Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-08-19
WASHINGTON, CITY, Aug. Il.
Copy Of q letter .frsmECapta:n Fiddle 10
Com. Decatur, dcte6
Z. s. Sloop Hornet,
St. Salvatore, June 10, 1915

SIR, =
I have theshonor 10 report, that the
Peacock and this ship, ha'ing continued
of Tristan dAcunla, the number Ofdays
directed by you, in your letter Ofinstrao'
TONS. proceeded in company to the east.
ward on the 10Th of April, bound to Ii:
second place Of rendezvous, nothing Of
any Importance occurred to US until the
18th of April, when at Z, A. NJ. in lat
So, 80, S. and long. IS, E.. we msde
strange sail in the $ E. to whieh we gave
chase. The wind was from the NJ by
II. and light throughout the day, and b.
sunday we had neared the chase cCnsI-
derabIy. 1t was calm during tie night,
land at daylight on the S3th he was yet
i'm sight. A breeze spri2sing up ircn
the NE we crowded sail with steering
sails On both sides the chase standing
to the northward upon a wind. At 81
As NJ. p. Nj. the Peacock vas aboat 81
miles ahead of this ship; and obseryEg
that she appeared TO be suspicious d TIE
Ichase, took in starboard steering saiiS,
land hauled up for the Peacock. / was
|stilI, however, of opinion that The CHASE
was al Indiaman, Though. indeed. the az
mosphere was quite smokey ana lNo''.
tinct, and concluded, as she was very
large, that Capt. Warrington was Wali'
ing for me to Join him. that We m:sH'
together 60 along side OF her, At . i;
90 m. p. NJ. the Peacock made the sigma
that the chase was ship Of the line aNG
an enemy. | Immediately took ID al
steering sails, and hauled upon "lAoj
the enemy then upon our Ice quarter
distant about s miles. BY shutdown
had perceived that the enemy sauce IT..
lmarSabiy fast, and was very weather,
| At Up. NJ. as the enemY va; gain!Ns o.
on US, and az there was every apPS"'
ance that he would be enabled Is ASy2
| sight ofus during the night, con.'H''o-
lit necessary to tighten tins ship. l6TIS
fore threw overheard 2 tonsoi i;cniie0s2
part of our shot, some Of or heavy S!a',i
!cut away the sheet anchor and cable .'o .
started the wedges Of the masFs. D, nr
IA. NJ. the enemy being rather 0e'oIt w. w.
lee beam, | tackled to the wes,""t" ,a,e
enemy also tacked,ara continued II ~ ', ,r..
of rs. At day lis,t lie @gih' ne "g
W run saot, 10 : Our lee GHa'' en,
st ' N, having ho'<ted irg'"h '",
lors. and a rear admiraI's Hag' e '0% Is
m M firing from his bow sra e., ~ ~
his shot went over us, cut a"ay lie .,
naming anchor and clb'e, tore" r ,[,e
hoard tne !aanch, ak 0. car gu : IT," |,t
|of our SHOT, ard evc"y cay a' aver, .!ir,
W uos At llan.t tae enemy il'cd .2 5.t .%r,
-. shat not one Of whith took eel ., ." 70
y sn9 ~ ' 'i"s rs5sed over Us. HE .s'
vas FIRING, had the s&t!si1cl!1p' o NJ a?
'ca;ye that we slowly dropt Hi'"' a."
A n. he ceased is IRE. ,oain
. All t. A. n. the enenv va" tEs.s '5.
coming up with US. / now VIC, ~ saus
tj,rcw overheard all orr remaio''ii$ # al
o,t one long gun, nearly all !. "at t, s.g
cur spare Spas, cut Away s's -iE;ag OF
forecastle. and cleared c's'J ''' i;caten
,t H. as well IS from hoiow, L 40 Zen enc
n nv 'I ,ra;n - Commenced frinS i cane on
many sass, only three o. ~''''