Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-10-04
>, SroNrNeroN BoRoUau, August 81, 1915.
10 tie honorable lillian H Crawford Secre.

10 tie honorable lillian H Cra.yfo.d, Secre
fary Of mar.
Slr-rhe former Secretary of war put into nv
care, as the chairman of the committee of de-
renee, the two 1S Founders, and all the muniti.
ons OF war; that was here, belonging to the pen
erai government, 20 be used for the defence of
tne town-and gave my receipt for the same
AS uere IS no military officer here, it becomes
my DUTY to inform you the use we have made of
IL That on the ninth of August last, the
Eamilies ~, the Pactolus a., the Terror bomb
ship, and the Dispatch 90 gun brig, anchored off
tne harDor. Commodore Hardy sent off boat,
with a nag we met him with another from the
shore, when the officer of the flag handed me
note IRON from commodore Hardy, informing
mat one hour was given the unoffendng inhabi-
tants, before the town would be DESTROYED.
we returned to the shore. where all the male
INHABITANTS were collected, when read the note
aloud they all exclaimed. they would defend
u.e pace TO the last extremity, and If it was des-
uoyeel, they would be buried in the ruins.
|. we repaired to small battery that we had
move uP-nailed our colors to the flag staff
o'ners lined the shore with their mtiskets
at anout7 IN the evening, they put off S bar
Ses and large launch, carrying from 80 to oOb
ccaFronades in their bows, and opened their FIRE
rom Their shipping, with bombs, carcasses. rock
es, round, grape and canister shot, and sen,
neir boats to land under cover of their fire
when we opened our fire upon them, from our
TWO 10 lbs. with round and grape shot !; they soon
retreated out OF the grape distance and attempt
ed landing on the east side of the village we
dragged SIX FOUNDER that we had mounted.
over, and met them with grape, and all our mus
xets opened their fire on them, so that they
were wiling to retreat the second time. They
continued their fire till ii at night.
The next morning att O'Clock, the brig Dis.
patch anchored within pistol shot of our battery
and they sent 5barges and two large launches
IN land. under cover of their whole fire. (beinp
Joined by the Nimrod 90 gun brig). When the
boats approached within grape distance, we OPEN
ed our fire on them with round and grape shot
icy retreated and came round the east de of
ne town we checked them with our FOUNDER
md muskets, 'tiil we dragged over one of our
10 pound ers-We putin a round shot. and about
40 or5o 10. ofgrape, and placed it in the centre
~ Iieir ooats rs they were rowingu up in a line.
md hrlng on us, we tore one of their barees ALI N
p eces--so that two, one on each side, had to
ASH her up to keep her from sinking. They re-
,reated ont ofgrape distance, and we turned our
IRE upon the brig, and expended all our cartridg
e5 but live which We reserved for the boafs ef
they made another attempt to Land we tpan
lay tour hours without being able to annoy tho
enemy IN the least, except from nuskets on the
brig, while the lire from their whole fleet was
directed against our buildings. After the third
express to New-London, some fixed ammunition
arrived we then turned our cannon on the brig
md she soon cut her cable and crifted out.
The who'e fleet then weighed, and anchored
nearly out OF reach of our shot, and continued
has and the next day to lombard the town.
They set the buildings on fire in more than 90
places, aud we often put them out. In the .
days bombardment they sent on shore go tons Of
uetai, and strange 10 tell wounded only one man
'ince dead Wehave picked up Is tons, including
some that was taken up out Of the water, and the
anchors thatwe got. We took ND and buried
tour poor fellows that we're hove overheard out
ofthe sinking barge.
Since peace, the officers of the Dispatch brio
nave been on shore here; they acknowIedge
they had 81 killed and so badly wounded; and
iurther say, had we continued orr fire snv Longer
they should have struck, for they were in sink.
[, IS cond' ton, for the WIND then blew at Nv
directly mo the harbor. Before the ainmnnif ON
arrived, IT shifted round to north, and blew out
OF the harbor. All the shot suitable for the can.
non we have reserved. We have now more 18
pound shot than was sent us by government
we have put the TWO cannon in the arsenal and
housed all the munitions of war.