The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-08-27

icy light tackled to the westward, the
nd having changed TO N NV. Soon
er discove,e d the enemy's fleet, bearing
;, w. took the Asp and the Madison, the
Fair American in tow. and made all SAID in
chacc. It was at this time We thought OF rea.
,isirg what we had b. an SO ong toiling for
Hut b. lore - O'clock, the wind changed TO
w. s. w. which brought the enemy TO
w:ntiw ard-terked to the rCrthw srt--at 8
the Wind inr'in'ng e. TIE noSthward, wore t.
the southwark and ives 'ward. and made the
signal for tie feet to make all sail. At A,
1hc enemy bore 5. s. w. bore up and steer
ed for him. AT S. observed the enemy be
csl~ed under the land. nearing i.ir.l very
fas' with fine breeze n. N. w. At six
formed the order Of battle within about 4
miles of the enemy. The wind at this
lime very light.
At z. the wind changed to SW. and
fresh breeze, which again placed the enemy
70 windward of me. Tackled and hauleo
upon n wind on the larb BARD tack, under ca
sv sail the enemy standing after us. AT 9,
when within about two gun shot of orr rear,
he wore to tho southwark stood on to the
northward under easy sail--the fleet formed
in twn lines, part of the schrS. forming the
weather line, with orders 70 commence the
lire upon the enemy as soon as their shot
would take effect, and as the enemy reached
them 10 edge down upon. the line to lceward
and pass through the intervals and form to
leeward. AT about half past 10 the enemy
akcd and stood after us. At IL, the rear
OF cur line opened his IRE apon the enemy /:
IN about IS minutes the FIRE became general
from the weather line. which was returned
from the enemy. Al half past IL. the wea
Their lue bore up and passed to the leewartl,
except the Growler and Julia, which soon
after tackled To the southwark, which brought
the enemy between them and me. Filled
the maintcpsail and edged away two points to
iead the enemy down, not only to engage
him to more advantage, but to lead him from
the GROWER and Julia. He however kep,
his wind until he completely separated those
tao vessels from the rest of the squadron,
exchanged few shot with this ship as he
raised, without injury TO us, and made sail
after our two schrs. Tackled and stood af
ter him. AT 10 (midnight) finding that !
must either separate from the rest of the
squadron. or relinquish the hope of saving
the two which had separated, I Reluctantly
gave up the pursuit, rel 1ined the SQUADRON.
then "a leeward, and formed the line on the
starboard tack. The firing was continued
between our two schooners and the enemy's
aeet until sbut A. NJ. when, I presume.
they were obliged to surrender to a force SO
much their superior. Saw nothing more of
the enemy that night: soon after day light
discovered them close in with the north
more. with one OF our schooners in tow, the
other MT TO be seen, I presume she may
rave been sunk. The enemy Showed no
Disposition to come down upon us, aitho' TO
windward. and blowing heavy from W.
Inc schrs- laboring very much, I ordered
2 oi'the dullest to run into Niagara and an
thor- The gale increasing very much and
as 1 Could not go into Niagara with this
ship. I determined To run CO Geuressee
Bay, as shelter for the small vessels, aad
With the expeotatiaR oss being able to Obtain
provisions tor the squadron, rs we we're all
nearly cut, the Madison and O5eida having
not single days On board when we arrived
opposite Genessee Bay. found there was
every prospect of the gsics Continuing. and
II it did. could run to this place and proyi.
sion the whole squadron with more Certainty.
md nearly III the same time tina / could at
tIennesse, admitting that could obtain pro
visions at that place. After bringing the
br.eze asfar as O'wego, the wind became
light. inclinng to a calm which has prolone
ed our passage to this day. shall provision
the squadron for five weeks and proceed up
the lake this evening, and when return
again hope to be able to communicate more
asreeaoie news than this Communication
contains.
The loss Of the Grower and Julia. in the
manner 10 which they have been lost, is
nioTtifyng IN the extreme & altho' their
comm anders disobeyed my positive orders |
am w'iiisg to believe that il arose from an err
ror OF Judgement, @ excess Of zeal 70 do more
thsn was required of them thinking pro-
oabiythat the enemy intend ID 10 bring us
to general action, they thought by gaining
the wisd cs aim they would have IL more IN
their power TO annoy and injure him than
they couid bv forming to leeward Of our line
From what hove been able TO discover of
the movements of the enemy he has no in
tsntion OF engaging us, except he can get de :
cidedly the advantage of wind and weather
and az his vessels in squadron sail better
than OR squadron, he can always avoid an
action ;--unless | can gain the wind and
have sufficient day light to bring him to nc
ion before dark. His object is. evidently,
to harrsss us by night attacks, by which
means he thinks TO cut off our smal. dull
sailing schooners in detail. Fortune has
evidently, favored him thus far. hope that
II will be my turn next, and although iuse
rior in point of force. feel very confident of
success.
i have the honor 10 be, Sir, very RESPECT
fully, your most obedient sv't,
ISAAC CHAUNCEY.
Ertynet from another. of me same dafe, to
The Secretary, from Csmmodore Chaun-
cey.
On nay way down the lake fell in with
the Lady Of the Lake on her return from