American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-11-23
vol. III.
Mn. coBBETT's LETTER TO Ma. JAMES.
(coNcLuDED)

! shall give one more instance of your mseab
apologies. The CONSTITUTIONS American trigatc
was attacked by Two British ships. the I.EyANr and
the CsANE, the former carrying 81 guns and the
latter 81. The American rigate appears to have
mounted 81 guns; but then, as every one must
the two ships had greatly The ad, vantage. Indeed,
they were aware that they should have The sdvan-
tage for you yourself say, that they resolved to-
attack her. in order disable her from inercepting
two valuable conveys. They did attack her; and
she beat and captured them both And now let US
hear your cyrng account Of this affair.
"On the Goth of February, 1915, II. NJ. ships
Levant and Cyane roleediag in company,
few days out from Gibraltar, bound 10 The Western
Islands. Abuut O'Clock 10 the afternoon ST. ange
sail was seen by the Cyane, upon her weather bow
her consot, the Leyant, Captain Douglass then hull
down 10 leeward. The Cyane stood on until about
O'Clock; when, having ascertaned the thai acter
| OF the stranger, Captain Gordon Falcon bore up to
speak the commodore At about quarter PAST S.
The TWO ships passed within hail OF each other
Captain Douglas, the senior officer, resoirpl to en-
gage the enemys frigate in hopes, by disabling.
her, to prevent her lntercepting valuable con-
lvoys, that sailed from Gibraltar about the same
time as the Levant and Cyane. Both commanders,
lat this time, fully believed that she The Amer
lean lrgale Constitution having received iutelli-
gence, before leaving port. OF her being their
INTENDED track.
ne Two SnlpS TOW ttleu lof the weather gage
ll'it, finding they could NOT obtain ii. they bore
up In hopes plolong the engagement uutll night;
when, by manGuvrlng in the daik they might
effect their object. The superior sailing Of the
Constitution, however, defeated that plan also and
at 45 minutes past 5, the Levant and Cyare hauled
Ito the wind on the slaboard-tack No British
lgDiciaL account Of this action has been pabtshed;
therefore, the details are taken, partly from the
American accounts, and partly from the ihtorma-
lflOH OF The Ij1.ifiSh officers PUp1
~ he Constitution had previously fired her bow
ohasers at the Cyane, without effect, her shot tai
Ing short and now having the two Brush ships
under the command of her main deck battery Obey
beng al distance om her oil iull three quarters
ol mle) she commenced firing her broausiaes.
Both ships returned her fire. IN, having only CARO-
nades, their shot Tell short, while The Consuusuns
I24-puund shot were cutting to pieces their sails and
rigging. As the BRUSH became gradually disabled,
The Constitution shortened her distances and by
her superiority in sailing and working, frequently
raked both her opponents
" Ii is stated in the American Minutes of the
Action that, when the frng commenced, the con-
'endng ships were about 500 yads Distant Ao-
cordns to the positive testimony of the British Off
GERS, examined at the couitmatts the distance was,
las stated before, nearly three quarters OF nile
The object in framing this assertion, evident IL
is to show that the British had the Of their
ronades from The first and that the Constitution did
not keep out oi range, until she had crippled both
ships.
AT about So minutes pas, G. the Cyane was with
out brace or bow-liue except the iatboaid tore
brace Yet, seeing her cunsort exposed 10 heavy
raking fire, owing TO the Constitution having filed
across her. she gallanly stood III between them, aud
ecei,ed the bruadslde. The firing continued al in
teivals for few minutes longer; when the Cyane
turned the hands up to fit the rigging. Before
That could be accomplished, The Constitution had Ia
krn her larb0a within hail.
| Being totally unmanageable with most OF her
standing and running-rigging gone main and mz-
en- masts oteing, aud other principal spars wound-
ed several shot in the hull nine or ten of which
were between wind and water; five carronades disa-
hled chiefly BY the dra,cing Of The bos md start
inc Of the c0chS and the Levant having bore upto
epalr damages, since 40 and being now two miles
10 leewad still bearing away; The Cyane fired lee
| gun. and hosted light as signal OF submission
i see p. 1855 ;)and soon aer seyen vas taken pos
session o by The Constitution.
Al 10. which was as soon as the Levant had
rove new braces, the gallant little ship again hauled
her wind TO ascertain the fate OF her companion,
well as TO renew the desperate contest. On APP
proach hing the two ships Captain Douglas, with
Iboldness bordering rsshness, ranged close along
side The Constitution, to leewad being unable to
weather her and the ships, on opposite tacks,
exchanged broadsdes. This, by the American
count was al half past 8. The Constitution imme
diaely wore under the Levants stern, and raked her
with second broadside Al so. Capt. Douglas,
finding that the Cyane had undoubtedly struck her
coors put again before the wind: in dong which.
the Levant received several rsking broadsdes, had
her wheel shot away, and her lower masts badly
wounded. To fire her stern chase guos and u
steer at the same time, was mposshly, owing TO
sad mistake in the construction OF this new class at
vessels Seeing the Constitution ranging upon the
larboard quarter he l.eyant. at 10 P. by the A
merican and at 10 40 by the British count struck
her cDlnrs Ia tbt. on ,natic enemy