The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-01

the carpenter TO go down forward and bore
holes through the ihip's bottom; and to the
gamer To- drown the magazine by turning the
cock and occurring the key: the witnefs heard
the gunner report that he had .ecuted this Or
der. Orders were then given To deGroy every
thing on board which conld he rendered ufefu
to the enemy. 1t had now already been deter
mined that the flag mum I've itruck. as no hopes
remained of faving the flip, and no pnliihle
means of defending her. The colours were ac-
cordincy trnck. and the enemy took pcfefion.
IL was now about fun down, and the flip mad
grounded about half after eleven in the morning,
as nearly as the witnets can recolleSt, during
which time ihe expoled TO the contact fire
of the gun boats, but fitfered only in her f',srs
and rigging. The fhip was loft about three
miles and half from the town of 1'ripoli, and
one and half from the nearea point OF land,
which bore fouth.
cucfions byths court.
Had Won any boats .utficient to carry out an
abchor?
Ans. l. is nv opinion we had not but had
this been otherwife, the enemy commanded the
ground where it would have been uccefiary to
drop anchors.
What water did the lhip draw when The went
or ihorr?
IS nearly rs I can recoe6t fhe drew about
eighteen feet forward and nineteen and half a
baf
O'Ieftion by the Judge Advocate.
During the traufaStions and dfailers of that
day, did you notice any thing of remiinefs or
neglect in her commander which could tend TO
the ois of the PHILADELPHIA.
Ans. did not: On the contrary, noticed
in Captain Bainbridge great coolneiS and deiibe-
ration.
Lieutenant Jacob To1es was called into court
and examined. He confirmed in every thing
the tetimony OF Lieut.. Porter, without vara-
ton
Lieut. 7beoS7ye Hunt was examined before
the court, and varied only in his teGimony from
the two preceding witneles in the draft of the
Philadelphia's water when fhe went aground,
which he Gated to have been eighteen feet fix
inches forward, and about twenty feet Fix inch
es aft, which he had afcertaned from obfet alton
the day before the misfortune. And afo, in
anfwer to the fri ouefton by the court to lieut.
Porter, he adds that in the river Delaware lie
made an experiment in carrying out anchor
in the Phiadelphia's launch, when fhe was o.
bliged TO be buoyed by cafks.
Lieut.. BENJAMIN Smith, corroborates the tef-
timony of the preceding witnefes without add
ding any material circumftance.
Mr. WTHam Knight. falling matter, was ex-
amined. He confirms The tcftmony of the wit
nefies before recorded; and adds that he was
pohive the fhip pierced forward by the
carpenter as ordered, for he heard the water
running into the auger holes. When aked why
the flip did not ill, he faid he expected fhe
would have filled, as he fure there were
iuficient holes bored for the purpoie but he
conjettured they NUT have been topped in fome
manner.
Mr. KTLhanz Ogcrne, Lieutenant of marines,
on examination, confirms the tetimony of the
preceding witnel19s.
Mr.. keith Spence, purfer, varies in nothing
material from the witneifes gone before him.
Benjamin F. Read, matters mate, ftates facts
rs recorded in Lieut.. Porter's tetinony, and
adds, that in order by every means to render
the flip ufelefs after it was determined to ftrike
her colours, cannon filot were thrown into the
pumps.
flames Gibbons, matters mate, fays nothing
more than what goes in confederation of the
preceding teftimony.
Daniel Pdtterton, matters mate, confirms the
FOREGOING teitimony; but adds nothing.
James Biddle, nidfhpman, ftates facts as re-
corded from the teftimony of the preceding wit
nefes.
Games Hesj6aev, midhpman, ftates facts ge
nerally as the preceding witneiies have done
and adds that he was the bearer of Capt. Balm
bridges order to drown the magazine, after he
was determined to leave the fhip, and knows it
was executed.
Richard SfebbeHjon, gunner, tetifes that he
knew nothing of the tranfaaions on the Phla-
delphia's deck the day fhe was loft, being con-
fined to the magazine until he received an order
which he did and went on deck with the KEYS
in his hand. The fhip was then on her beam
ends, the water running in at the ports, and
fuch of her guns were not thrown overheard,
rendered totally ufelefs.
George Hodge, boatfwan, ftates facts, 70 far as
they come within his knowledge, in exact con-
formity to the tefinony of Lieutenant Porter
but adds nothing.
William God1y, carpenter, was examined con-
corning the fcuttIing of the ibp. He teftifies,
that, when it was determined to abandon the
Philadelphia, he received Captain Blndridge's
orders to fcuttle her, which he executed by
calling to his alIiltance his two mates, and pierc.
ing her bottom with chizels and augers in rlf-
Fl lent olaces, as he thought to fill her, ard then
reported - the proper oficcr but the Turks
he believes, got on board in feafon TO flop tn,
holes and prevent her filing.
Mr.. William knight was called in and afked
blythe court if ever he had chart in his ponef-
fon which laid down lhoal where the Pha-
dc phia grounded?
Mr.. Knight anfwered--No
Mr.. Pafter/on, midlhipman, was called in
10 court, and being fworn, ieltifed that he def
troyed the nunerdry fignsI book of the Phla-
deiDiia bV CAPTAIN Bainbridpe's orders before