The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-08


To the Senate and Ronf Of RebreJsmfati4es of the
United States.
THE encIofed letter, written from Malta, by
Richard O'Rrien, our late Conful at Algiers,
giving fome details of transactions before Tri-
poll, is communicated for the information of
Congrefs.
TIL: JEFFERSON.
December slt, 1904.
Copy Of letter from RICHARD O'BRIEN, late
Conful of the United States, at Algiers. Civ
ing fome details of tranfaGtions before Tripo-
Ito JOHN GAvIMo, Conful at Gibraltar.
Malta, 5tb ofSePfem5er, 1904.
Dear SIR,
lift. The American f1igates, corfairs, gum
boats, and bombards attacked Trippli cattle,
corfairs and gun-boats on the evening of the Sd
of Auguft, and after fevere CONTEXT captured
three Tripoline gun-boats, whole crews were
ninety-lix men of this number forty-fix were
killed, and fifty made prifoners. Amongst the
latter number eighteen were feverely wounded
We lof lieut.. James Decatur, and thirteen men
killed and wounded.
Cd On the It'll vi As ift Tie American force
attacked Tripoli to the wet part of the city {:
after great deal of gun-boat firing, and alto of
the two bombards, they 6enced feven gun
battery and threw feveral ihel!s into the town.
In thefe two attacks Tripoli mutt certainly have
loft FIVE hundred men. We loft fnai gum
boat and twelve men : amongf this number
lieut.. Caldwell and Mr.. DorGey. The boat blew
up by the fire of wads of another boat.
Sd. On the morning of the goth of Auguft,
at half pat one A. M the American gun boats,
&c. and two .bombards entered the harbour of
Tripo, and within 600 feet of the baihaw's
cattle commenced their attack. They fred one
hundred and twenty rounds each, funk three of
| the enemy's gun-boats and merchant Poacre.
At day light the Contribution led in within pifto
ihot Of the chief of the batteries, fired nine
broadfides, received twelve hot in the hull, loft
four men killed, and two wounded in one of
her boats by fllot. In Tripoli, they have mount
| cd in the city preienting the eaf, north, and
wet, 5 guns, had $4,000 Arabs, and the in
habitants to defend the city, had 9 fail of gun
boats, two ichooners, and two gaIliots, and Il
brig. The Americans had the Contribution,
| Argus, SyreD, Vixen, Nautilus, Enterprise, fix
gun-boats, and two bombards. The whole of
| the American crews amounted TO $50 men, and
the Neapolitans 100. The latter behaved well.
In the latter action capt. Chauncy, officers and
crew of the John Adams, volunteered their
| fervices to the Contribution and gun boats. We
have been expecting to be Joined by commodore
Barron, and frigates; but he will be too late
| TO end the affairs this year, as the fummer fea-
ion is All but over for gun boats, and 1ripoli
| IN winter can only be blockaded by cCrfairs,
at times of and On. This extract will thew
that our prefent force is only adequate to rritate
| TrlpOI, but will not be adequate to reduce it
to American terms, and obtain our fellow citi-
| zens.
| l2tb September, 1904.
Onthe evening of the 9Th, arrived here, com
modore Barron, and capt. Campbell. The for
mer failed on the evening of the 7th, and the
latter for Tripoli, on the morning of the sth
No doubt but they arrived off Tripoli on the
10th, and of courfe joined, will give Tripoli a
general attack.
We have learned fnce by the return of vef
fel here, which carried water to the feet, that
on the night of the 6rit, the Americans fnt in a
yehel prepared with fifty barrels Of powder, and
4 number Ut bomb.fhells that the vefel had
got clofe into the harbor Of Tripoli amongft the
enemy's gun boats, and faid vefIcl was fet fire
| TO; by fonne accident or other the hip blew up
before the officer and crew could yet clear, and
IN confoquence, the officer, midihipman, apc
twelve men we're blown 60 atoms. believe il
is capt. Smith, of the Vixen. The Connituti
| on, gun boats and bombards led in, and had .
long and fevere action. I have not been able tc
obtain from the MsItefe crew any better acco,,nt