Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-07-16

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names IL annexed. tt3
The professional knowledge Of Doctor Rich
ard Hoffman, acting Surgeon, and Doctor Alex.
ander Montgomery. acting Surgeons Mate,
added to their assiduity and the benevolent at
eentions and assistance ofMr. ID. p. Adams, the
Chaplain, saved the lives Of many Of the woul-
ded those gentlemen have been interchangeable
IN their attentions to them the two first beg
leave to recommend for confirmation, and the
after to the notice Of the Department.
must IN justification Of myself observe, that
with our six twelve Founders only We fought
this action, Our carronades being almost use
less.
The loss in killed and wounded has been
great with the enemy among the former is the
hrst Lieutenant Oft the Phoebe, and OF the lat
ter Capt. Tucker of the Cherub, whose wounds
are severe. Both the Essex and the Phoebe
we're in sinking state, and it was with diff
Guilty they could be kept afloat until they an.
chored in Valparaiso next morning. The bat.
tered state of the Essex will, 1 believe, prevent
her ever reaching England, and l also think
1t Will be out of their power to repair the dam
ages OF the Phoebe, so as to enable her to dou-
BILE Cape Horn All the masts and yards Of
the Phoebe and Cherub are badly crippled. and
their hulls much cut up the former had Is
twelve pound shot through her below her water
line, some three feet under water. Nothing
but the smoothness Of the water saved both the
Phoebe and Essex.
hope, sir, that our conduct may prove sa-
tisactory to our country, and that it will tes-
We may again have il in our power to prove
our zeal. $50
Commodore fiillyar Il am informedj has
Thought proper to state To his government
that the action only lasted As minutes should
he have done 50, the motive may be easily
discovered-but the thousands OF disinterested
witnesses who covered the surrounding hills
can testify that we fought his ship, near two
hours and an half; upwards Of fifty broadsides
were fired by the enemy agreeably to their own
accounts, and upwards of seventy five by ours );
except the few minutes they were repairing
damages, the hiring was incessant.
Soon after my capture, entered into an a.
greement with Com. Hillyar to disarm my
prize the Essex Junior, and proceed with the
Survivors of my officers and crew in her to the U.
States, taking With me all her officers and crew
lie consented to grant her passport to secure
her from re-cap;ure. The shin was small and
we knew we had much to suffer, yet We hoped
soon to reach our country in safety, that we
might again have it in our power to serve it.
This arrangement was attended with no addi-
tional expence, IS she was abundantly supply
ed with provisions and stores for the voyage.
In justice to Commodore Hillyar, must OBJ
serve, that, (although can never be reconcil-
ed to the manner of his attack on the Essex,
or to his conduct before the action,) be has,
since our capture, shewn the greatest humani-
ty to my wounded (whom he permitted me to
land, on condition that thelUnitcd States should
bear their expenccs,) and has endeavoured, as
much as lay in bis power, TO alleviate the dis
tfcsses of war by the most generous and deli
cate department towards myself, officers and
crew; he gave orders that The property of
every person should be respec,ed--his orders,
however, were not so strictly attended to az
might have been expected; besides being de
prived of books, charts, &c. &c both myself
and officers lost many articles of our clolhing,
some to a considerable amount. should not
have considered this last circumstance Of suffi.
Gent importance to notice, did it not marx
a striking difference between the Navy OF Great
Britain and that OF the United States, highly
creditabie to the latter.
by the arrival of the 1agus, few days
after my capture, was Informed that be
sides the ships which had arrived in the Pa
cific in pursuit of me, and those still expect
ed. others were sent to cru,ze for me in the
China Seas, off New Zealand, Timor and
New Holland. and that another frigate was
sent to the River la Plata.
To possess the Essex it has cost the Bri,
fish Government near six millions Of dol
lars, and yet, sir, her capture was owing en-
tirely to accident and if we consider the
expedition with which naval contests are
now decided. the action is dishonour to
them. Had they brought their ships boldly
into action with a force so very superior.
and haviog the choice CT position, they
should either have captured or destroyed
US in one fourth the time they we're about it.
During the action, our Consul General
Mr.. Poinsett called on the Governor OF
Valparaiso, and requested that the batta
ries might protect the Essex. This request
was refused, but he promised that il she
should succeed in fighting her way to the
common anchorage, he would send an off,
Ger to the British Commander and request
him to cease firing, but declined using
force under any circumstances, and there is
no doubt of perfect understanding between
them this conduct added to the assistance
given To- the British, and their friendly recep.
tor after the action, and the strong bias OF
the faction which govern Chill in favor of
the English, as well as their hostility to the
Americans, induced Mr. puinsett to leave
that country. Under such circumstances,
did not conceive it would be proper for me
to claim the restoration of my ship, conf
dent that the claim would be r. de by nv
Government to more effect Finding some
difficulty in the sale of my prizes, had ia.
Ken tile Hector and Catharine to sea and
burnt them with their cargces.
exchanged Midnight, Mr. Adams
nAlr. Lynn \eleyen Seamen for part
nev rev Hammond, and
2e 9Th April where
& up their ships to