Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-11-18

% the capture n the late United Sesses brSz
Argus By the British brg q MAR Pelican.
Hhicn, 10 my opinion, slteTS rf7e cofl.piezioD
u the engagement between thosc sessels
very much, no; ~itSs;aBding the decitcd a.
s'eriori'y on he part 81 the latter.
| The paragraph alluded % Is his. As
the acton closed. His naJ=s,y's ship Lsonl-
das, captain Seymour. zted 3sl fell ~.
With them" t'he ArgusNrd peiican.l This
paragraph was frs; published n the
Cork Chronicle" and repuoiIShed N the
London " Pilot" Of the Id hGgus;, fron
which 1 have taken IT,
IL will uo doubt be recoIlected by the
public, that both the Pelican ard Lecnsczs
sailed fron Cork for the express purpc-e
\ Il locking after the Argus, and TIA, alter
the action the Pelican returned 70 Cork,
where the facts relative to the eBgagem, NJ,
&c must have been known, and we're 70
Idoubccorrectly stated in the Corr ChruIicle.
| The Ministerial prints took very goa
care not to rcpubiish the account Contain
ing the abeye quoted paragraph a. -hs m
PRODUCTION g. The Americans wanted an
Their proof Of British superiority On the O.
cesn-the Pelican has afforded H. Ia the
capture OF the Argus'') to the account pub
liIhed by them would have been effected b.
il; in fact, II would not snIt their purpose.
1t has been stated 10 many OF the London
and other English prints, thai lust as cap
tam Naples was laying the Pelican along
side for the purpose of boarding, the Amer
leans struck and = The opponents closed,
and after contest OF 40 mi,uIes. capt. Ma
pies gave directions for boarding OF ner
starboard bow, and she was instantly car
RED. the Americans making no resistance
whatever and running below. *" From
tell
zens have thought. and perhaps ST II think
that the surviving officers AID crew 81 Iie
Argus behaved cowardiy IN not making an
effort to repei the British when they at
tempted to board her But taking into con
sideration the FIRST paragraph i'll this com
municaticn. which have Correctly quoted,
no one, l am persuaded, Will wonder at
their surrender, or wilt harbor in his breast
for moment hereafter a Thought 50 mi -,
SD uncharitable, and so directly opposlte ~
what the enenies ottae United States think
and have repeatedly acknowledged, that
= fhs americans are q brave fleCJsle."
From the above statement u appears, that
| The b. itlsh boarded aud instantly Carried
| the Argus, and - as the action closed" the
Leonidas tell in with them, of course she
could not have been great distance OF (uot
more than Z or miles at tarthest 10 have
fallen in with them III 20 minutes, the whole
| time Of the action as stated by the British
sccounts) when the action commenced, anu
no doubl heard every moment daring the
Continuance oft. IL is not To be wondered
at, thatthe officers and crew OF ,hs Argus
surrendered under these circumstances,
when ass gun frigate was cloSe aboard OF
them, & knowingif they contended any longer
With the Pelican (adGnitfing there was pos
sibility OF capturing her. or al least prevent
being captured) it would be useless, as they
would finally be taken by the Leonidas, (tAe
shattered condition If the Argus making It
impossible fer her to escaPe,) they very
prudently srrreudered, saving thereby many
valuable lives, which. ia all probabiiity
wouid'haye been Sacrificed, had they de,
tended themselves any longer, particularly
in so deSp, rate manner asrepeillng board
| ers.
Upon the whole. the American character
has iQst nothing by the cap, re of the Ar
! gus: but on the contrary, shines with great
err iustIe than ever-for it vessel OF the
size of the Argus, meets boldly brig Of war
as much superior TO her in point Of size and
| force as the Pelican was, with So gun fri.
gate in sight at thetime, and Continues t.
| fight her while tSeziyigate is apprOac ming
nearer tn them evesy momenI-we wan.
no further proof of the coefage aud brave
ry Of our countrymens III q ahaI SUCH an &C
ton would afford, AID ieSneeds 10 other
comments in addition, fnr the simple fact o.
| it self is comment sufficient.