Portland gazette., 1805-04-29


whence rhey could annoy the town Yith mems
The gun boats, 10 iilence battery O. ieVsn hea-
w guns, ,khich guarded the approach TO thar
pofition and TIE brigs and ichooners 20 fuPPort
them in cafe the enemies aothla ihould ventei-
our. At half paft ], P. M. breeze tron
N. N Z. weighed with the Contribution anC'
food in for the town, but the wind being OF.
hore, made il imprudrnt to engage the batteries
with The ihip. as in cafe Of matt being fhot a
way the lois Of the vcAcl would probably enfue I
uniefs Change of wind ihoud favor our getting
ofT At half paR r. NJ. the bomb and gun
beats having gained their ftations. the hgnai
was n,ade for them 10 attack the town ana oat-
rcri-s. Oar bombs Immediately Commence
throwing fhclls, and the gun boars opened
fbarp and well directed fire on the town and
batteries, within point blank ihot, which was
warmly returned by the enemy. The icven gun
battery in lefs than two hours was iilcnoed, cx-
ceyt one gun preiume the others were dn-
mounted 10y our fhot, as the walls were almoit
totally defroyed. At quarter Paft 8, L. NJ
ihip hove in hght to the northward, itaDding
for the ,own-madc the Argus tignal TO chate,
athalf pait I, one of our ?. ze gun boats was
blown up by rot fhut from the enemy, which
oaGed thr, ugh her magazine. She had on board
qS officers, .eamen ard marines; 20 OF whom
were killed, and wounded. Among the killed
were lanes Il Caldwell, firf Lieutenant Of the
Svren, and nidhipman, John S. Der1ey, both
excellent officers; midlhipmah Spence and II
men were taken up unhurt.-Captain Decatur,
whole divilion this boat belonged 10, and who
was near her at the time ihe blew up, reports
to me that Mr.. Spence was fuPerintending The
the loading Of the gun at that moment, and not
withdrawing the boat was finking, he, and the
brave fellows lurvivipg, tnithcd the charging
gave three cheers as the boat went from under
them, and iwain to the neareit boats, where they
aTled during the remainder Of the action
The enemies gun boats and gallies, rs in num-
berl were all in motion clolc under the batteries
and appeared to mediate an attack on cur
boats the Contribution, Nautilus and Enter
prize were TO windward, ready at every hazard
TO cut them off from the ha1bor if they ihould
venture down while the SYren and Vixen
were near our boats 10 lupport and cover any
Of then that might be diiabled. The enemy
thought it mott prudent to return 10 their fnug
retreat behind the rocks, after firing few thot
Our boats, IN two dvilions, under captains Som
ers and Decatur, were well conducted, as were
our bomb veHels, by LieutenantS Decatur and
Robinfon. The town mutt have lufFered much
ftom this attack, and their batteries, particular
ly the feven gun batteiy mutt have loft many
men at half pait P. M. the wind began to
freG.en from the n N. w. made the Ggnal
for the gun and bomb boats 70 retire from act
ion, and for the vcffcls to which they were at
tached to take then in tow. The Argus made
Ggnal that the trange fail was friend. In
this days a6tion No. .. had "a pound mot
through her hull /; No. 6 her latteen yarl Nm.
away No 4, a "a pound lhot through her hui,
which killedtwo men. Some Of the other boats
had their rigging and fails coniiderably CUT.
We threw 48 fhells, and about SEQ "a pound
fhot into the town and batteries. All the Of
fcers and men engaged in the aoion behaved
with the utmoH intrepidity. At half pait all
the boats were In tow, and The fquadron fan
ding to TIE N. w. AT the John Adams,
capt Chauncey, from the United States, ioined
company, At the fquadron anchored, fripo-
POI bearing S L. miles dihant. Cnh boat
No 3, was this day commanded by Mr.. Brooks
matter Of the Argus, and No. 8 BY Lieutesant
Wadfworth, Of the CsnRitution. Annexed j;
a return of our lois in this attack
Killed-Gun boat No. 9, lieutenant,
midfhpman,
boatiwaln'S mate,
quarter gunner,
tergeant OF marines &