The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-06-27
Doltleatlc.
NORFOLK. Iune %.

not' uncxanp,ed outrage, IN the rerpe'ration OF
which the blood Of our countrymen has been aied by
the hand of violence, and the honour and independ-
anee ofou nation iniulted beyond the poibility OF
further forbearance.
AT very early hour yeAerday morning report
reached this place, which produced degree of agita-
ton beyond any thing ever wi,neied or can at
tempt to deferibe. IL wasreported that the pre-
ceding evening the Chefapfake FriCate, which had
gone fea that morning, had been attacked by the
Britifh fhip eopard, Captain Humphrcs, Of so
guns, and that the CheiaPeake had truck her
lours Although the fouree from whence this infer
nation was derived was not futh asto deierve the
highet oontiieraou,ye, it was Rated in that way,
and attended with fuen creumlanees, lcf, but lit
lie hope that it Accordingly every
veflel or boat from the Capes was boarded with
great anxiety, aHi which not relieved until
bout o'clock, when pointed Information was receiv-
ed that the Cheiapeaie was returning to Hampton
Roads, withou, !hewing any colours about four o
clock all doRht was relieved, by fpeaaele which
calculated and did not fall to route the ndigna-
ton al every american prelcnt and ;ruit that it
will fubfje until ample fat,sfaaion has been
n'ade-ceven of wounded fellow citizens arrived
in boat difpa,ehed from the Chefapeake and now
we learned the following particulars, which we be-
lieve are correct
The Chefapeake Frigate, Captain Gordon, under
Commodore James Barron, got under way Mon
day morning, and proceeded Tea pafing the Cape,
about ls o'cock-At oclocI, the Leopard by fig
nal from the Commodore's ihp had got under way
and food fea. About 8 o'clock the Che!a-
peake aud Leopard approached, when the cunomary
iisna of firing gun eeward, the fgnal for friends
was made from both ihps Eeing about three
leagues from the land, the ihips within hail,
when the commander of the Leopard hailed, and
hoped Commodore Barron was well, and informed
that he had dispatches for the Commodore. The
hiFs hove 10 ard boat on board the Chela-
re1 Ire ypirh from >hries In,
rhsletter copy Of one from Admiral Berkeley at
Halifax all the Britiih commanders on this ftat-
on, IN which they were orderedto demand from the
commander of the Chefapeake four Britifh fean,en
named in die letter, and that il they deli
vered by fai- means uGe force. CAPTAIN Hum
phries Rated in his letter that Commodore Barron
would perceive that his orders were peremptory, he
hoped that he would not obIige him to execute them
by fore. Commodore Barron returned anfwer
the letter, in which he ated that the orders Of
his government forbid him to permit his veilel to be
iearched, or to deliver man from her. The boat
from the Leopard had no fnoner returned on beard
than gun fired head and a-ltern of the Chef
apeake, and infantry followed by br0adfde from
the Leopard, accompanied By fwives and fma arms.
Sxother broadGdes followed the ihps then with
pifto ihot. On hoard the Cheiapeake all al
toniihmsnt, the ihip unprepared for action,
man his quarters, and fone of the officers din
ner. In this iituation Commodore Barron hailed the
Leopard repeatedly without effect he then order u
Tie colour. TO be hruck; this was doing, gun
from the Chefapea5e fred, upon which the
Leopard fired another broad(de. The colours being
low down, an officer dispatched to the Chefa-
pcake, who coming on board expreird iome regret
on behalf Of lis commander for what had happened
lie was received with great Indignation by the
riean officers, who rendered their fwords, which he
refuied, flying tha, he wanted the four men and
thing more, and demanded the nuiter roll, which
IVA pr,, rp5 hy the r(er hon, hted
the degrading fpectace of nearly four hundred
*iericans nUtered the deck of an american Man
o! War, BY order OF a Britih ettenan, and four Of
the crew taken away. The Lieutenant faid he was
defred to make Commodore Barron an offer of any
iervices in the power Of his commander. 1t would
be needeis to fay in what manner fuch an offer was
reeeiyed,it was coudered aggravation OF the
outrage which had been perpetrated. The Britifh
officer retung to eoniider the Cheapeale prize,
departed, informing Commodore Barron that he was
at Liberty to proceed WHITTIER he pleafed The
Commodore returned 20 Hampton Roads, as before
ha,ed. We are ferry to add TO this account that
three Of the crew were killed, and fifteen wounded
nme Of them Gangerouly. Commodore Barron
was Ightiy wounded in the leg, and one nfidfhpnau
The IhP greatly inv cd in her hull nlaGs and rig
ging, aud nun be repaired before fhe can 20 tn iea
Such are the details Of this affair, which we believe
are fubnaBsiays being;lofiIy furnifhed by
gentleman who was Oh board the Chesapeake afl e.
VeGing.
it is impofible that on zach an occaGon there can
be hut one ieptimen in the heart of every American
he independence of orr country has Been attacked
aud in defending it fellow citizens have been kill
led. SabmIi;On TO the demand made on Commo-
dore Barron could not have been made, without re-
iinqulihIng our RICH, an independent nation. Eve
rs national thp is eonidsred part Of the nations
territory 'iaS well might the government of c. Britain
ioGru9 her officers iard in country and aunle
the right oiPunifAng thofe who have offended her
laws, an TO lhiis of war for the fame pur
pofe. This rsnct the aa of raah imprudent COM
n'2dcr, but aetHg in of the deliberate or
ders of his leperivr officers, if not from the higheh
! authority Of the Eriufi government, and we lhal
Rate cur reafoiis for 10 thinking.
In the month Of March the Halifax doop of war,
commanded By lord Iownicnd, was lying IN fiamp-
ton R3ads, and one u her boats with four men and
a pretty niacer was ient on fome duty. Being out Of
the reach Of the guns of the Halifax or being uuob-
ierved the men roie upon the officer and once threat
| eued to throw MIN overheard, this, however, they
did not do bot pulled for the Ioro which they reach
cd and proceeded 10 this place where they entered
with an officer then engaged in the rnlitment Of men
have hen delivered W.. The civil authority refufed
10 interfere, and the officer who had euIileJ item
Did not hrk hiniei authorized deliver them with
Out orders from MS iugeTors. The cafe was repre-
tented we believe at Wilmington, but what psifed
there on the iubJea we know not The men were not
delivered Up, aud were believed 70 be OH board the