The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-12-24
Protest Of CAPTAIN Reid. ofthe hrivate arns
ed brig Gen. .4rnisfrsns.
CONSULATE OF FAYAL.

ed brig Gen. ARMSTRONG.
CONSULATE OF FAYAL.
AZORES.
BY this Public Instrument of Declaration
and Protest, be it known unto all persons
whom it doth or may concern, That on this
present day, being the twenty seventh day of
September, eighteen hundred and fourteen,
before me, JOHN B. DABEEY, Consul of
the United States for the Azores, personally
appeared Samuel e. Reid, commander OF the
American armed brig General Armstrong,
OF New-Hork. of two hundred and forty six
tons, American measurement, &c. and on
oath declared as follows, to wit that he sail
ed in and with said brig from the port of
New-fors, on the ninth day of September
last past, well found, stauach and strong. and
manned with ninety officers and men, for a
cruise; that nothing material happened on
the passage to this Island, until the twenty
sixth instant, when she cast anchor in this
port, SOON after twelve o'clock at noon, with
view to get supply of fresh water ; that
during the said afternoon his crew were en-
ployed in taking on beard water-when about
sunset of the same day, the British brig OF
war Carnation, Capt. Bentham, appeared
suddenly doubling round the northeast point
OF this port !; she was Immediately followed
by the British ship (ota, of SS guns, Capt
+. Somerville, aud the "a gsu-ship Piantage-
net, Capt Robert Lloyd, which latter, ir is
understood, commanded the squadron. They
all anchored about o'clock +. NJ. and soon
after some suspicious movements on their part,
indicating an intention to violate the neutral
ity OF the port, induced Capt. Reid to order
his brig to be warped III shore, close under
the guns Of the castle; that in the act of do
ing so, four boats approached his vessel, fill
cd with armed men. Captain Reid repeat
cdly hailed them, and warned them TO keep
off, which they disregarding, he ordered his
men to FIRE on them which was done, and kill
led and wounded several men the boats re-
turned the fire, and Killed one man and woun-
ded the first lieutenant. They then fed to
their ships and prepared for a second and
more formidable attack; the American brig,
in the mean time, was placed within half
cables length of the shore, and within half
pistol shot of the castle. Soon after midnight,
twelve, or as some say, fourteen boats, sup
posed to contain nearly four hundred men,
with small cannon, swivels, blunderbusses &
other arms, made violent attack on said
brig, when severe conflict ensaed, which
lasted near forty minutes, and terminated in
the total defeat and partial destruction of the
boats, with an immense slaughter on the part
OF the British. The loss of the Americans in
both actions was one lieut.. and one seaman
killed, and two lieutenants and five seamen
wounded. At day break the brig Carnation
was brought close in, and began heavy can
nonade on the American brig when Capt.
Reid finding further resistance unavaing, "a
bandoned the ,esscl, after partially DESTROYING
her, and soon after the British set her on
fire. The said Captain Reid therefore desires
me to take his Protest, as he does by these
presents most solemnly protest against the
said Lloyd, commander of the said squadron,
and against the other commanders of the Bri-
TIN ships engaged in this infamous attack, on
his said vessel, when lying in neutral friend
" port. And the said Capt Reid also pro-
tests against the government of Portugal, for
their inability to protect and defend the neu-
trality OF this their port and harbour, as also
against all and every other state or states, per
son or persons, whom it now doth or may con-
Germ, for all losses, costs and damages, that
have arisen or may arise co the owners, officers
and crew of the said brig Gen. Armstrong,
consequence of her destruction, and the de-
feat Of her cruise, in the manner aforesaid.
All which is sworn to be truth by the said
Samuel c. Reid, Frederick 4. Worth, first
lieutenant, Robert Johnson, third lieutenant,
Benjamin Starks, sailing master, John
Brosnaham, surgeon, Robert E. Allen, cap
tain Of marines, Thomas Parsons, James Da-
Wis, Eliphalet Sheffield, and Peter Tyson,
prize-masters of the said brig General Arm-
strong.
], the undersigned, hereby certify, that
the aforegoing instrument of Protest
Isl true copy, taken from the orr
gnal, deposited in my consular Of
IsEAL flee. In testimony of which have
hereunto set my hand, & affixed my
Official seal, this twenty day
of September, eighteen hundred *
fourteen.
T.,