The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-10-27

on struck, and the Erskine drew oT.
After repairing dana ,es, Captain
Waters, leaving the Tryon con,
pletc wreck, pursued the Erskine,
aud Gaming up with her, compelled
her likewise 10 notwithstanding
her officers on board the Thorn, he
returned ia search Of his other prize,
but where he expected 10 meet her.
he found only floating spars and
casks, and other Indications that she
had sunk. Captain Waters then
manned 'he Erskiue aud ordered her
IN Boston, retaining 0n board the
Thorn only 90 mcn.with which dimi-
nished crew he was 10 run new haz-
ards and acquire new ianteIs. For
not many days subsequently,, he en-
conntered the Spallin, eighteen guns
and ninety seven men, and after an
action Of about an hour, obliged her
To yield to his thrice epnquerng
flag.
In June 1870, an expedition Of
United States vessels was fitted ont,
aud sailed from u 1ston. IL consist
I'd OF the Providence. thirty two
guns. commodore Whipple the
Queen of France, twenty eight guns,
Capt. J. =. Rathburn n the sloop
Of war Ranger, Captain Simpson.
About the middle Of July near tho
banks oil Newfoundland. ms the s11a-
dron lay in fog. signal guns wero
heard /; and al intervals the sound
OF ships bell, striking the hours.
From this they supposed themselves
II be near ticc' About eleven o.
clock the Fog began To clear off.
when thBcrew of theQ queen OF France
IN their great surprise, found them
selves nearly alongside IA large mer-
chant ship, aud SOON after perceived
10 be ia a llrct of 50 sail,
under convoy of "A seventy four and
several lrigales aud sloops Of war.
The Queen III France Immediately
bore down 10 the large ship ~ hailed
her She answered the feet was
from Jamaica bound to London.
The English ship then hailed the A.
mrrlcan, anu was answered bis ma
jcsty's ship Arcthusa, from Halifax,
OH a cruise. The American then in
quired il they had seen any rebel pri-
The English replied that
several had been driven out of the
fleet. The American captain RatI-
burn, then requested the Captain of
the English vessel 10 come an board,
which he did, when. 10 his great as
Constituent, he found himself a pri-
soncr. Capt. Rathburn then sent one
Of his own boats on board the Eng-
lish captains boat, both well manned,
Of which they took quiet possession,
without exciting the least alarm in
the fleet, notwithstanding many of
the vessels we're nearly within hail
Of the one captured. ltatbburn then
went alongside another large ship
and captured her III the same man
ner. Soon after tine capture Of the
second ship. Commodore Whipplc
came alongside. and ordered Capt.
Rathburn To edge away ont Of The
fleet as soon a3 possible. as he was
persuaded they would be discovered.
Captain Rathburn then pointed ont
the two large ships he bad captured,
and requested permission to remain.
The Commodore atiirst disapproyed
Of this project; but was at length
prevailed upon by Cap ain kath-
burn to stay in the feet all day, aud
capture as many vessels as they
could in the same cautious manner.
As soon az it was dark they left tho
fleet, after having captured eleven
vessels without giving alarm. The
squadron arrived safe at Boston
with eight oftheir prizes, three OF
them having been rctakcn by the
English"