The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-05

tnc IArOOr, Wunin grape met ottanCe OF tnc
Baihaw's cattle. The Siren, Argus, Vixen,
Nautilus, Enterprise, and boats of the fquadron
accompanied them. AT a. Nj. the boats an
chored with iprings on, within piRol ihot of
the rocks, and commenced briik firing on
the Ripping, town, batteries, and Ba!haw's
csitis, which WAS warmly returned, not
we'll directed; the hips boats remained with
the gun-hpats, 70 aiiih in boarding the euemys
Hotlla, IL il ihould venture out while the brigs
and fchooners kept under weigh ready for the
fame fervice, or for annoying the enemy as &C.
cation might pretent. AT day light preiumiug
that the gun-boats had nearly expended their
ammunition, we weighed with the Confituti-
and food in for the harbor. Fort Ength,
the Baihaw's cattle, crown aud mole batteries
kept UP heavy fire on us rs we advanced. at
hait paf 1 made the iignal for the gln-boats
10 retire from action; and for the briggs and
ichooners to take them in tow.-We were then
within two cables length of the rocks, and
commenced heavy fire Of round and grape on
thirteen of the enemy's gun-boatS and gallies,
which were in pretty cloie action with our
boats. We funk ore of the euemy's boats, at
the fame time, two more dfabed, ran on ihore
to avoid linking; the remainder immediately
retreatcd. We continued running in, until we
were within mutket fhot of the crown and mole
batteries, when we brought to, and fired up
wards Of 500 round ihot beiides grape and can
iter into the town. Dalilaw's cattle and bate
ries. We lileneed the cattle and two OF the
batteries for fome time. At quarter pat
the gun-boats being AL out of ihot and in tow,
hauled off, after having been ST. OF an hour
in cloie action. The gun-boats fired upwards
of 400 round iiot, beldes grape and canifter
with good effect. a large Tunihan galliot was
funk in the mole; Spaniih hip which had en-
tered with an ambaiiador from the grand ftig-
Nor, received comfortable damage. The Til
poline gales and gun-boats loft many men and
were much cut.
The Baihaw's cattle and town have filfered
very much; as have their crown and mole bat
teries. Captains Decatur and Somers conduit
ed their diviiions of gun boats with their ufual
firmnefs and address; and were well supported
by the officers and men attached to them. The
! briggs and fchooners were alto well conducted
during the action, and fred number of llot at
the enemy; but their guns arc too light to do
much execution. They fuffered comfortably
in their fails and rigging. The officers and crew
of the Contribution behaved well, ! cannot in
| jultice TO Capt Chauncey, omit noticing the
very able aili6ance l received from him on the
quarter deck of the Contribution, during
the whole of the action. The damage
which we have received is principally
above the hull three lower ihrouds, two fDring
tays, two topmait back ftays, trufies, chains &
/ Hits Or the mann YdrO mot away.
Our fails had feverdi cannon fhot through
them, and were befide comfortably cut bv
grape much of our running rigging cut to pie
ces, one of our anchor ftocks and our larboard
cable fhot away, and number of grape ihot
were Ticking in different parts of the hull but
not man hurt boat belonging to the John
Adams, with matters mate (Mr. Creighton
and eight men, was funk by double headed
ihot from the batteries while in tow of the
! Nautilus, which killed three men and badly
wounded enc, who with Mr.. Creighton and
the other four, were picked up by one OF our
boats. The only damage our gun-boats fnf-
tanned, was in their rigging and fails, which
were confderably cut with the enemy's round
and grape hot.
| AT IL a. M. we anchored with the foua-
dron miles N. E. by n. from Tripoli, and
repaired the damage received in the a6tion.
Goth and soth, preparing the bomb vefIels
for fervice; fupplying the gun-boats with am
munition, &c. slf, vefel arrived from NAL
ia with provifions and flores brought no news
of commodore Barron, or the frigates We
discharged this veilels cargo and ordered her
to return.
September the Cd, the bomb veGels having
been repaired and ready for fervice, lieuts.
Dent and Rohinia:;, reG:Eieia' TIC command nj
| them. Lieutenant Morris of the Argus took
| command of No. 8 !; and Lieutenant Triple
having nearly recovered from his wounds, re-
fumed the command Of No. 8, which he 10
CALAMITY conducted the Sd ultimo. Captain
Chauncey, with fevera young gentlemen, and
ixty men from the John Adams, volunteered
on board the Contribution. AT p. NJ. made
the 6gnal to weigh; kept under fail all night
AT l l P. M. general Ggnal 80 prepare for bat
| tie: Spaniih Polacre in baIlaft, came out of
Tripoli, with an ambaliador of the Grand Seie-
Nor on board, who had been fent from Con-
tantinople TO Tripoli to confirm the Bahaw in
his title this ceremony takes place in all the
Barbary regencies, every five years. The Cap
tain of this velIel informed us, that our fiot
and fhells had made great havock and deftruGti-
on in the City, and among the fhippng, and
that 4 vaff number of people have been killed :;
alto informs us that three of the boats which
were funk by our not, in the actions of the
sd and 2sth ult. had been got up, repaired and
fitted for fervice.
| 3rd. At 9, P. NJ. Tripoi bore s. s. VIZ
l-2 miles ditant, wind E. by z. At half paft
9 the iignals were made for the gun-boats to caft
off, advance and attack the enemy's eallies &
| gun-boats, which were all under weigh in the
eaftern part of the harbour, whittier they had
for fome time been working up againR the
wind. This was certainly iudicious move
nent of theirs, it precluded the pof1ibility Of
our boats going down to attack the town, with
out leaving the enemy's floilIa in their rear,
* directly TO windward.-laccordingly ordeycd
| the bomb veilels to run down within proner