Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-08-05

portsmouth before day OF the circumstance.
As soon as daylight appeared, l sent my
trunk, containing all the money and Custom
House bonds belonging to the Office, on
board the Revenue Cutter BIercury, which
was so: under way by Capt. Wallace, as
soon as the pilot was able to discern the
| stakes which mark out the channel. The
bargcs started from the fleet about the time
| the Gutter weighed her anchors, and such
was tue rapidity of their movements, that
| they were within one mile and half of her
when she cleared the Swash. The first e.
| levcn barges came in regular order, close
together, until they came nearly within reach
| of the shot of the privateer brig Anaconda
Of New York, and the letter of marque schr
Atlas, of Philadelphia, they then separated
from one to two hundred yards apart, and
hauled off under the edge Of Ocracock, and
waited a short time for the approach OF the
other barges, item in number) and upon
their arrival, they all began slowly to APP
proach the above mentioned vessels, dis
| charging their IL pound carronades which
they carried ia their launches and barges
they also fired several Of thei. Congreve
| rockets at the shipping, without effect. The
Anaconda and Atlas commenced firing very
spiritedly, though 1T was OF short duration,
for the former had but fifteen men OH board.
the latter but thirty, they were therefore
compelled to submit to overwhelming nun
bcrs, as there CoulG not have been lest than
5000 men, at that time inside the Bar, and
crossing it together. These men abandon
ed the Brig and Schooner and betook them.
selves to their boa s, most of whom escaped
The Capt. Of the Atlas remained in her,
and continued to fire at the enemy after all
his men had forsakcn him. Several of the
barges proceeded Immediately on, without
stopping to board the prizes in pursuit of the
Gutter, thinking (as they afterwards said)
ii they could have taken the Gutter, they
would have prccluded the possibility If in
formation reaching Newbern until they ar
rived there themselves. The Gutter very
| narrowly escaped, by crowding upon her
eve.y inch ct Canvass she had, and by cut
ting away her long boat. The Admiral did
not hesitate t. declare, that it was his in
tention to have gone to Newbern, provided
| he could have reached ihat place previous
to the Citizens receiving any intelligence of
his approach After pursuing the Cutter
or 10 miles through the sound, they gave
out the chase and returned. Several hun.
dred men were landed OH Portsmouth, and
Ipresume as many on Ocracock, among
those landed On Portsmouth there were
bout 500 regulars of the 102nd Regiment,
| under the command of Col. Napier. and
bent 400 Marines and S;.il rs They hat,
several small field pieces in their Launches
but did not land them, finding no necessity
for them. On both The above men ionetl
places, there was the most wanton, cruel.
and savage-lke destructon of proper v /
nave ever Witnessed furniture ofail Kinds
split and broken in pieces, beds ripped open
and the feathers scattered in the wind, wo-
men and children robbed of their cloathing
| and indeed many little children have been
If str
They broke open my Office and destroyeL<
every paper they could lay Their hands %
private as well as public. very fortunate
y had buried the most valuable papers be
longing 10 the Office, which escaped them;
they robbed me of al the books in my hbra-
ny, as well as every -other species Of pro
perry they Could lay their hands on, except
the law books and them with savage fury,
they tore in pieces. They plundered the
two Islands of 200 head Of cattle, 400 sheep,
and 1000 fowls of various kinds, for which
they firefendrd to pay they paid sixteen
hundred dollars for the above articles,
which is about one half Tie value of the cat
| tie. This was done, 40 doubt, to acquire
the reputation of being generous enemy,
| Without deserving it. After they had been,
| at Portsmouth two days, was informed b
| Capt. Powell, that the Admiral cons idered
| officers, that should 50 on board his Bri
! tannic Majesty's Ship Sceptre, and there
! rcnain until they had all embarked and the
! Squadron ready to sail. / was immediate ely
! sent on board, where remained two days,
/ during which time ] was very politely trea
ted. At the expiration of the two days,
was turned adrift III the Ocean with four
! Spaniards, in small boat. who were as lit .
! tie acquainted with the Bar as myself by
WHICH means we all narrowly escaped being
lost in the breakers. On the 10th they hois
! ted sail and stood to sea, the wind 5. S. w.
Very respectfully,
! remain, Sir, your nb't. serv't
THOS. ). SINGLETON.
His E,rccl&vcy Nm. Ha1gkias, Esg.
cps. The inhabitants being much@a-
Harmed, number of them endeavored to
make their escape from the Island, among
whomfwas a Mr.. Richard Casey, with his
family. lie had>get into his boat with his
wife and chiIdreniand was under way when
he was hailed by a party Ct Soldiers and or
| dered back, which he was about obeying
Though slowly flor he is a decrepid old mani
| when one of the Soldiers fred on him and
shot him IN the breast. believe the wound
will not prove mortal The Admiral told
| him (as he told every other person who
complained Of depredations) point out the
| man who did il and he shall be Corrected
VEL knowing il was impossible for them
! to identify any one among such number
4 Of strangers"