Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-03-06

| as the gun boats receive their supply OF
water aud provisions honl the Consti,u-
4 18th. rs the season is fast approach
ling When we may expect bad weather.,
and no news of the figa,es, have deter
, Emsued 10 make al, attack rs 5000 as the
i wind proves favorable. At 8 r. M.
$ sent captains Decatur aud Chauncy IN
tvo small boats 10 recc. noitrs the harbor,
a aud observe the deposition of the ene'ny.s
, 9oti,la at ni,f,t: they returned at md
4 night, and re orteothat they were anchor
ed /, line abreast, from the Moe to the I
!, :,ashaw's castle, with tbeir heads 10 the
Eastward. Tor the defence of The inner har-
Dor. Al day light The wind shifted sud-
1 ieniy from ~. E. 10 ". N. w. and bro'l
a heavy sea on shore, which Obliged us,
for greater safety, to weigh and stand to
sea.
Goth. We had gained an offing of 9 or
10 leagues, still blowing hard. We met
with the Ke,ch Intrepid, from Syracuse,
with Il cargo Of fresh water, stock and We
ge,abies for the squadron.
( 22d. Fell in with ship from Malta,
| with water aud live stock for the squadron.
! These csrgc=s arrived very opportunity,
as we have Tor seme time past been on
! short allowance ofwater. The wind hav-
ing moderated, we stood in, aud anchor
ed with the squadron miles II. +. by N.
from Tripoli; al the boa,swere engaged
in dIscharging tn; transports. The En-.
Iterprise arrived from Malta, but brought
no intelligence of the long expected fri
gates.
24,h. With light breeze from theN
Z. we stood in wills the squadron prepar-
ed for action, intending TO attack the town
and shipping in the night. AT in the
evening anchored about two aud an half
miles from the batteries. az midnightit
fell calm. sent the bomb vessels under
1 the protection of the gun boats, to bonn
bard the town ; the boats OF the squadron
were err ,ioyed intowiBg them in. Ai2
A. M. me bombardmeDt commenced,
and continued until day light, but with
what etleet is uncertain. A, all the boats
Joined US, and were taken in tow by the
squadron, which was under weigh, and
standing Of. At7 anchored miles north
CT The town. The weather for several
days proved unfayorabIe for approaching
the shore.
2sih. We were favored with pleasant
breeze from the eastward. AT p. M.
We weighed, and Stood in for Jrpoli. AT
S anchored he Constitution two miles n.
5 by L. from fort English. end and an half
I isom the Bashaw's castle the light ves-
z sells ordered TO keep under weigh. We
= were employed until p. NJ. in making
a arrangements for attacking the town |; a
I number of the officers, and many of The
!, seamen Of the Constitution being attach.
:, ed 10 the bomb, gun, and ships boats ;
= Captain Chauncy With several of his off.
{, GERS, and about 70 seainen and marines
q volu'-eered their services on board The
Constitution. All The boats in the SQUAD.
ron we're efIicered and manned, and at
=, - tachcd to the several gun boats the two
bomb vesssls could ROT be brought int
;. action, as one was ieaky, and the Eor,a,
bed OF the other had given way. The
john Adams, Scourg9, transports and
!. benbs were anchored 7miIcs 10 The nsrth.
. ward OF the town. Lieut.. eornmandant
: Eeni, OF The ScoUfge, came on board the
Constitution, AID took charge on the Gun
. deck Lieut. lizard of she SconTse also ;oin-
ed me. Lieut.. Gordon commands Gun
boat No 2, and lieut.. Laurence of the En-.
terprise, No. 5--thsse are the osiy chang.
es. Al half pas. A. Al. the gun boats
IN two divisions, led by captains Decatur
and Somers were ordered to advance and
take their stations close to the rocks, at The
entrance Of The harbor, within grape shot
distance of the Bashaw's castle. The ST.
\ REQ. Argus, VxvD, Nautilus, Enterprise !.
and boats OF the squadron accompanied
them. AT A. NJ. the boats anchored
with springs on, within pistol sho, Of the
rocks and commenced a brisk firing ON
4 the shipping, town, batteries and Dashav,s
castle, which was warmly returned, but
no, rs we'll directed the ships boais re.
manned with the gun boats, to assist in
boarding the ensmy's fioGlIa, if il should
venture out; while the briggs and schoon.
ers kept under weigh ready for the same
|. service or for annoying the enemy as oe-
casIoD might present. At day light mr..
. Stunning that the gun boats had nearly ex.
/ pended their ammunition, we weighed
with the Constitution and stood in for ,b,.
harbof. Fort English, The Bashaw's ca..
lie, crown and mole batteries kept sp >