The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-28

ExtrHa e'n letter from an etTeer in t5e p7-eiria
mouth, July en-.
No events of public and very interehinp
nature have occurred, tince my latt letter.
Capt. Sheppard and his detachment of
Horie, returned To Portsmouth on Saturday
night, af'er they had heen replaced by frcond
detachment uDder the command of can't. r
Taylor of Norfolk. A third detachment under
the command of Capt. Bowden of Peter Iburg.
has tarted this evening to replace Capt. Tay-
lor's detachment
" Capt. Sheppard has Rated +? me few par.
tculars respecting the capture Of the five. Dri.
toners which had efcaped Mr. Davis's ohfsrv,.
ton: When afked, whether they we're TO he
coniidered as prifoners of war, Capt. s. replied.
ttat he apprehended them as trct,aifers unon
our territory, aereesblv 70 the p e(ident's Pro.
clamation.--Ihe capture of thefe men is GER
tainly curious and intere1ing event. The in
Aructions 10 capt. 6. were extremely general.
ard did not comrrehend this particular ar
He was fimply intrutted by gen, Matthew'S to
carry into force the Prefdcnt's Proclamation
OF courie leaving il to his o,,a ,'iE,retion to
determine the particular Coutte which that in
ftrnment required. TIE iuftruetiors TO Cant.
taylor are faid to have heen much more fpec i.
nc, and lciS discretionary hecaufe d avn CUT
by his own prudential enquiries. Ifthefe men
were TO appear on the fhOre, carving off cattle
or committing any trei, ,aiies upon private pro-.
perry; what fl!ouId he do in that cafe 1.-The
abiwer IS aid 10 have been to refort TO anv
kind of force whatfoever.- -Suppofe they were
imply obtaining seofrr? In that cafe The de-
tacbrnent were fsa to order them TO depart:
and IT ihey rtfu'rd, then any kind Of force,
which waa adequate to their expuIfiou, might
be employed.
The CouIn,0 &c o..
with uriveriaI appreciation III this part of the
country; and what may he more impofipg up-
on lohoe minds, has received the marked and
public thanks of the commander in chief. In
the general orders ifued yeiterddy, and read
10 our detachment this morning, gen. Matthews
has employed the following cSprelJiona.-
" The general feels grateful to capt. Sheppard
tor the rorred manner he executed his orders.
with the detachment under his command, and
begs that capt. Sheppard will communicate tn
the officers and men who ferved under him.
that the general is highly pIeafed with their
conduit during the excu,iioH."
What particular difpodtion mould br mad.
OF theie men, is a qUeftion which has excited =
iomewhat greater diverhty of fentiment. Some
are OF opinion that they ought TO be inmedt-
ately iurendered to the Birth commodore
and that 1t they were to Apply for writ of Ha-.
osaJ Corpn5, maglfrate would be Immediate
y bound to- grant them one, and to difcbaroe
ITEM, becaute tic act of Congrefs, on which
The Prelidenrs Proclamation is founded, con-
aims no Proviiion for their detention and pu.
1hhment. Orhers think that they are to be
,onIidertd as trefpaGers upon the U. S. and in
hat character are liable 10 Gome kind of punjfh-
nent- Oihers again aTert that they are really
oriioners of war, and fubjeet TO all the incl
tents accompanying that character. Which
u tbeie opinions is really correct, it 81 ilnpofi-
BE tor me, ignorant as I'm of the lave of nv
'onnIrY' even to conjecture. cannot, how
yer, but apprehend that the cafe OF thefe meu.
$ eaJaJ omG1I in the ae Of Congrefs; and
hat while they were contriring pumli.nlents