The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-11

or Decatur, of Somers, Of Israel and Wads-
worth, are before them, aud their Young
hearts swell with anticipations Of noble -da-
ring and heroic achievement. AS she leaves
her moorings, SHE is checredb by the acclama-
tons OF thousands, who crowd to the beach
and stun the winds with good wishes for her
safe and successful return-The American
mothers put up prayers to. heaven, that their
sons may be protected, hot against the war
fare OF civilized nations; (for we were at
peace with them ALL but against the fury of
tempests, and the perhdy Of barbarians. A
few hours, alas demonstrated how vain was
this security ; how fruitless these expecta-
tons. Whilst the Chesapeake thus held on
her way, in the full security arising from a
profound peace. squadron of ships belong
ing to that power, whose arts have embroil-
ed the human family on tie lands and OH the
waters; whose Unsuitable lust of gold and do
minion, has lighted up the flames of war i'm
every region of the globe, rides at anchor i'm
our harbor! A signal is thrown out by the
committeeman the Leohard, one of the
squadron of superior force, weighs anchor
and directs her course towards our frigate,
whose captain, supposins that the British
commander wished him to be the bearer of
dispatches. politely laid to in order to expe-
dite as much as possible, the SUPPOSED inten-
~
Fatal to him, dishonorable to his country,
was this security He is astonished by a de-
mand, that four of his crew, native born A
merican citizens, End who, whatever was
their Country, thought themselves secure un-
der that has, the symbol of American honor
and American independence, should be deli
vered up and as if in contempt of our re-
sentiment, and in order to shew that this was
the measure not OF an individual, but Of, the
whole English government, the instructions
OF the English Admiral on the American sta
ton are produced to capt. Barron, which left
MN no alternative but tame and Disgrace
tut SURF, ndeI Of the national faith, or a con-
test In his unprepared condition with an enc
my steeled to the preparation of violence
and complete preparation to give effect to its
injustice.
he American captain with becoming pro-
priety resisted the insolent claim: but alas ,
the detenceless condition Of his ship, arising
from the fuliness of his security, left him
without. meanss and consequently without
hope of sustaining His own credit, or that of
his country, by the proper arguments the can
non and tile boarding pike.
ne attack commences on the part of the
British attended by every circumstance of
cold biooded cruelty.-Repeated broadsides
are hred against our ship, unprepared and
e.'A >oiSSAAo oSSt Is Cdllu every Dali
effect with fatal precision The wretched
Barron, as if abandoned to despair, stands
on the gang way, calling out to them to desist,
and demonstrating in vain against their con-
duct, reckless of his own safety. They iced
him not The cannonade continues with I'M
abated fury. The sides of the ship are torn ::
the masts and rigging are shattered
Shall pause here, or shall go on Whilst
1 think 1t, my bosom swells with rage
feel the flush OF shame upon my cheek. The
wretched Barron, Abandoned by his better
angel, ordered the American colors to be
struck. The proud stripes, the symbol of our
national contederacy, that e'erwhile wanton-
ed on the breeze, ignominiously lowered
from Their majestic height, dropped at the
foot OF the mast, as if mourning in their own
fate, the dishonar of their country
At that fatal moment, the sun of American
glory suffered portentous eclipse. Shorn of
lis beams, hencetorth it yields only disas-
trous twilight, and in order to attain it's o.
rlglnal brightness, 1t must wade through a
sea of blood. But the Cud Of humiliation is
not yet full there is yet farther aggrava-
ton OF Insult amp murder---the crew are
music ed by British lieutenant on the Ame-
rican deck, and four of our citizens are borne
off, wretched victims to satiate the rage of
the British Moloch.
w A4a@ d Pi-lul = OOcS Ivy give OF the grlef,
the mourning, the indignation, the shame
that prevailed throughout the Roman camp,
after their army had been hemmed in by the
Samnites and made to pass under the yoke /.
but had He theme like this, what might not
be expected from his geniusf His Charac-
ters would burn--his pencil would catch the
hues of the rainbow his canvas would glow
into life; his race would rise into inspiration.
He would compare the gallant plight of the
Chesapeake i'll the morning, when breaking
from her mornings, She rode Enthusiastically on
her own waters which as if proud of their
burden, undulated and sported around her ::
in sight of her native forests, which gently a.
gitated by the breeze nodded appreciation as
she passed her sails filed by prayers, and
actlamations, and blessings-He would des-
cribe the minds of her crew impotient of de-
lay, animated with hope and impressed with
images of glory-Great God how dreadful
would be his contrast He would de scribe
her insulted, attacked, torn and shattered, &
the national glory eXtlnguished or eclipsed
He would tell how she was circumvented
by cowardice and treachery, ard subdued
without even the credit of resistance. In
stead OF the busy hum of active exertion and
cheering gaiety, death-like silence reigns
her decks on her return, inter-
rupted only by the gioans of the wounded and
the dying The slip comes to an anchor once
more, in sight of her native port-The dread
ful story at lengih reaches the shore, and the
beach is surrounded with countless multi
tude, Affiliated by undeinable charlottesville
rents are agonized for the fate of their chill
dren, wives for that of their husbands, and all