Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-03
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CHARLESTON, May %.


A report having prevailed for some days
past, that al engagement had taken place at
the mouth OF ST Marys river, between Brl-
fish brig of war and several y, S gun-boats
we have taken some pains to ascertain the par
tiCu ars, and have reason TO believe that the
following is pretty correct statement OF the
facts.
The Spanish ship Fernandina, which arriv-
ed al this port on Tuesday last, was lying at
Amelia Island, where she had taken on board
a cargo of dry goods, (Which had been lying
some months at that island) belonging to
merchant in this city, for the purpose ofbring-
ing them on to this place. This ship, it is al
l4ed, was formerly an American vessel, but
having violated the first embargo law, had as
Sumed the Spanish flag. Itappears that Com.
Campbell had given orders to the officers OF
the Gun. boats on that station to take posses
sion of this ship if she should leave the Spa
nish waters. The owner of the ship, under
standing that such orders had been issued, APP
piled to Hayes O'Grady, Esq. commanding
the British brig Sappho, then lying IN the IL
yer, for protection and convoy. The British
commander, after inspecting the papers OF the
ship, and finding her to be legltlmatn Spa
nish vessel, and his orders requiring him to
render assistance and convoy to all such yes-
sells applying for protection, agreeably to the
treatv of alliance between G Britain * Spain,
took her under his convoy, and gave her sail
ing orders accordingly. On Friday morning,
l4th inst the two vessels got under way and
dropped down the river; the American gun
boats, five in number, one of them schooner
rugged, got under way at the same time and
stood Down the river with them. In the course
Of this time Capt O'Grady had communicated
with the commanding officer Of the schooner,
and informed him that the ship was under his
CONVOY, and as such, he could not suffer her
to be molested. After the vessels had cross
ed the bar, the schooner ran up near to the
ship and discharged her large gun, loaded with
grape and canister Shot into her, which tire
was repeated several times. Capt. O'Grady
then hailed the schooner, and again cautioned
her commander to desist from firing into his
CONVOY. or he should be under the disagreed
bic necessity of returning the fre-obscrving,
At the same time, that the breach between the
two countries was already sufficiently wide,
without adding to the Invitation by any hasty
or ireprudent conduct. Instead, however, of
this advice being listened to, the American
commander discharged his gun into the Brl-
tish BRIG, she having run up between the ship
and the schooner. a shot was then fired from
the brig ahead Of the gun-boat, as signal that
should another shot be fired into her, it would
be returned--this did not deter the command
err of the schooner, who, having reloaded his
pun, again discharged it into the brig when
thirty-two pound carronade loaded with
grape and canister, was fred from the brig
into the schooner, and the brig ranging up
along side the schooner, was on the point OF
pouring her broad-side into her, the crew hav-
ing by this time become SO incensed against