Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-02-15
C ,pTA'N PRINCES DISPATCH.
U. S. Ship Saratoga, Plattsbure- Bay,
Lake Champlain, Sept. -. 1914

S O""'"P'"i", sept 10, 1914
SiR-The painful task Of making you &C.
qua'nted with the circumstances attending the
capture ofhis Majesty's squadron, yesterdav.
by that Of the Americans, under Commod,re
MDonnough, it grieves me to state, becomes
my duty to perform, from the ever to .be Ia
mented loss oil that worthy and gallant officer.
Capt Downie, who unfortunately fell eariv in
the action
In consequence OF the earnest solicitation of
his Excellencv Sir George Provost. for the co,
opera, on OF the naval force on this Lake to at.
tack that Of the enemy. who were placed for
the support Of their works at Plattsburch-
which 1t proposed should be stormel BY the
tronps, Al the same moment tn, naval action
s,onid commence III the bay every possible
exertion vas used 20 &C -eeratc the armamene
OF the new ship, that the military movements
might no, be postponed stsuch an advanced
season OF the year, lonrer than was abso,,,,eI,,
nee ,ssary,--on the 81 inss. was directedto
proceed liz command OF tn foti!la of run-,oats
% protect the left q nix of our army Advancing
towards pmttsburge and on the following day
ater "a ing pos 'ession and paroiling the Ipi,;-
TIA OF Isle la Mott, caused battery o. tbroe
tong eighteen pounfer-r'irs ,obe constructed
isr the support of our position abreast of Lit
tie Chabv, where the supplies for the ,rmv
were ordered to be iandel.
The Acct came zip on the 9Th instant. but for
want oI stores for the equipment of the trros
could not move forward unti,the 18th, nj ,I,x.
light W. weighed, and at sew n we're in full
view otthe enemy's feet. consisting of shin.
brig, schooner, and one slooo, moorel i,
line, abreast OF their encampment, with a ,jiyi,
sion Of Eve gun boats on each A Nnl. AZ an mi.
n,stes ps.st7, after the officers comm, ndiny YES.
s-ls and the HntiIla hal received their final in.
s.rlcticns as to the plan of attlck, we made
sail in order Of battle. Captain Downi. hal de.
crm'ned on laying his ship athw,rt 'hau<e of
the enerny's, directing LiA9t. N'Ghee, of til.
Chnb. TO supp rt m, in the LiAnet. IN engaging
the brig to the right, and Lieut.. Hicks, OF tn.
F'nch, with the hotilla of gun boats; to attack
the schooner and sloop on the left of enemy',-
line ~
NJ Sthe enemy's gun boats and smaller YES.
sells conmchced a heavy AMI calling fire m mr.
line; Mt 10 minutes after g. the Confiance bsv-
inr two anchors shot away from her larboari
DOW, and the wind battling, wss obliged 10 an
chor thoush not IN The situation proposed)
within two cables length Other adversary the
Gnnet aad Club soon aft forwards took their ais
lottsd stations, something shot of that dis
tsnce, wten the crews on both siics cbeared
and commenced spirited aud close action',-
short time however, deprived me OF the vain.
able services Of 1t. N'Ghee, who, from hevi,e
his cables, bowsprt and main boom shot away.
dritted within the encny's line, and was ob!ig-
ed to surrender.
From the light airs and smoothness of tbe
water, the fire on each side proved very dss.
tructiVe from the commencement of the enrare-
ment, and with the exception of the brig. that
OF the enemy appeared united against the Con.
nance. After two hours severe conhi,t with
our opponent, she cut her cable, run down, and
took shelter between the ship and schooner
which enabled us to direct our fire against the
div SION OF the enemy's gun boats and shin.
witch had so long annoyed us during our close
engagement with the brig, without any return
on onr plrt at this tim the IRE of the enemv's
ship sllckened csnsiiershlv, having 90.
veral of her guns dismounted, when she cur her
cable and wnded her larboard broarside to
bear on the Coniance, who, in.vain. en,leayour.
ed TO eifect the same operation at SO minutes
after 10. L was much distressed to observe that
the Conf,7ce struck her colours 'rbe whole
attention of the enemy's force then became di.
rected towards the Lnnet, the shattered anil
disabled state Of the masts, sails, rigging and
yards, precllded the most distant hope OF be-
ing able to eff ct an escape BY cutting the ca
BILE the result otdoing so, must in few mis-
nutes have been, her drifting along side the enc.
my's vesse.s, close under our lee but in th.
hope the i1tIlia ct gun.bOIts who Hal a..
bandoned the object assigned them would per.
celve our wants& come to our assistance, which
would afford a reasonable prospect of being
towed clear.I determined To resist the then de-
structiye cannonaling Of the whole of the ene.
my's feet, AMI Mt the saEe time despatched
1t II. Drew to ascertain the state of the Cons
filncc At forty Ave minutes after ten, Twas
apprised OF the i-replrabe loss she had sustain
ed by the death of her brave command>r
Whose merits it would be presumptuous in
me to ex;oD as we'll as the great slaughter
which had taken place on board; and obsery-
ing from the manrnvres OF the Hotiila char
could enjoy no further expectations of relief.
the situation of my gallant Gonzales who al
so nobly fought, and even now fast falling by
nv siie, demanded the surrender OF his ma.
iesty's brig entrusted to my command, to pre-
vent useless waste of valuable lives, aud, at
the request OF the surviving OH ;crs and men,
{ gave the painful ORDERS FOR tue colors to be
struck.
Lieut.. Hicks, the Finch, had the mortifca-
ton to strike on a reef ofrocks, to the eastward
OF Crab island about The middle OF tie engage.
ment, which prevented MS rendering that as
sistance To the squadron, that might, from an
officer of such ability, have been expected.
The misfortune which this day befel US by
capture, will, sir, trust apologize for the
lengthy detail which, in justice 70 the sufferers.
have deemed necessary to give ofthe particu-
lars which led 70 1t aud when it is taken into
consideration th,t the Confsnce was rs days
before on the stocks, with an organized crew,
composed Of several drafts o. men who had re-
Gently arrived from different ships at Quebec,
many of whom only joined the day bs!ore, and
xucr fOfa Tttn al