Portland gazette., 1805-04-29
kB'BcLE No. seel


from the Contribution
AT three quarters pan q P. NJ the light vel-
iels, gun boats and prizes being out Of the
reach Of the enemy's ihot, ! hauled off 70 take
the bomb YeHlls il tow We were two hours
under the fire Of the euemy's batteries, and tie
only damage received in this hip is "a pound
thot nearly through the centre Of the mainmait,
80 teet from the deck, main royal yard and
fail ihot away; one Of our quarter deck gans
damagad By thirty-two pound fhot which
at he iame time thattered marines arm The
lower throuds and two back flaws where lhot
away and Our ialls and running rigging con
hdera6lY cut We mult impute cur getting of
thus we'll to our keeping 70 near thar ,hey hot
over US, and 70 The annoyance our grape fhot
gave them, they are however but wretched gun
ners Gun boar No s, had the main yard lhot
away, I'd the rigging ard fails Of the 6rigs aud
tchoOners were confiderably cut Lieur Dcca-
tur was the only officer killed, but III him the
feIvce has lott a valuable officer; he was a
young man who gave hrong promise Of being
an ornament to his Profldlon his conduit in
the action was highly honorable, and he DIED
NOBLf. he enemy mutt have fufcred
much both in killed and wounded, both among
their ihiPping and on lhore. Three of their
gunboats we've funk il their barbour, feyeral
Of them had their decks nearly cleared Of men
by our ihot, and number Of ihens burtt in the
town and bauerios, which mutt have done great
execution.
The officers, ,fearnen and marines Of the fquad-
ron, behaved in the mott gallant manner. rhe
NsaPolitans 10 emuating the ardour of cur fea-
men anfwered my higheit expectations cam
not but notice the active exertions and officer
like conduit of Lieut. Gordon d the other
Leu.enants Of the Contribution Mr. Harden,
the mater, gave me full latsfaaion, Is did All
the other officers and fhips company was
much gratified by the conduit of Captain hall
and Lieut.. Greenleaf, and the marines belong.
ing to his company in the management Of Gx
long 26 pcundera on the fpare deck, which
placed under his directions. Ca tain Decatur
| ipeaks n the highel terms Of the conduct Of
Li7ut. Ihain, and md-ihiPnlan M'DonUugh,
| of Nc ~ as does Capt. Somers of mid-thipman
| Ridgeley and Miller attached to No. +. An
nexed is lit Of killed and wounded, and in
cloied copy Of my general rters on this oc-
caGon
Klied-Gup boat No Z. Lieutenant James
| Decatur.
Wounded - Contribution, one marine.
Ditto Gun boat, No d, Capt Decatur,
ilightly, one iergeant OF Marines, and two fea-
men.
Ditto-Gun boat, No 6, Lie0t Tripp, fe-
| verely, one boatlwaiu's mate, and two marines.
Ditto-Gun boa, No 4, two feamen.
Ditto Gun bat, No Z, two feamen.
Total one killed and thirt e wounded.
AugnR. 9Th. We were at anchor with the
fqsadron, about two leagues north of The city
Of Tripoh the Argus in chate Of fmall veGel
to the wttward, which ihe foon came up with,
and brought with in hail. She proved to be a
French priyateer, Of 4 gnns, which pur into
TripolI for water, and left il this morning. <
prevailed on the capita for confederation to
return TO Tripoli for the purPofe Of landing "a
badly wounded TripolitanS, which I put on
board his veiicl with letter TO the prime Min
ilter, leaving it at the option Of the Baihaw to
reeiprocate this generous mode Of conducting
the war. The tending thefe unfortenate men
on fhore 10 be taken care of by their friends,
was an act Of humanity on our part which
hope will make proper irprefiion on the
minds of the Barbarians-but doubt it. All
| hands were buGly emoloyed altering the rig vf
| The three Priz-s, from latten vehels to iloops,
| md preparing for le-ond attack O6ierveo
one 81 INC enemy AInOOASIs dHu o'lS two
corfair3) in the harbor to be dilmafed was IN
| 5ormel By The French captain, that the damage
thelc vei1cls received in the action Of the 90.
| had oocaGoned their MATS 10 he taken cut.
The 7th the French Pri Ger came out and
and brough. ne letter from TIE French conlul,
| which he obieryed, that our attack OF the cd
! ynt had difpofed the Bafhaw TO accept Of res-
lonabe terms and invifed me TO fend a boat
| 10 the ro,ks with flag Of truce, which was
decIined,as the white flag was not hoiited