The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-04-30
Ihave the honor to be. with profound ref.
peel, MonEgnen~, your very humble and de-
voted fervant.

/ have the honor to be, with profound ref
peel, MonGgneur, your very humble and de-
voted fervant.
GUILLET.
On the 4th Ventofe of the 18th year of the
French Republic WE the commanders and
officers ofthe frigate La Vile de Milan, be-
ing at ten in the morning, with our prize the
Erglifh frigate Cleopatra, commanded by
NJ. Rouget, lieutenant de Vaiilau, in lati-
tndc 80 deg. N. and long. IS deg. w. with
hard and fqually weather and our guns houf-
ed. the fea very heavy and running into the 9
fhins through PORTFOLIOS, whole lids and half
ports had been greatly damaged in the en-
racement and boarding Of the 2sth of laft
pluvoife, the boiferous weather would per-
NIT us to holt neither our main mat, nor
our top gallant mats, but we had taken the
oDportunity to rig our main yard, and pre-
mare it for topfail. At noon whit the
fouas continued we faw two fails. the one
70 the w. and the other to the N. N. w.
both ditant about 8 leagues, and under full
fall The frigate Ia vile de Milan being
under foreEail, lib and top gallant roy
al fail iraead Of A main fiil, and our prize,
the friyate Cleopatra, under foreiall hrlt
rived, 2 top gallant fai! and mizen, we bore
away TO the fouth-eaft at . O'Clock, P. M.-:hc
france fails which we had feen having gained
much upon us, we found that which was to the
w. to he large fs,ip, and the fecond to the N.
NJ W. 4 frigate, both chatting us and our prize,
which kept in our wake at half a leagues diff
lance. The faid prize then bore away to e.
cane the fhip TO the leeWard, but making little
wav Che eafily permitted this fhip which had
hoiftcd the Engln, flag, TO come up with and
fire upon her, and finding it impoi'ible TO de-
fend herfelf, fl,e was obliged to ftrike. The
fl,ip leaving the care Of her prize to the frgate
which accompanied her continued the chafe
the Vile de Milan made as much fail as was
pof1ib'e, with the repairs fhe had been able to
make. fince the battle; bnt fhe was foon come
mp with by the faid fl,ip, which fired many 'bot
at her, to which fhe could anfver only with her
quarter deck guns. which could not be brought
to hear upon the Engfh nip as fhe lay at her
Germ, which it was not in her power TO prevent,
it being impofIihe for her to manGuvrc.-The
boiGrous weather totally prevented us from rum
mig out her guns, which were kept houfed, A.
greeahlv to the feutiments of all the officers
whom I called TO confuIt upon this fubiett.
The wound which had received, not permit
ting me to leave my birth, left to the Eufeigne
de Vatican, Caron, difcretion TO do whatever
he ihould think proper to defend the honour of
the French flag; the violent agitation of the fea
which deprived us of the power of firing and of
preE,nting our hroadiide to the enemy, deter
mined him to give the order to ftrike the flag.
owe him the ;uftice TO inform Won that he bad
my appreciation, perfectly convinced, as Twas,
that prolonged reliftance our part would
have been impoflible, for the reafons above de-
tailed.
The Enelih capturing vefels are the flag
fhip, the Leander, of Sc guns, and the frigate
Cambrian, carrying "a guns, on her main deck
and SO pound carronades on her quarterback.
We have arrived at Bermuda, efcorted by the
Leander.
Vcntofe 9, year 10.
GUILLET.