Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-08-24
DEFENCE OF THE PRIvATEER.
THE BoLDEsT FIGHT ON RECORD.


that fought at Fayal, Western Islands, in 1914,
between British squadron on the one side, &
on the other the little privateer armed American
brig General Armstrong, of seven guns and
ninety men, commanded by Captain Samuel
Reid, out of The port of New York.
The terrible engagement of Paul Jones with
q British cruiser. is scarcely parallel TO it,
and few naval battles, even by large fleets,
exhibited SO great slaughter A British
resident OF Fayal, who was witness;to the &C.
ton, in a letter TO the celebrated Goblet. I'M
der date of October Is, 1914, thus describes
the bold defence and noble conduct Of the dar-
ing American privateersman
1.-The American priyateer brig Gen. Arm
strong. of New York, Capt. Samuel c. Reid,
of seven guns and ninety men, entered here
on the 18th ult., about noon, seventeen days
from that place, for the purpose OF obtaining
water. The captain, seeing nothing on the
horizon, was induced to anchor. Before the
lapse of many hours, His Majesty's brig Car
nation came in, and anchored near her.
About six. His Majesty's ship Plantagenet,
of seVenty-four guns, and the Rota frigate,
came in, and anchored also The captain OF
the privateer and his friends consulted the first
authorities here about her security They all
considered her perfectly secure, and that His
Malesty's officers knew too well The respect
due to neutral port to modest her. But to
the great surprise of every one, about nine in
the evening, four boats were despatched, arm
ed and manned, from His Majesty's ships, for
the purpose of cutting her out. 1t being a.
bout the full of the moon, the night perfectly
clear and calm, we could see every movement
made. The boats approached with rapidity
towards her, when, it appears, the captain OF
the priyateer hailed them, and told them to
keep of, several times. They notwihstan-
ding pushed on, and were in the act of board
ing before any defence was made from the
privateer. A warm contest ensued on both
sides. The boats were finally dispersed with
great loss.
The American now calculated on a very
superior force being sent, cut his cables and
rowed the privateer close alongside of the
fort, within half cables length, where he
moored her, head and stern, with four lines
The Governor now sent remonstrance to
Capt. Lloyd, of the Plantagenet, against such
proceedings and trusted that the privateer
would not be further noested she being in
the dominions of Portugal, and under the guns
of the castle, was entitled TO Portuguese pro-
lection.
Capt. Lloyds answer was. that he was de.
termined to destroy the vessel, at The expense
of all Fayal. and should any protection be
given her by the fort, he would not leave a
house standing in the village All the
inhabitants were gathered about the walls,
expecting a renewal of the attack. AT
about midnight, fourteen launches were dis
covered to be coming, in rotation, for the pur-
pose When they got within clear gunshot,
tremendous and effectual discharge was
made from the prvateer, which threw the
boats into confusion. They now returned a
spirited fire; but the privateer kept up so con-
tinual a discharge, it was almost Impossible
for the boats to make any progress. They
finally succeeded, after immense loss, to get
at every quarter, chcered by the officers, with
a shout Of" No quarters p which we could
distinctly hear, as well as their shrieks and
cries. The termination was near about to-
tai massacre.
Three of the boats were sunk, and but one
poor solitary officer escaped death, in boat
that contained fifty souls; he was wounded.
The Americans fought with great firmness
some of the boats were left without a single
man to row them; others with three or four ;
the most that any one returned with was a.
bout ten; several boats foated on shore full
of dead bodies
With great reluctance state that they were
manned with picked men. and commanded by
the first, second, third and fourth lieutenants
of the Plantagenet; first, second, third and
fourth lieutenants of the frgate, and the first
officer of the brig, together with great num-
Der of midshipmen. Our whole force exceed
ed 400 men; but three officers escaped, two
of which are wounded. This bloody and I'm.
fortunate contest lasted about forty minutes
After the boats gave way. nothing more
was attempted till daylight next morning,
when the Carnation hauled alongside and enga-
ged her. The privateer still constituted to
make gallant defence. These veterans re-
minded me of Lawrences dying words, of the
Chesapeake, DON'T give up the ship?' The
Carnation lost one of her topmasts, and her
yards were shot away; she was much cut UP
in the rigging, and received several shots in
her hull. This obliged her to haul off to re-
pair, and to cease her firing
The Americans now finding their principal
gun, (Long Tom) and several others, dsmoun-
ted, deemed it folly TO think of saving her a.
gainst so superior force; they therefore cut
away her mainma>t to the deck, blew hole
through her bottom, took out their small arms,
clothing, &C., and went on shore | discov.
cred only two shot holes in the hull of the
privateer, though much cut up in the rigging.
Two boats crews were afterwards dispatch
ed from our vessels, which went on board,
took out some provisions, and set her on fire.
For three days after we were employed in
hurying the dead that washed on shore to the
surf. The number of the British killed ex-
ceeds 100, and 80 wounded. The enemy (the
Americans) to the surprise of mankind, lost
only two killed and several wounded We
may we'll say ''God deliver US from our enc
miles, if this is the way the Americans fight
After burning the privateer, Capt. Lloyd
made a demand of the Governor to deliver up
the Americans as prisoners-which was re-
fused. He threatened to send 500 men on
shore, and take them by force. The Ameri-
cans Immediately retired with their arms to
an old Gothic Convent, knocked away the adj
joining drawbridge, and determined to defend
themselves to the last. The captain, howev-
er, thought better than to send his men. He
then demanded two men, which he said de-
serted from his vessel when in America The
governor sent for his men, but found none of
the description given.
Many houses received much injury on shore,
from the guns of the Carnation A woman
sitting in the fourth story of her house, had
her thigh shot off; and a boy had his arm shot
off, The American consul here has made
demand on the Portuguese government for a
hundred thousand dollars, for the privateer;
which our consul here, Mr.. Parkin, thinks in
iustice will he maid and thof fhov will claim