Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-12-21

ysS ,de.cl'iui 70 The lAat Capt Dacres, sni
the re,t NJ the wounded are d1inS we'll and An
:ichanSs having heen .,<reca uIor, ! am in
'.a''y expectation % trr'r ARRIVED here"
SIN, ~ ~ . - 49,
~ sorry to iucorr, yor Of the ca7,r-e o.
BIS N. sly late silly Cusrricre ty tho amcri.
can Isl ,te Constitution, # r a severe act,an, !
on ,he ia,h Ausr in Ia. ~. ,icr 81 min. n. a.
long. s. de-. ". At . p. NJ. being by the
WIND nj IL starhoar,l tact, We saw SAL ON
our weNthcr beam, hcaring i!uw ',n us. ~ 5,
made her ont TO be man o. war, beat TO
quarters and prepared tor action. ,tfcur, she
clpslns, Est, wore 20 prevent her rakiug Us. sc
ten minutes past four, hois,ed our ovio'rs, and
| fred several sprt IT her. At twenty minutes
past -four sic hoisIcd her colours, ard return
ed oiir I've, wore several times 10 a,od hcing
raked. exchanginc hroats;des At fvr, she
closed on our starhoard bcaE,, both kecpngup
\ heavy lire, and steering free, bis Rteption be-
1 ing evidently to cross our bow A. twenty
minutes past five, our miztn haas, vent over
the starboard quarter, and brought the ship up
N the Wind; the enemy then placed himself
on onr iasboard bGv, rai,ing MS, few only of
our bow guns bearing. sOd his Crane and riAe-
men sweeping our deck. st - lnrutes past
ave. the ship not answering helm, ho attempted
to lay us on board ~ this tim: ar Grant
wao commanded the fore castle, was carried
below badly wounded. I Immediately order
ed the marines and boaricrs from The main
deck; the master was - th,s time sho, Though
thc knee, and received severe wound in the
aacS. Lieut.. Kent vss leading on the boar
,!ers, when thc ship cooiHg 70, we brought
some Of our bow aucs 20 bear on her, and had
got clear ofolr opponent. when at % minutes
past six, our four anl main-rnasts vent over
the side, leaving the snip perfect unnana-
geahlc wreck. The f'iratc shooting ahead
wSs III homes tn clear the wreck and ret the
ship under command to renew the action
but just rs We. had cleared the wreck, cur
5prtsah YARD went, and the enemy having
rove new braces, Nc. wore round within pistol
shot to rake us, the ship laying in the trough
OF the sea, and rolling, her main deck guns
! uRdcr water, and all attempts TO ge, her before
the wind being iiuitless; when calling my few
remaining officers together, they were all of
opinion that any further resistance would only
DC needless waste of lives, 1 ordered though
reluctantly, the colours to he struck. The loss
of he ship is to be ascribed to the carly fall OF
the mizen-mast, which enabled our opponent
20 chuse his position. ] aIn sorry TO saw, we
-aitered severely in killed and wounded, and
| mostly when she lay on Our bow, from her
| grape and musketrv, in all Is killed and IS
| wounded, many of them severely none of the
| wounded officers quilted the deck till the fir
! ing ceased.-Fhe fricate proved 10 be the Uai-
+. ted States frigate Constitution, of thirty %
| FOUNDERS on her main deck, and twenty-four
! thrty-two Founders and two 70 Founders on
! her upper deck, and l76 men her loss in COM
| parisGn with ours is triiinG, ahout 30 the First
! Lieutenant OF Marines and eight killed, and
! First Lieutenant and Master OF the ship, and
! ii men wounded her lower masts badly woun-
| ded, and stern much shattered, ard very much
! cat up about the rigging. The Guerrero was
50 cut up that all attemptsto get her in wcu'd
have been useless. AS soon TIE wounded
| were got out OF her, they set her on FIRE; and
feel it my duty to state that the conduct of
CAPT. Hull and his officers TO our men has been
mat OF brave enemy, the greatest care being
taken to prevent our men losing the smallest
tribe, and the greatest attention bcing paid 20
/ tne wounded, who, through the attention ard
skill OF Mr. Ervine, surgeon, / hope VIII do
well. hope, though success has not crowned
! our efforts, you will not think it presumptuous
IN me to say, that the greatest credit is due
| to the officers and ships company for their
eXertions, particularly when exposed to the
heavy raking fire of the enemy; feel particu-
larly Obliged for the exertions of Lieut. Kent
who, though wounded early by splinter, con-
tInued to assist ne III the second lieutenant
the service has suffered a severe loss, aIr.
scott, The master, though wounded, wss parti-
csriy attentive, md used every exertion in
clearing the wreck, as did the warrant oilicers |
Lieut.. Nicholl, Of the royal marines, and his
party, supported The honorable character OF !
their corps, and they suffered severely. must |
recommend sir. Snow, masters mate, who |
commanded the Foremost maif deck guns, IL.
the ahre7ce o! Lieut.. Pullman, sud the whole |
after the fall Of Lieut.. Ready, 20 your protec- |
ton, he having received severe confusion |
from splinter. must poiat out Mr.. CARLY, |
acting purscr, 20 your notice, who volunte cred |
ms services on deck, ard commanded the GUAR |
ter.deck guns, and was particularly active, as
well as Mr.. Binnister, uidshpman hope, in |
considering the circumstances, you will think |
the ship entrusted 20 my Charge was properly |
defended; this unfortunate loss Of our masts, |
the absence OF our Sd lieut.. ID Lieut. Of marines,
three midshipmen and 81 men, considerably |
weakened our crew, and we only mustered at |
quarters 244 men and 10 boys, on coming in
TO action the eoemy bad such an advantage
from his marine and riflemen, when close, and
his superior sailing enabled him to choose his
distance. enclose herewith q list ofkilled &
wounded cupboard the Guerrero; and have the
honor to be, &c.
j. II. DACRES.
4