Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-15

t,tution, than by the Cheaneske's broadsjde and
he Shannon was so cut in her hull, by minutes
,roadsidng that it was with difficulty She could
re kept float during the night and she nlp,-
oered So killed and wounded II has been truly
remarked, "that the world never witnessed SO
destructive fire from so limited broatlsde in
SO short space" Lawrence fell |! and the re-
malnder of the fight, if fight it can be called, was
as disgraceful as the first minutes was brilliant.
The moment after capt. Lawrence was carried
below, capt. Broke boarded our quarter deck at
the head of % men Nothing but desperation
could have prompted or justified the measure
Lieut.. Budd, the senior officer, had now gained
the spar deck, where there were, with those who
had come up, from go to rs well men, No at
Tempt was made TO bring more men from the gun
deck, and none on the spar deck to rally the men
and charge the boarders. This melancholy pause
continued, as Mr.. Budd has testified, minutes.
IN the mean time, capt. Broke, without making
any attack, had collected near 100 men, and pro-
ceeded to the attack on The starboard side of the
SHIP Mr.. Budd now perceived British uni
form, then he concluded that the men on the
quarter deck were the enemy, at whose approach
our men fed to the forecastle, precipitated
themselves through the fore hatch wav To the Gun
deck, and from thence TO the birth deck, with
out an effort to prevent them. A few only of the
enemy were Killed or wounded by involun, airy and
accidental blows, and the fire from the tops and
he continued his unresisted havoc till not a man
was lett on either deck Although Lawrence
was PROSTATE, his soul was in arms From the
cockpit he issued his memorable orders, "keep
the guns gong" slight her till she strikes OF.
sinks'-t,nd when he knew that the enemy had
carried the spar deck, he sent the emphatic mes
sage 10 the gun deck, &c Don't give up the ship"
When he was apprlzed of the issue he ONLY re-
marked, "then the officers of the deck hav'nt
toe'd the mark-the Shannon was wh;pt when /
left" r'
The offcer-like conduct of this gallant martyr,
on tins day, has been impeached by some of the
survivors 9th dreadful conflict. The jnev;ta-
Die sadvantages under which he fought supe-
nor ship, perfectly prepared; the chvalry with
winch ne courted the contest; and the briilancv
OF IT before he fell, should alone rescue his me-
nory from censure. Cruel sacrilege to prof,ne
Tie sanctuary of the tomb to shield living defec
ton from merited disgl~cel Every witness upon
me court-nartisl, under close examination,
not only repelled the foul Islander, but decidedly
eStaDiiShed his high character commander
In a very unreserved conversation, com. Deca-
tur. with whom capt. Lawrence had served much,
was asked "whether his intrinsic merit as an Off
Ger, JUSTIFIED the enthusiastic yeneration in which
the nation held his memoryr' After a short
pause he answered, eyes, SIR, Ii did-and the
fellow died as well as he lived; but it is part of
a soldiers lite to die well He had no talk-but
he inspired all about him with apdor-he always
saw the best thing to be done-he knew the best
way TO execute 4; and had no more dodge in him
'iiah the niaiilmast. LG'idatnn est, a Lnfdato
1sTo. This vindication is due to the ashes OF the
INJURED patriot.
When the ill-starred fortunes of this ship are
recalled to memory-when we recollect that hei.
deck was the death-scene of our favorte hero,
with victory almost in his grasp, we Involuntary
adopt the language of Milton's monody up,n his
Il eDd:-
IL r0as that .f;ltal and bertfoiot,s 67r!,;
y Bat IN the eclipse aaIIqsged 7s.tA c1rses dark
F" 1hGt sunk so iOsp that sacred head eftiane %
REPORT.
The court are unanimously ofopinion thar the
Chesapeake was gallantly carried into acton by
her late brave commander; and no doubt rests
with the court from COMPARISON of the injury re
spectively sustained by the fr.gstes, that the fire
OF the Chesapeake was much superior to that of
the Shannon. The Shannon beng much cut in
IN her sPars and rigging, and receiving many shot
IN and below the water line, was reduced almost
TO sinking condition, after only few minutes
cannonadmg from the Chcsapea Ike; while the
Chesapeake was comparatively unmiured. And
the Court have no doubt, if the Chesapeake had
not acc.dently fallen on board the Shannon, and
the Shamon's anchor got foul in the after quarter
port oil the chesapeake. the shannon must have
very soon surrendered or sunk.
1t appears to the court, that as the ships were
getting foul, captain Lawrence ordered the boar
slers to be called but the bugleman, William
Brown, stationed to cali the bonders by SOUND
.ng bugle, had deserted his quarters, and when
discovered and ordered to call, was unabe, from
fright, to sound his horn that midshipmen went
below Immediately to pass the word for the
boarders but these not being called in the way
they had been usually exercised, few came upon
the upper deck; confusion prevailed a greater
part of the men deserted Their quarters and ran
below. 1t appears also to the court, that when
the Shannon got foul of the Chesapeake, captain
Lawrence, has first Lieutenant, the sailing MASTER
and lieutenant of marines were all killed OF NOR
tally wounded, and thereby the upper deck of
the Chesapeake was left without any command
ing officer, and with only one or two young mid.
sh:pmen. 1t also appears to the court, that pre-
vlousy TO tlie ships getting foul, many of the
spa deck division had been killed
ard wounded, ard the number stationed on that
deck the eby considerably reduced that these
being left without q comniss. ened officer, or
even warrant officer, except one or two mex
perenced m dshiPmen, aud not beng supported
by the boarders from the gun deck, almost uni-
versally deserted their quarters. And the enemy
awaiting himself Of this defenceiess state of the
PIPER deck, boarded and obta ned
possession ofthe ship with very little opposit on.
From this view Of the engagement and careful
examination Of the evidence, the court AK unap-
unously Of opinion that the capture OF the mic
United States fJgate Ches peal;e, was occasion.
oil by the following causes: the almost unezam-
pied early fall of captain Lawrence and all the