Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-08-26

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n fore IL clock, the wind changed 20 w. : "
!. which bro't the enemy to windward tacke
q to the northward; at 3, the wind nclinin., {
the northward, wore to the southwark an,
westward. and made the signal for the flee
to make all sail. AT a, the enemy bore s. S
w. bore M and stcered for him. Ats. oh
served the enemy becaimed under the land.
| nearing him very fast with a fine breeze
from N. N w. At g. formed the order of
battle within about a miles Of The enemy
| The wind at this time very light. AT z. the
wind Changed to S. W., and fresh breeze
| which again placed the enemy to windward
ct me. Tackled aud hauled upon wind ON
the larboard tack, under easy sail he enemy
standing after us AZ 9, when within about
gun shot of eur rear, he were to the south.
ward: stood on the northward under ca
sy sail-the feet formed in two lines, a part.
OF the schrs. forming the weather line, with
orders to commence the fire upon the enemy
as soon as their SHOT weuld take effect, and
as the enemy reached them to edge down
upon the line to leeward and pass through
the intervals and form TO leeward. Alta,
bout half past 10, the enemy tackled and
stood after us. At IL, the rear of our line
opened his hire upon the enemy; i'm about
ID minutes the fire became general from the
weather line, which was returned from The
enemy. At half past IL, the weather line
bore up & passed to the leeward EXCEPT the
Growler and Julia, which soon after tackled
to the southwark. which brought theepemy
between them and me-. Filled the main
topsail and edged awaytwo points to
lead the enemy down not only to en-
gage him to more advantage, but to lead
INN from the Growler and Julia. He.
however, kept ais wind until he completely
separated those two vessels from the res.
OF the squadron, exchanged few slot with
TINS snip as he passed, without injury to
us and made sail after our two shooners.
lacked and stood after him. At - (mid.
hight) hndnig that I must either separat,
from the rest of the squadron, or relinonish
sHe nope OF saving the two which had sens Il
rated, reluctantly care up the pursuit. re.
joined the squadron, then to ,eeward. and
formed the line on the starboard tack
lie hring was continued betw cen our two
scnonners and the eneny's Feet until about
n M when, presume, they were oblig.
ed to surrender to force so much their So
pefior. paw nothing more of the enemv
that night: soon after daylight discovered
them close in with the north shore. ,y;,S
one OF our schooncrs IN tow, the other No, 70
De seem presume she may have been g nj. q
he enemy showed no disposition To come
down upon rs, although 10 windward anil
blowing heavy from w. The sthrs Ia
boring very much. ordered 8 of the dml-
lest to run into Niagara and anchor. Tho
gale increasing very much and as I copd
not so into Niagara with this shin deter.
mined to run to Gencssee Bay, as a shelter
tor the small vessels, and with the cxpec a.
ton OF beng able to obtain provisions for
the squadron rs We were all nearly out,
the Madison and Oneida having not a SINGLE
OF WI .gf
Genessee Bay. found there was e,er,,
prospect OF the gales Continuing, and if II
did, could run to this place and provision
the whole squadron with more Certainty. Sc
nearly III the same time tina: | could ar
Gennessee, admitting that / could obtain
provisions at that place. After bringing the
breeze as far as Oswego, the wind became
GIT. UncIInlng to calm which has DR. :
songed cur passage to this day. / shall nro.
vision the squadron for five weeks and pro-
coed up the lake this evening, and when
return again hope TO be able TO commu-
nicate more agreeable news than this com.
munCation contains.
The loss of the Grower and Julia. in the
manner m which they have been lost, il
notifying III the extreme; aud altho their
comnIa1rders disobeycd my positive orders.
am willing to believe that it arose from en-
error OF Judgement, and excess OF zeal to
do more than was required of them; think
ing probably that the enemy intended to
bring US to general actio' +, they Thought by
gaining the wind of him they won have il
'nors.ip their powerfo annoy and Iniure him
tn ~ could by forming to leewa,d d of our
LEN rom what | have been able To dis
coverof the movements of the enemy, he
has no intention of engaging Us, EXCEPT he
can get decidedlysthe ad, antage of wind &c
weather, and as his YES els in squadron sail
better than our squadron, hs can always
AVOID an action ;----unles' l can gain the
wind and have sufficient day &eht to bring
him to action before dark, Bls obi CT is,
evidently, o harrass u, by night attacks, by
which means he thinks to Cut off our small,
dull sailing schooners in detail Fortune
has, evidently, favored him thus far.
nope that 1t will be my tuln next, and altho'
t<apr in point of force, feel very conf-
~ of success.
Nbhave the honor TO be, Sir, very respect.
fully, your most obedient servant,
ISAAC CHAUNCEY.
Extract from another, Of the same date, 10
tie Secretary JrSHR Commodore Chaan-