Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-06-13
AIxxandriG DAILY Gazette,
8 COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY
.SsA nj u Ell S NO WD r ~
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Daily Gazette, 6DoAars per aanaaa.
Country Gazette, S Dollars.
{ Translated for NE Baltimore american.
c OP Y

49, /7zSute TA7I0, ~ He 1u1H1SteT q 114IzHe,
dated
St. Bartholomew, Feb. 20, 1909.
SIR,
We set sail from the Saintes the 9TH
of Feb. 1909, at g. in the evening, going
: through the South passage. Whilst in the
Channel off the Saintes and on the north
passage, we discovered the Latona friga,e,
which about three o'clock,P. n. of that day,
Il had sent a flag to the Saintes to enquire the
fate of some men, who had been killed or
sttakeu on the evening of the 9Th, near where
they had landed from the pinnace ,undoubt-
cdly for the p.rpose ofbuying provisions,
which they had been accustomed to do.
Col.Madier, the commander of the Saintes,
to whom capt. Rosseau had impaired his
intentions to sail the evening of that day,
under some presext detained the En-
Bfish flag.
Towards six in the evening, the English
irigate Latona, discovering that ner cutter
was not likely to return, fired several guns
for its recall until at length the night becom-
ing very dark, a light was hoisted at her
fore top mast to serve as a guide In case it
should attempt to return in the night. This
light constantly made us acquainted with
the position of the Latona, and AN hour at
ter our going through the channel, we still
discovered by the frigate's light that she
made no movement swhatever. We, then,
continued our course in beating through the
Sombrera passage, under the direction of
the channel pilot whom we had taken on
board at Basse Terre.
The next day, the eighth, about noon,
of Montserat, we fell in with two briggs of
war, on the same tack off our board, throw
ing out signals to us, and which we disco.
vered to,be English. After they had pass
ed us, they put about and followed us !; the
breeze being weak, and their sailing superb
or to ours, they keptus in sight the whole
night, during which they 6redseveral guns,
and discharged several rockets undoubtedly
with the view OF collecting their forces
With the breeze all the time in their favor.
The next day, the ninths about noon, one of
them came up within cannon shot; the cap
tain gave orders toluH, and fire broad-s;de
which was Instantly executed after which
they Immediately pat about ship and both
brigsstood off, and before night We lost sight
of them. We kept our course, and the next
day, the tentEs having got about 9 miles
through the channel, we discovered sail
off our larboard quarter, about six miles
5 distant, and another off our beam about
eighteen miles distant, both under our lee
and pursuing us. The first was the brig
i SERPENT, one of the vessels which had been
watching us, and which had met in the
night the LAToNA frigate which had been
pursuing us since the morning of the eighth
s and to which the SERPENT had related the
affair of the Sth with us. At ten o'clock,
we deserted two other sails, in, different po-
sitions, under our lee. These were the brig
. Superior, the other of those which were
watching -us, andthe sluop of war Driver
: we shortly after discovered a fifth sail to the
windward and bearing down upon us, which
: we quickly discovered to be the frigate Ho-
ratio. Captain Rousseau, Judging that to
avoid an engagement was impossible, gave
orders toprepare for action. About quar-
ter past noon thefrigate Horatio commenced
the engagement at about pistol-shot distance.
Captain Rousseau was 1nortally wounded at
the third broad-side, and Emerie, lieutenant
de vaisseau, took the command. "A very
briskSHre was kept up for about two hours,
when the Horatio became crippled in all her
masts, whilst we, sir, had only lost our main
top-gallant mast; we had then about ninety
men disabled, among whom Mr.. Hanier, Of
fcer of artillery; Faucor, midshipman of
the first class Recor, midshipman belong
ing to the Tcpaze, the master-gunner and
boatswain, were very dangerously wounded:
Mr.. Doulet, lieutenant de vaisseau, less dam
gcfonsly, and great number killed, among
whom were the principal helms man, and
two coasting pilots. In this situation, sir,
| we were Obliged to abandon the Horatio in