Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-03-26
WAsH1NcroM CRY. March 81.


every American citizen found in Canada. |
NJ ---------------------
WAsHINGToN CITY. March 81.
Cofy Of q letter from Liept. Creighton,
commanding me y. S. Brig Rationale,
10 fhe Secretary ofthe Navy, dated
Wilmington. &C. March 9th, 1914.
|sIR.
have the honor to announce 10 you the
arrival of the u. S. Briggs Rat,lesuake and
Enterprise, under my command, after a
cruise of eight weeks. The Enterprise Join
ed me yesterday having separated on the
25th nit. to avoid capture, both vessels be-
ing closely pursued by frigatc or race.
! BY the enclosed report from Lieut.. Rem
shaw, you willpercieve the chase continued
10 hours, during which, time he was under
the necessity of Tightening his vessel BY
Throwing over board his guns, cutting away
his anchors, and starting his water. This
is the third time we have been chased by
superior force, and in every instance the
good fortune of tue Enterprise has been won-
dcrfully manifest. So
In obedience to your instructions of the
Cd January. after leaving the United States,
passed to the eastward Of Bermuda, and
having reached the latitude of IS deg Sc
min. NJ and long. GO deg. 90 min. w bore
up. and on the 2oth january made the Is.
land Of Anegada and Virgin. Gorda, hence
by st. Thomas down the nor h sides of Por.
TO Rico and st. Domingo. through the wind
ward passage. along the north side O. Jamai>
Ca, round the west end of Cuba, through the
Florida passage. and SO to this place.
| In the windward passage we we're chas-
ed by a friEatc and narrowly escaped CAP
ture. For the preservation of one and per.
haps both vessels was under the necessity
OF separating. twas joined again by the
Enterprise off Cape Antonio on the Nth
February, conformably to previous arrange
mehts
On the 10th of February we were again
chased by line OF battle ship, but eutsailed
her with great ease. The same vessel which
we learnt to be the, Bedford, "a, pursued
the Enterprise, when on her way to join me
OH Cape Antonio, for nine hours the latter
escaped by maBocuyre at night.
should have continued to cruise on the
ground YOU recommended, but was continu-
ally taken from the station by vessels itbe
came my duty to pursue, as well as the pros
pect OF falling in with convoy that had
passed the Havanna about eight or ten DAYS
previous to my appearing off that place.
have the homer to enclose you list of
vessels captured and spoken during the
Cruise ;.among the former you will perceive
teen guns, and rs men, This capture af. |
fords me the more satisfaction, as she belenp
ed to that nest of pirates commonly called
Providence privatecrs. She is a fine vessel |
built in Baltimore, and well calculated for |
pubic service, should government REQUIRE
vessel OF her class. Another privateer
was in company with her, but mig hit had so
far advanced it was impossible for me to |
prevent her escape. The Mars having ia
ken us al FIRST for English briggs. be,ween 20 |
and 80 OF her men took to her boats * LAM.
ed on the Florida shore to avoid Impress.
n'eDt notwithstanding this she ranged up
along side of the Enterprise with ,ompions |
cut and training her gurs. 1t. Rensilaw ig> |
nSrant CT the circumstance Of any of her
men having LETT her, gave her broadside,
which killed Two and wounded two others |
OF her crew, Lit Repshaw's conduct was
perfectly correct; it was the indiscreet and |
ridiculous parade of the commander of the |
privateer that caused this Unnecessarily Ioods |
shed. AT the-same time the Mars struck, |
we took possession of the schooner Eliza.
from Nassau, New Providence, bound TO
Pensacola, laden with salt. In passing the |
prize hailed Lieut.. Gamble, who had her ]
IN charge. and directed him to scuttle the |
vessel aud cut away her masts, take to the |
boat he had along side and join the Enter |
prize then in pistol shot OF him. The wind |
and current having set us close i'm with the !
Florida shore, was under the necessity of |
working to windward, and directed the En-
terprize to do the same as soon as possible. |
A light was shown from the Rattlesnake,
rockets thrown and false fires occasionally |
burnt during the night to point out our stu
alton to the other vessels. At Q a. IN. the |
Enterprise joined me and at day light the |
Mars, but from the extreme darkness ofthe |
night the Eliza was lost sight of about 8 in |
the evening and has not been seen since !: !
all the following Gay was spent in search
ing for her, but without success. 1T noon by |
observation found we had drifted a de-
gree and half to the northward of the place |
where we made the capture. From the |
state OF the weather immediately after |
spoke the Eliza it became necessary for all |
the other vessels to work off shore, & Lieut. |
Gamble must have been sensible of the ne |
cessity of doing the same with the vessel un
der his charge and as he had six men and 1
plenty o.water and provisions hourly look |
tor him at this place or expect to hear of
his arrival at Savannah. After removing
the prisoners from the Mars, intended to |
have turned to windward again and remain |
a few days off the Cat Keys; but at 4 D. m.
discovered ship which we gave chase to,
and which ultimately led us through the pas
sage. 1t being now out of my power TO get !
to windward, j shaped course to the north-
ward and eastward with strong gale from
the southwark and westward, in hopes of /
meeting with some struggling vessels of the |
convoy, and having proceeded as far in this |
direction as thought my Instructions would |
authorize, without seeing single sail, al
tered my course to the westward.
The kattlcsnake has been under her top
sails the greater MARI Of the ernie. excer,t