Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-03-02

tuck. Observed one oftheeaemy's schoon.
ers !! the brig t;wo cprssirs) in the bar.
Dor 10 be disnasted, was Informed by the
! French captain. that the damage these
vessels received in-the action of the Sd.
had occaAioned their masts being taken
out. .f
The 7,h the Ffench priva,eer came out,
and brought me a letter.from the French
Consul, in which he observed. thar our al
tack Of the 3D. instant had disposed the Ba.
shaw to accept Of reasonable terms; aad
invited me to send a boat to the rocks with
ias of Truce, which was declined, as the
white flag was not hoisted at the Bashaws
castle. At 9, A. NJ. with a very light
breezc from the Eastward, and a. strong
rrent, which obliged the Constitution to
fe'nain at anchor, made the signal for
the light Vessels to weigh, and The gun
asd bomb boats to cast off and stand in
shore towards the Western batteries, the
prize Boat, having been completely fitted
Tor service, aud he com mand OF then. giv.
en- to lieut.. Crane, of the Vixen, Thorn;
of the Enterprise, aud Caldwell, OF the
Syren; the whole advanced with sails and
oars. The orders were for the bombs 20
take position in small bay 10 the wsstt
ward of the city, where bat few of The
enemy's guns could be brought to Bear on
thcrn, bu. from whence they couid annoy
the town with, Shells The pun bouts, 10
silence battery of z heavy guns, which
guarded the approach of thai position, and
The briggs and dchooncrs to support them,
IN case the enemy's fio,JIa should VEN
-ture out. at.haK past 4. P. M. a breeze
from ~. n. Z. weighed with the Com
'stiiutioh, and stood in for the town, but
the. wind being on shore made it n,pru.
dent to,cngsge the batteries with the shin,
as IN case OF a mast being shot away, The
loss of me vessel would probably ensue,
nniess change Of wind should favor our
getting, OF. AZ half past 2, p. NJ. The
bomb and gun. boats having gained their
stations, the sigaal was made for them to
attack the town anil batteries. Our bombs
Fiminedls'eiy comimencesiti.rowing sheiiis.
aud he gun boats opene,la sharp ana we'll
Greeted lire oD the town s batteries with
IN point blank shot, which was warmly re-
turned BY the enemy. The seyem Gun
battery in less Than i.yo hours was si,enc-
ed, except one gun presume the others
. srrc hisnsoantsd by our shot, rs TIL walls
were almost totally destroyed. Al q quar-
T,er'pas, SIP. M. a ship hove in SIGHT to
the noT;hward, standing fer the towrs !:
made the Argus signal TO chase Al half
past one ofourprizc gun boats was hlowr
up By a hSt shot from the enemy, which
passed thros her magazine. She had ON
board % officers, s-ameu and marine, 10
r.t D;,fsx H. lf.s<lt 4
mong the killed were James r. Ca,d well,
FRI iisus. OF The Syren. and midshipman
John S. Dorsey. both excellent officers !;
m;dshipinanlSpence & men were taken
up unhuet, --Capt. Decatur, whose DIVISION
thisboat belopgrd to,ana wli, wasne ar bxr
at i.ie time she blew up, reports to me TIA;
| Mr. Spence wassupc-intending the loading
! OF the gin at that moment, and notwiti-
standing the boat was sinking, be and tbe
brave fellows Surviving, finished charain,s
gave three cheers as the boat went rom
uudcr them. and swarm TO thk nearest
boats, sherc they assisted during the re-
ma'ndcr of the acscn. The enemy's
/, gun-boats and gaIlies Us in number)
we're all IN motion close under the BAT
,eres, ard appeared to mediate an al
tack on our boats the Constitutions, Nau
tits and Enterprise were 10 windyard
ready al every hazard 70 cut them of.
fsohi the hafbor,if they should venture
down; while tho Siren and Vixen were
near our boats 20 support and cover any
Of them that might be disabled. The e.
nemy tloughtit most pruden, however, 10
retire to their snug retreat behind the
rocks, sf,er firing few shot. Our boats,
in two divisions, under Captains Somrrs
and Decatur, were well conducted, az
we're oirbomb vessels. hy lieuis. Deut aud
Robinson. The town must have suffered
much from this attack, and their batteries.
/, particularly the seven grr-er,,sry, must
have LOST many men. AZ half past 5 p.
VI. the wind began 10 freshen from be
N. y. K. made the signal Tor the gan
and bomb beats 70 retire from action, and
for the vessels 70 which they were attach
ed, to ta.z them in tow. The Argus
made signal that The strange sail was a
| friend. 10 this days srfion No. 4 had %
pound shot through her hull; No. 6 had
! her Isueer yard shot away No. 8 ~
pound shot through her bull, which killed
\ two men. Some of the other boats had
heir rigging and sails considerably cut.
/ o Ill