 70. Is. w. we observed Tvs
sail to winda ard, TO which we medi-
ately gave chace. AT half past perceiv.
ed the one to be all med vessel laying
too with rench coiors flying. boarding II
} ship, which we supposed to be English,
and continued in that position ill daik,
when we lost sight Of them. Tackled oc-
caslonally, working 10 wirtlward during,
The night; al half past a. NJ. observed
two sail 10 the westward. which we sup
posed to be the same as yesterday; made
all sail In chace, and cleared ship Tor acli-
on. At9 distingushedthem 10 be the Two
ships we saw yesterday, the one having
the other in tow, standing TO the South
ward and Eastward on the sta,board tack.
Hail past 9 the one hoisted English colors,
which we returned; passed to windward
tackled on cur weather beam, and cast the
vessel she lad takenin Tow off; three quar-
ters past she edged away, taking us Tor u
merchant vessel, we shelving no guns, and
having temporary poop rIggid 10 deooy
her. Al % min. past 10 she ranged up
on our weather quarter. shifted her colors
10 French, & con menced q heavy fire up
on US, which we Immediately returned !;
he then dropt asiern and kept up heavy
discharge OF musquetry, musquetoons and
cnhorns from her tops and decks, and that
ct grape and language from her bow-cha-
sers which cut our braces, bowlines, and
running rigging in such manner as 10
! render the ship totally unn. manageable and
completely defeated all oar exertions to
alter our position so as to get great gun
10 bear; and the only resistance we we're
able to make (having no stern chactrsl
was that Of the small arms. II is wihthc
greatest concern / have to mention the
death of Captain William Compton, who
He'll early in the action. She still kept
(tak'ne every advantage of our uue overna-
Die stale) under our stern, rak us fore
and all with her bow chace gurs and leo
men at m esqaetry. making sundry fruit
less attempts to board till noon when she
| PASSED To- windwaid, on which We gave
her the whole of our larboard hroadside,
and laying US athwart hause. rsked us
| sundry times, which am sorIy to say
deprived us of The assistance of the whole
OF the officers on deck Lieutenant Fow-
lew being the last whe fell, giving .direc-
tons TO strike the colots; the ship then
laying perfect log on The water stand
ing, running rigging, and sails eempete.
iy cut to pieces masts and yards severely
wounded. In this state the enemy made
another desperate attempt TO board, which
they effected on the bowsprit with up
wards OF 100 men, and the feeble resis-
taEee we were then able TO make. having
then lS men out OF our small number
| theIng only rs al the commencement of
the action) killed and wounded. tits with
the utmost concern I have 10 add, we were
compelled 20 strike our colors, and at half
past noon were taken possession of by the
French ship privateer, La Dame Ambert,
oil Guadaioupe, mounting fourteen -
FOUNDER cannonades and two long 9s.
and having on board l4o men. The Lii
! ~ mounted Is short ~ Founders msr-
chant guns"