The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-11-17
JAMES MADISON.

THE CAPTURE OF THE ARGUS.
A respondent has furnished us with
the following circumstances, which have
recently come 20 light. He observes,
In looking over file Of London papers.
for tho month of August last, (receiyeol
per the Neptunus, from Liverpool,) was
very forcibly struck with paragraph re-
lsnve 10 the capture Of the late u. S. BRIG
Argus by the British brig of war Pelican,
which III my opinion, alters the complex.
ION ct the engagement between those YES
scis very much notwithstanding the deeid
ed superiority on the part OF the latter.
The paragraph allotted TO is this, - A.
the action closed, bis mai sty's shin Leo.
midas, captain Seymour, rated SO. fell in
with them" the Argus and Pelican This
paragraph was first published in the :. Cork
Chronicle, and republished III the +" .on-
don Pilot OF the Esd Aug. from which
have taken it.
1t will no doubt be recollccted by the
public that both he Pelicaa and Leonidas
sailed from Cork for the express purpose
oi locking AFTER the Argus, and tina, alter
the action the Pelican returned TO Cork
where the facts relative TO the engagement.
sc. must have been known, and were
no doubt correctly stated in the Cork Chru-
nicle.
The ministerial prints took very rood
care not to repubiish the accoun; contain
ing the above quoted paragraph, as The in
PRODUCTION {" The Americans wanted ano
ther proof British superiority on the ocean.
The Pelican has afforded it in the CAPTURE
OF the Argus to the accoun, published BIZ
them would have been effected by il: in
FACT it would not suit their purposes.
II has been stated in many of the Lon
don and other English prints, that "Just
as captain Naples was laying the Pelican
along SIDE for the purpose of boarding ,h,.
Americans struck" and "The opponents
closed, and after contest of 70 minutes.
captain Naples gave directions for board
ing on her starboard bow, and she WAS IN
stan,iy carried, the Americans MAKING, no
resistance whatever and running belc,y. I"
exc. From these statements many Of our
icilow citizens have thought, and perhaps
siIii think, that the surviving officers and
crew OF the Argus behaved cowartIIy IN
not making an effort TO rcpeI the British
when they boarded her: But taking in,o
consideration the first paragraph in this
communication, which | have CORRECTLY
!''ON~Nj ~ 'iiC5 am I'GTHuduetI, VIII Won
der "a, their surrender, or will harbor in
his breast for moment hereafter though,
so unjust, so uncharita5le, and so directly
opposite to what the enemies OF the u. s.
think and have repeatedly acknowledged,
mat "fhe americans are brave heohke."
From the above statement it appears.
that the British boarded and instantly car.
RED the Argus, and "ss the actioH closed"
the Leonidas fell in with them, of course
she could not have been great distance
ott (not more than or miles at Gartbest
20 have fallen in with them in so minutes.
The whole time of the action as stated b,
Inc British accouDts) when theJactiou com
menced, aud no doubt beared the ever,
nement during the continuance OF it. H.
IS not TO be wondered at, that the officers
and crew of tho Argus surrendered under
-hese circumstances, when SO gun frigate
was close aboard of thom, and knowing i'll
hey contended any longer with the Pelican
admitting there was possibility of cap
uring her, or at least prevent being cap
uredJ II would be useless, as they would
inaiiy be taken by The Leoniias, (thc shat 1
cred condition Of the Argus making il i'm
possible Ior her to escape they very pru-
lentiy surrendered, saving thereby many
'aiuable lives, which, in all probability,