The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-05-31
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The gdgei1cnt,--ihe following account,
After being drawn up, was shown to one OF
tee gentlemen who came up from the Presi-
dent Yesterday. and may be relied upon az
an ascurate statement :
The United States frigate President. Com
modofe Rodgers. arrived off the Hook yes
lterday forenoon from a cruise, and her capt
| OF marines. captain Caldwell, and Lieute-
nant Perry, came up to town in the afternoon
in q pilot boat.
Il appears that about . O'clock on the eve
ming OF the 18th inst. the frigate Precedent
tell in with a sloop of war about 30 niles N.
T.. OF Sape Henry--that when they had
come up within SO yards of her, Commodore
Rodgers hailed TO know who she was and
where from. The commander of the sloop
OF war answered by asking who and what
the frigate was. Commodore Rodgers.
conceiving himself entitled to the first an,
swer, hailed a second time, and instantly af-
ter received shot, which struck his main
mast. He returned it. Upon which the
sloop OF war poured whole broadside ineo
him, he ranged up along side, and an action
commenced each being Ignorant at that time
OF the others force. The sloop of war, after
two broadsides, ceased firing for few mo-
ments, andaCommodore Rodgers, surprising
she had struck to him gave orders inmedi-
ately for the trigate to cease fiiing-But a
few minutes elapsed befoie the sioop If war.
taking the President for French frig ne
commenced her fire again, and the battle
was renewed, which tasted about ten mi.
nutes. when the sioop Of war struck her CO.
lours. Commodore Rodgers, Judging from
his superior force, that he must have injured
her very much. determined to lay By he:.
during the night, and early next morning
sent his boat with one of his Lieutenants on
board. and finding that he had Ito use can,
phrase) completely riddled her, crippled all
three of her masts and killed and wounded
30 Of her men, offered his assistance to get
her into port which the comm ander of the
sioop of war politely declined, saying ne be-
lieved he should be able to reach Halifax
without any assistance. On being asked
how he came to fire into the President, he
answered that he thought she was French
man. The President has received little OF
no damage, and had only one boy slightly
wounded in the arm. The sloop of war is
a Danish built ship. called the Leeie Beit.
commanded by Capt. Bingham, mounts 90
thirty twopound carronades and belongs to
the British navy. Capt. Caldwell left town
this morning for Washington
On shis siatement of facts some remarks
may perhaps be expected: bot there has been
ye, too little time for examination and re-
Rection, toenable US opronounce an opinion
with confidence, ON question of so much
importance as may be here involved. In
the first place, we must recollect we have
received but one part Of the story, ana tho
it doubtless is correct, yet, common Justice
demands of US 70 wait for the other before
we come to sny enal decision ---Eperins
Po8s,
FEw -YoRE, May %
The following is an extract of letter
from very respectable gentleman in Phiia-
delphia to his Correspondent here, dated on
the 22d inst.
"There was great noise heve yesterday
occasIoned by the assertion ih the Baltimore
Federal Republican respecting the frigate
Presidenr---but we now know, by letter
from the Secretary ofthe navy. that Com
modore Rogers, Of the President, has ORDERS
only to go in search OF the British irisate, *
demand the man impressed, but not TO use
force"
[Thia Information we believe IL correct. !
". T. Gaz.
a gentleman just arrived from Washing
ton informs us, thar he vas officially inform
ed, that Mr. Barlow would not sail for
France ill after the arrival Of the Esse and
that his departure then, would depgnd upon
cffclfYn sra,i t<eA-sfI.