Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-14

the Constitution and Guerriere.
The Adventure Packet, capt. Samp-
son, arrived at Halifax on the 25th ult,
having left Falmouth on the 10th of Au-
gust She sustained very heavy weather,
and lost two of her men. The Adven.
ture NAV he hourly expected here.
The schooner Sally ,Ann. Day, from
New London for ST. Barts was sent in
to H.lifax on the oath by the Sta,ira.
We hare been favored with the follow
ing crtract from me log-book Of an
officer, zahs suas on beard his majesfy's
sSh Guerriere, in the late action.
" His majes,y's ship Guerrero, being
on her return from a cruise, her fore
mast and bowsprit crippled, and most
of her fore rigging gone-on the 18Th
August, lat. 40, 20, N. and long. IS w.
at 2 o'clock p. NJ saw sail on her
weather beam, coming down before the
wind-made sail in chace At 5 P. NJ.
made her out to be q man ofwar-Went
10 quarters and cleared for action--At 4
O'Clock the chace was discovered to be
the U. S frigate Constitution, which we
had formerly chaced off New York
but which had escaped, by superior SAIL
ing, from the English squadron. Haul
ed up the courses, took in the top gal
liant sails, backed the malnlop-sail, and
hoisted an ensign at cacn mast head
The enemy shortened sail and hauled
TO the wind-Fiilcd our mainrop-sail.
m N
and hoi.ted her Colors at each mast
bead. Fired shot over him and find
ing 1t to 90 about halt mile beyond
him, gave hiIn our starboard broadside,
and wore to give him our larboard. Al
4 h. 30 NJ. the enemy commenced hrin.'
wore several times to avoid being raked,
exchanged broad5!des. Al our oppo-
nent closed within half pistol shot on
our starb ard beam, both steering free,
and keeping up heavy IRE AT 5 h.
20 m. the nlzen mast WAS shot away,
fell over our s,arboard quarter, and
brought the ship up in the wind, aga'ns;
her helm, which exposed Us to
heavy raking fire from the enemy, who
placed himself on our lar6oafd bow,
few only OF our bow guns could be bro't
TO bear on him: whilst his grape shot,
and rihcmen on his tops, were sweeping
eur decks. At h. 40 m the ship not
answering her helm, he attempted to
cross our bows and lay us on board
Ats h. SIS m. our bowsprit got foul oil
his larboard quarter Got the boarders
IN to b.trd him; but the sea running
too high il was found to be impracIica-
bic. Both ships keeping up a tire with
musk c,ry, and we with our bow gun, the
only one that would bear. AT this time
most of our men on the quarter deck
md the forecastie were picked Oft by his
musketry. AT h. 80 m. the ship
coming TO, we brought some Of the bow
guns TO bear on him. and got clear OF
the enemy. The fore and main masts
then went over the, starboard side, and
completely disabled our guns. The
Constitution immediately made all sail
ahead, leaving ,hc Guerrero AL unman-
apeab.e wreck. All hands were ANNE
diateiy employed III clearing the wreck,
in hopes OF being able to get the snip
before the wind to recommence the &C
ton; but, just as we had completed
clearing her, the. spritsail yard went a
way, and left the ship in the trough OF
the sea, rolling her main deck guns un'
der waller. Our opponent, by this time'
b, rehltcd a%d wore round t" rake US
and all attempts to get the ship before
the wind, or TO bring any OF our guns TO
bear. proving IN rain-the ship In sink
ing condition Euch shattered IN her
hu!l. many shot between wind and water,
with cue third 81 her crew killed anu
wounded, captain Dacres called lis re-
naming rEiccrs together; when all were
of opinion, that ANY further resistance
would be useless cXpencc OF lives
A h. As M. the jack was taken from
the stump of the mizen mast.
The Guerricrc was trigate OF 1884
tons burthen, taken from the French III
1906. and had S12 men'and boys belong
ing 10 hcr-bnt the Sd lieutenant, I'd OF
marines, 3 n,idshpmcn & "a men, were
away in prizes; tAere were 10 AmeH-
can scamen ON board, who had belonged
10 her for some years; but, as the decia-
ration Of war against Great Britain was
not known when she sailed, there had
been no opportunity of discharglns
then-and captain Dacres, considering
it as unjust. to compel native OF the
United States to fight against his coan-
trvmen, granted !ksm permission to quit
their qcar,c:s aud so be!ow-so that she
had only actually in action Pa men and
10 boys.