Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-01-25
JAMES MADISON.
Eyon. che Porl Folio e, .1anuarp.
AMERICAN CALAMITY.

! AMERICAN GALLANTRY.
Under this title we have occasionally select
ed such incidents. in our military annals, as,
from their minu'encss, had escaped the view,
the general historian but which were CAL
cuiated to excite the high and honorable feel
ings ofpatriotisn. The p resent war has again
awakened the energies of the nation and al
ready produced examples of signal intrepiditv
among our countrymen. 1t is, however, on
tine 1avy of the United States-that our national
pr idc, and orr hopes of glory, at this moment
repose We have never been able to look with
out the highest satisfaction on that fearless pro.
fsssion; the nursery of generous courage, and
ofhigh minded patr'otism-.o whose followers
every form of danger is alike familiar and with
out terror.
Nor toll, nor hazard, nor distress, appear
10 sink the Seaman with Hnmany fear;
Who from the face of danger strives to turn,
Indignant from the social hour they spurn
No iulnre ills, unknown, their souls appsl,
ihey knoso no danger or hey scorl IL al
Hut we have no language to convey our ad-
miratlon OF the Young and gallant spirits, who.
IN the hr5t essays OF their strength, have tri-
umphed over the veteran science, and the disci-
plined valor,- o. the habitualconuueror on the.
ocean. They have retrieved all our disasters
they have shed new lustre on our arms, and
! sustained even in the midst Of mortifying re-
verses, the loftiest tone ofnatioRal enthusiasm
Their only anxiety has been to find the enc.
mics of their country; and. wherever they have
met them, their valor has rendered victory
certain, whilst their skill has made II easy.
Devoted, as is this journal, 20 all that can
add honor or distinction 20 the national cha
racter, it had no fairer pages than those which
record instances Of bravery like the following,
the account of which we have rendered scru-
puiously minute and authentic
Fka TT,,.to
commanded by captain Jacob Jones, was cruis-
ing i'll long. IS w. and lat. 81 NJ the tract of
vessels passing from Bermuda to Halifax,
when, on Saturday the 18th of October, about
eleven O'Clock, III clear moonlight evening
she found herself near FIVE strange sail. steer
ing eastward. AS some of them seemed to be
sAips OF war, Il was thought better TO get far
Their from them. The Wasp, there fore, hauled
her wind, and having reached few miles to
wIndward, so as to escape or fight as the occa
sion might require, followed the strange ssil
through the night At day break on Sunday
morning, captain Jones found that they were
SIX large merchant ships, under CONVOY of n
sloop of war, which proved to be the Frolic,
captain Whinyates, from Honduras to England.
with a convoy strongly armed and manned
having all forty or fifty men, and two of them
mounting sixteen guas each. lie determined.
however, TO attack them, and as there was a
weather DOISte-
rous, got down his top, gallant wards close
| reefed the toPsails, anil prepared for action.
About IL O'Clock the Frolc Showed Spanish
| colors and the Wasp Immediately DISPLAYED
| the American ensign and pendant At thirty-
| two minutes past eleven the Wash came down
to windward, on her larboard side, within o.
| bout sixty yards and hailed. The enemy haul.
| Ell down the spanish colors, hoisted the British
| ensign and opened a fire Of cannon r. musletrv
&c he 10
| ing nearer To tho enemy the action became
! close and without intermission. In four or fiye
| minutes the maia-top-mast Of the Wasp was
| shot away, and filling down with the na;n,op
sail yard across tie laFboard fore and forctop.
sail braces, rendered her head wards unmanac
| able during the rest of the action. In two OF
| three minutes more her gaft and NIXON topcaI
lantmast were shot away. Still she continued
! close aud constant fire. The sen was so rougf
tha' the Inuzzeis OF the Wasp's guns were IRE
| quently IN the water The Americans. there
! fore, fred as the ships side was ooin,e down
! so that their shot went either on the enemv',
deck or below it, while the English fred as tl,e
vessel Sc, and thus her balls chiefly Touched
! the rigging, or were thrown away. The Xyasr
now shot ahead Of the Frolic, raked her and
! then resumed her position on her larboarI bow
! Her ire was now obviously attended with sucl
( success, and that Of the Frolic 50 slackcneJ
WAT captain Jones did not wish to board her
/ lest Che rOush1oss Of the sea might cndanpel
both vessei9i but, in the course of few mi
mites more, every brace Of the Wasp was Slot
| away aid her rigging so much torn to pieces
that be WIS afraid that his masts, being unsup
| ported, would 90 BY the board, and tic FroliC
! be.abie to e'cape lie thought, therefore, the
! best chance o. securing her was TO board. and
J decide the contest az once. With this view he
! wore ship, anu running down upon The enemy
! tae vessels stuck each ather; the Wasp's sid,
rUsb'ng along the Frolic's bow, so that her lib
b0om came ia between the main and mizzcg
| rigging Of tue Wasp. directly over thc heads O
4 captain Jones and the first lieutenant, Mr.. Bid
! ole, who we're &c that moment standing toge
theT near the captain The Frolc lay so fai
ror r2kiug, that they decided not 70 board un
| ~ they nad given closing broadsidc. Wills
they were loading for this, so near were tn