Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-03-25
WAsn1NeroN, March 1g.

Extract ola Letter from Lieu. Sinclair,
dated q. States $chr. .6deiine, Chesaheake
Bay, Dfc'cA II, 1913.
Il was until the 10th inst. reaching the
mouth of the Potomac, where received di-
rect information that the enemy were in
Lynnhavea Bay with four 74's, Ave frigatt 5,
and some small vessels ; and that two other
trigates, with two armed Baltimore built
schooners and sloqp vaare OFF New Point
light, committing depgedh.io in every IN
let and on every bay EEafekhey could come
across. immediatel k,prnSeeded down the
bay, and at midnight U;ad4a harbor under
Gwinn's Island, the wind being a head and
a prospect of bad weather. After having
anchored in line across the channel with
two gun boats in company (the other rot be.
ing able to fetch in had gone to the Kappa
h2nnock) l was hailed from an armed sChr
within us, toknow whosweSwsre. Inform
ed him, and upon requiflnS sEnow who he
was, he went TO Quarters 5nnediately and
! ordered my boat aboatd'him. had anchor.
ed with springs upon our cables and our
men at quarters. order ed him 10 let me
know who he was, and upon his insisting on
my boats being Sent to him, fired a musket
| ahead of him, which ne Instantly returned
with broadSide of rpundfepd grape shot
With constant FIRE eE1NHsil arms. Being
well assured from thi&kongucI, that it was
! one of the schooners beithging to the eaemy,
l opened fire on her from this vessel, and
in about fifteen or twenty sminutes silenced
her. now ceased firingsand desired ,he
nearest gun boat to hail hirqs<lsA know if he
had struck TO US, and who hes#fN He made
no reply, but immediately rcNe%ed the &C
! lion. l then ordered a general FIRE from all
| the vessels and IN about the same length Of
| time silenced him a second time. He
acted, upon our ccasing to FIRE, precisely as
he had before done, and it was now hall an
hour before he was q third time silenced
| Although his conduct did not deserve Srd
! indulgence, yet humanity induced me to stop
| the eifusion ofbiood, whioh your vel direct
ed fire must evidently have Caused on board
ais vessel. i was nov in the aci of sending
| an officer on board him to take possessC n,
| when discovered he had made sail and
was endeavoring TO escape under cover of
the darkness OF the night. Immediately cut
my cable and made sail after hin but sfter
a running fight Of half an hour, his great SUI
periority Of sailing and the extreme dark
ness Oft the night, effected,his escape. The
last We saw Of hin, he APPEARED TO be on a
wind down the Bay. Tlas procedure, added
| to his other conduct, aHsTfsl having. as 1
am informed by the iuhakgants of this place
anchored here just at night without showing
any colors, confirms me in the opinion Of
his being one Of their light cruizers. lie has
no doubt suffered severely in klledSc wound
ed, as we were at all times in good grape &
canister distance, and from the quantity Of
mis- buiwarks which wenc Seated on shore
near where lac las. rs hull mu8t have been
as uuch shsttereJs, as .ssF,could nc his rig
ging appearedAo be, 1.-the. light from his
| guns.
" Our damage has beep very Biting, ON
iy one man severely wounled, and our rig
giug little dpC / cannotssy ~ much ~
praise Of all the officers snA cISw Of this
vessel"
Erfraet Of a letter fran lieut.. Sinclair da-
ted, U. S. scdr. HdeLine, Chesapeake Bay,
bIarch 10.
Il have the satisfaction to inform you.
that ] have this DAY received information,
that the unknown vessel we engaged on the
10th at night, and of which gave YOU the
| particulars in my letter of the 18th, was his
Is. NJ. schooner Lottery, and that she sunk
that night before she could reach the aest at
New Point Comfort"