Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-10-09
FOREIGN
.Eetraets from The London Times.

circumstances necessary Tor the establish
ment of his position, that our navy main
tained its usual character for courage, and
that every failure was owing only to such
causes as not even the most ardent cour-
age can control. We have selected one
case-not that it is more satisfactory than
any other, lfor they are all equally ciear)
but-berause il is short, is. not SO well
known as mapyo the rest, and is interest
ing in itself.
REINDEER AND WASP.
This.action was fought in lat. 400 sc, N.
long. ILLS, w. No British official sc-
count has been published. DIR. Low, the
American war-historian, says " the action
commenced ats6 minutes alter sp. m. and
at is minutes past the enemy was carri-
ed by boarding. a. Another Ameri:
can account states the action to have last
ea $40 minutes )" aud we know, that dur
luz is minutes were engaged, yard arm and
yard arm. sc For the short time it lasted"
says Mr.. Low, s. the action was severe -
aud both vessels and crews suffered c0nsi-
derably. The loss OH board the Wasp was
principally occasioned by repelling the en-
envy in two attempts which he made to
board" (l.l
An action close as this was gave full
scope to American rites, langridges, sw an,
aud star shot, iron bolts, and dismantIing
artillery of every sort. The Reindeer soon
became perfect wreck In hull and rigging
$50 that the Americans were compelled to
destroy her the next morning.
q The brig lost her commander, purser,
and twenty one petty officers, seamen and
marines, KILLED 10 dangerously, II Sc
yerely, and fifteen slightly, wounded /; to-
,tal rs. Among the wounded was every
individual officer on board and she was
actually surrendered by the captains clerk
no higher officer being in state to perform
the melancholy task.
Captain Manners received as many as
seventeen wounds. The calves of hi, legs
wrre shot away early in the action; yet
did he keep the deck, encouraging his crew
aud animating, by his example the few Off
GERS that were on board. A shot now
passed through both his thighs: he fell OH
his knees but quickly sprung up, and
though bleeding profuseiy. resolutely refus-
ed to quit the deck. Perceiving the dread
ful slaughter which the musketry in the en-
emy's tops was causing, he called out to his
men,, follow me, my boys, we must board
them" While climbing into the rigging,
two balls from the tops, penetrated his<cuil
and came out beneath his chin. Placing
one hand on his forehead, the other convul-
Eively brandishing his sword, he exclaimed
o God J" and dropped lifeless on his own
deck.
One of the Renders men was wound
ed In the head By ramrOd, which requir-
ed to be sawed off close to the sculI before
it could be extracted. The man happily
recovered. After receiving this desperate
wound, he also refused to go below, saying
TO those who begged him to leave his gun,
az able to fight as l am, we should soon
make the Americans strike"
Isit not singular that the official account
Of an action 50 truly heroic, so highly hon
orable to the British character, as that of
the Reindeer and Wasp, should not have
been deemed worthy place in the Royal
Gazettel six round shot, says the A
merican account, struck the hull of the
Wasp a twenty four FOUNDER shot passed
tbtough the foremast, and considerable
/. number of grape struck, but did not pene-
!, trate her side" Two of her carronades
ALSO were disabled.
The same account admits that she lost
s killed and 81 wounded total 26 slight
, hurts as usual not reckoned
In short, the injury the Wdsp sustained,
sent her to L'Orient; where she arrived on
the eighth Of July. She remained in that
port repairing her damages,aD replenish.
ing her crew, until the eth of August, a
period of seven weeks when she again
sailed on cruise.
Her commander, captain Blakely, has
been described to us as an honorable man,
and good officer. How much his charac-.
ter would have risen in our estimation, had
ne bestowed few words upon the suffer-
iDgs and behavior of his gallant adversary.
The Reindeer originally carried thirty
two FOUNDER carronades but having lost
them in a gale and being weak from age,
Quilt of fir in 18O4,) they were replaced
by the twenty tours sheihad in the action.
Her complement consisted Of one hun
dred and twenty three men and boys but
her second lieutenant, midshipman and
five seamen, being absent, she had, on COM
mencement of the action, only go men aud
90 boys total 118.
The Americans, to enhance their victory
STYLED her crew picked men" Picked
crews are not known in our navy but the
Renders men, by having served some
years, and being under the command, not
. of tyrannical officer. but of one who was
y the idol and delight of his ships compa
ny,' were what Britons, we trust, will
ever bean Over-match for an equal mum.
Der of any men on earth.
The armamentof the Wasp was the same
ss the Peacock's, with the addition Of 10.