Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-07-12
NEW YORK, July 8.

"a
val " Ae ESSEX JUN
Yesterday arrived at this port, the
shin Essex junior. Capt. Downes, IN
day from V.bpar.is.. la> cartei) WIN
most of the crew oil the u. States -
vac E.s. Z, Com. Porter, Captured The
18TH Mach, ~ the bay OF Valparaiso
by the British isa,e Phoebe, OF SO guns,
nd 8 Omen, and the sIoop ut var Che
,nb, of 20 guns and 81 'hen a'tel
bloudy action 4 2 Ia hours. J ne "a
SIX los. her frs, aud tbifd IL ute ants,
and l52men XII d missing aud wound ;
ed The E>s, had on board OILY zoo
men The s. ct The enemy could Eo'
be ascertsincd. Captain Porter has ar
lived 1t the Navy Yard.
The following contains the particulars
Of the action, sc, by which out readers
will perceive that, slthough We have
unlor unately lost another fligate, the
naval glory of our country remain, u"-
sulicd.
United States' frigate ESSEX DA.
vID PORTER, Esq Commander--Maeh
IS, lsl4.-Light winds and cloudy ;
at day light got every thing ready 10
weigh, expecting the enemy sshIps were
to leeward, according to the report &
Lieut.. Murray, who was last evening
entrusted with an expedition to effcc.
this; aud We we're much .ur prised. at
about half past SIX, to see both slips
Gloss TO the weather point of the Bay.
They stood within the point tackled
aud stood OUT again. 4, noon. the wind
fre.heneG at s $ w. and INCREASED to
q strong gaie.-Slruck royal yards &
ma.ts. At 45 minutes past 2, parted
the ia,board caDle, which caused IS 10
drag tue starbnard anchor. Captain
p ,rter h lied the Essex Jun. to send
ner D,a.. 10 take Mr.. Poin,talt on shore
ne,liareIy ter he lett us, Captain
Potter gave order. to cut the cable,
which wa, done, and sail made on The
ship. The enen,'s ships were al this
time standing in for the port. On lui.
li"s round the point of Apge's''s hea',
,uua.l struck us, which carried away ou'
main loy.nast6y The lower csp. Two
men, samuel Miller and Thomas Brown,
fell overbuatd aud were drowned as We
supposed The ship Wa acre aud
hauled to the wind Oh the starboard tack
md ardc, given 10 cl'a' the wreck -
Tne mainsad and mlIntop..ii were cut
a. ay from The yards, so as Not to act
gainst Us in working into the bay CAP.
tain Porter, finding II itnpo. Idle t" gan
ur former anchorage, concluded l.
hear up Tor small bay, situated on III.
western side ui he harbot.
At inmates pa>, 8, came too With
III. brs, bo~et ~ 9 Z ftho,ns ~>teI
aud in bali pistol shot OF the shore. The
Western For, (or Castillo V'eg") bare
T. b, N dl.,shce miles. Tue Ea,
TERN for; 10, Castillo lei Barien) boz.
) ". By W distance about | l miles
rLis Tort VAS not in sight, as we were AL.
chored under high bluff that screened
as from it. ThcIe was long % p"und-
CT QStaCUSV Io" ~ oh ''sibS HI'uUt
10 the N. E. distance IL a mile, and
n.euueutly SO much nearer to tie
lace where we anchored.
In TINS situation, We considered sur
Gives perfectly secure. Captain Pur-
Ter gave oders 10 clear the ship for &C.
tIon, although he id not l belie,e) en-
lcrtain an idea that the enemy would
attack bim-At IS m.past 3 the Pho.
be commenced firing on our larbosr.l
quarter; and at 4 the Cherub commenc.
cd firing OH our sta beard bow. In a
bout half al hour, they wore round and
stood on, to repair damages They ap.
peared ~ be very much cut in their zig.
ging, their ,op.sail sheets Hy ing away
In this interval. We got the third spring
ON the CABLE, the two 6r.t eng shot !.
way as soon a. put on. They soon re-
turned, and took their position out of
r.ach OF cur short guns, aud opened
most GALL Z fls upon US. TIE wind
shifting about this iin.e. Captain Por.er
deter mined to Icy the P.epe aboard
The cable was accordingly cut but the
only haiIIards sianding were those Of the
q, ing jib. Til, Sail vas partly hoisted,
bu, va, not .ufiicien, to wear the ship
off.
We were now in most dreadful 81.
tuatior. Is the enemy builed us e,.rj
shot, and our brave fellows we're falling
in e.e'y direction +; bat we were all SC
animated by tn brave, cnol aud i,t,eld
c, nduct our heI oic eo,nnande', that {
very wan appeared determined to g..
c'itice Lls life, in Diet. nee ofour ship <
fo, For Frr T. ade and Sailors R,ghfs,
tor witch they w.re crntin.slly huxza.
ing fore and aft An unluc.y accident,
hosever, took place. Which frustrated
all cur hopes. viz: the explosion Of
some hose Cartridges in the main h.teE.
way, which caus. d y general consterna.
II n .nu,pn The Grew fhe greatest mart