Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-10-02

I directed principally at orr mas.s and rig
/ giug, winch We returned with tso guns
! from our N ain deck aud three of our quar-
ter deck calronadss. which, from The ysry
! great heel the ship had, took no effect.
The guns We got out nbait were rendered
entirely useless from the same cause, al
though We cut away the stern as much as
could be done TO any purpose; tor by ell
deayorins to give them direction to bear
mon the enemy, they could not be run out
far enough to avoid setting ERE to the ship,
| which they once did, bu, il was soon extin.
! guished wilhou, difficulty or confu sim.
After finding II impossible to press the ship
off the rock by ighte ing her, and seeing
every prospect of getting her ai1oat at an
end, ordered the foremast To be cut away,
in order to right her in some degree, If
possible, and 10 render our guns more ma
nagabie (; but this produced no effect, and
seeing the ship immovably grounded on
rocks having but u feet water forward
and IL abait, I conceived any further at
tempts as evidently useless.
After having tried every expedieht that
could be thought OTTO contribute TO our re-
lief, and exer;ing ourselves to the utmost
from the time OF our grounding until half
past a, p. NJ. in endeayoriDg to get the ship
a1oat, and at the same time in resisting
,heienemy, bus finding all hopes ofihc iirs,
VAIN, & not being able 10 bring our guns to
bear to cfIsc CT the latter, Icallcd council OF
officers to consult Them on The subject Of a
further resis, aHce, or the necessity of sur
rendering TO the enemy. Upon adeIiberate
I H.r & h..
unanimous opinion that it was impossible TO
get the ship of, and that all further resist
! auce would be but unnecessarily exposing
men, in q situation where neither perse
verance nor fnrtitude would be OF any be-
ncht To our country or ourselves; and il
was unanimously agreed that the only
thing left for us 10 Go was To surrender to
The enemy, which was accordingly done,
after drowning the magazine. and destroy
ing as many articles as possible that might
be of use to the enemy.
Having stated you, gentlemen, a mar
rstiye of facts, which you will find verified
by The evidence To be heard, shall con-
clude after making one observation.
The usage OF nations appears, that where
there is no probability Of successful de-
fence, & ali racans of escape have been tri-
ed, the flag may be struck without iniuring
the commanders honor. These tao but
admi ted regulations are founded on prin-
ciples OF humani,y, and nice and delicate
attention TO national and individual honor.
i.urder such circumstances, command
er's honor be preserved, how free from
censure must it appear when placed in
situation without being able in the least 20
injure the enemy, aud no means Whatever
of ex,ricating himself.
WM. BAiNBRIDGE.
2s,h June, 1905.
The Court having deliherated on the
evidence deduced from Tie testimony Of
the Witnesses, heard in this case, are de-
cidediy of opinion tina, Captain VII.
LIAM BAINBRIDGs acted guith fortifufe
and conduit in The tess Of his shin, me u.
S. .frigofe Philadelphia, on the 3l1 October
| 1908, and hof no degree of eensure should
dfsach Itself 20 him from that eycnt.
JAMES BARRON, President.
WILLIAM EATON, Aching
! Judge Advocate.
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