Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-03-01

hr.T :. 9untpS ten guns
ofba;,le, forming strong line OF defence
secured moorlngs, inside long range OF
"ic.s and shoals extending more than two
Us 70 TIE eastward of the town, waicn
E.rr rhe harbour, protects them irom toe
rnr;heru qs.es, and renders 1t impossible ior
vssse, of III Constitutions draft OF water
- ,n,roach near enough to destroy them,
r., are sheltered by the rocks aud can
~,.,r.n,der that shelter to- the shore, unless
NV choose 10 expose themselves In the dill
t.r.nt channels and openings OF The reefs
for tae purpos- OF annoying their enemies
Each OF tn=ir gun boats mounts neaVy
!. OF 70 ppualer in the DOW and Two BRASS
h,witzers on their quarters, and carry from
,o5g men. The gailes have each 100
men ; schrooaers and brig. aoesi the same
lumber ,
Tbs weather was nc, favorable for an.
c5orinr until the 2sth, when with the
wind Z 6. L. the sqadron STOOD IN tor the
coast and at three 2. vi. anchored per
signal, Tripoli bearing South z I miles
distant At this moment the wind shifted
s,Idrn,v from L. S. E. to n. n. w. and
f,om thence 10 n. n. Z. at Ave O'Clock it
Lew strong with heavy sea, setting di.
rs,,ly on share. made the signal 10
Dr,pare 20 wcigl. At SIX the wind and
sea having considerably lncreased, the sig
nal WAS made Tor the squadron to weigh
S>carn am ohng; the wind continued veerng
!, the Lastward, which favored our gaining
sea roo,a. w,thaut being obliged TO carryso
Great Dress of sail as to lose any of our
GUN boats although they were IN great dan-
gcr. The gale continued varying from
r.. +. to L. ). Z. without increasing NUN
until the 3lst, when it blew away our reel
Cd toresail aud close reeied malutop san
fortunately the sea did not rise in pro-
portion TO the length OF the gale or we
must have lost all our boats. August list,
the gale subsidized and we stood towards
the coast; every preparation was made
for an attack upun the town aad harbor.
August the third, pleasant whether, wind
cas., stood IL with the squadron towards
Tripol, At noon We were between two ana
thrse miles from the batteries, wnlch were
all :udunei /; and observing that several O.
their IN boats and gIilies had advanced in'
twJ divisions without the rocks, l deter"
mined 10 take advantage OF their temerlty:
at half past twe!ve O'Clock lwore Oft shore,
AMI ma le the sigual to come within hail,
when communicated TO each OF the COM
mar .lers my Intention o! attack!ng the enc.
my's shipping sud batteries.
The gun and mortar boats were imme-
dia,ely manned AMI prepared to cast or;
the gun boats in two dirlsio1s OF thee each
1.-The FIRST division commanded ty captain
Somers in Ne |, EeuteHant Decofar II
No. >, and h.teuan, 3iake y; No. 3 me
second DIVISION comma1ded ~ capta!o
Decatur. IN 80. :, LEU enan, Bain5ridse
IN No. 5, end isut nan, rrippe in NJ. 6.
The two bombards were commanded by
lieutenant commandant Dem and Mr..
Robinson, first lieutenant of this ship. AT
half past one o'clock. having made the ne.
cessary arrangements Tor the attack, wore
ship and stood towards tie batteries; at2,
signal made to cast oil the boats at quar-
Ter past ., signal for bombs and gun boats
10 advance and attack the enemy ; AT halt
past 2, genei, Al signal for battle at
past the bombs commenced the action by
tnrowing shells into the town. In an in
slant tbs e0emy'i Shipping and batteries
o9cned 70 a Tremendous FIRE, which was
promptly retu. ned 0y tie whole squadron
within grape SHOT distance; at the same
ljnr TIE second division Of three gun boa's
lei by the gallant captain Decatur, was adj
',..2.n2 with sails and oars, to board the
sastcra division of he enem,, consisting
OF r'n7 boats. Oas boats gave tie enemy
showers oil grape and musset balls as they
al>anced, they however soon closed, when
Uepistol, sabre, pike and ,omahawk, were
made good use otbv our brave tars. Cap
,aia Soners being in dull sailer, male
tie best use ct his sweeps, but was not a.
lie &c fetch far enough to windward TO en-.
gage the same division of the enemv's
boats, which captain Decatur fell in with;
r, however, gallantly bore down with
his single boat on five of the enemy's ives
tern division, and engaged with pistol shot,
defeated ard drove them with;n the rocks