The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-06-29
nesfrns4ion of the GeneraI Armstronr


Destruction Of the General Armstrong.
The details that follow, though they regard only |
private armed vessel will be read with great in
terest. We are called as much TO admire the gall
lafiry and perseverance, Of cur seamen az the i'm
pudence Of the enemy, in violating neutral terri
tory But they paid dearly for this irrupsion the
sovereignty Of Portugal and the rights Of hospila
ty. The vessels that attacked the General Arm
strong arrived at Jamaica on the 18th nit and ac
knowledge loss Of sartythree killed and hun
dred and ten wounded having three ieutenans
killed and three wounded! Total I73i This is
not the whole by great deal. They lost about
300, as the Captain Of the Rota acknowledged 10
our Consul, that they had I2O men killed, or dead
of their wounds, the day after the battle; and ac-
cordng to the general scale Of such things there
must have been at least double that number re-
naming wounded Some.0f the most splendid vic
tories the British have gained less dearly pur-
chased. Sir Richard StTdchan, with four ships of
the line and four frgaies, fought French fleet for
several hours on the Sd Of November, 1905, and
captured four ships of IA and 80 guns, with loss
of only 1856 killc j and wounded-lees according to
his account than by the British accounts of the at
tack on the Armstrong, they lost ia capturing a
privateer hemmed upin port few such Uicto
ries as this would teach them better manners.
The Court Of Portugal is bound to pay for the
privateer, and receive satisfaction for the outrage
from that of Great Britdan.
Copy of letter from our Consul Faya to the Secretary of
FAYAL, October S, 1874
Sir-I have the honor to saie TO you that a most
outrageous violation of the neutrality of this port
in utter contempt of the laws Of civilized nations,
has recently been committed here, by the command
efs Of his Britannia Majesty's ships Plantagenet,
Rota and Carnatlon, against the American private
armed brig General Armstrong, Samuel C. Reid
commander, but have great satisfaction in being
able TO add, that this terminated in one
of The most brilliant actions the part Of Captain
Reid, his brave officers and crew, that can be
found on naval record.
he American brig came to anchor in this port
in the afternoon Of the 26th of September, and al
sunset of the day, the above named ships sud-
denly appeared in hese roads lit being nearly calm
in the port it rather doubtful if the privateer
could escape if she got under way, and relying on
tho jusalce and good faith of the British Captains,
u was deemed most prudent 10 remain at anchor.
little after dusk Captain Reid, seeing some sus-
plclous movements on the part Of the British, be-
gan to warp his vessel close under the guns of the
castle, and while doing 20, he was at about eight
O'Clock, p. M. approached by four boats from the
ships filed with armed men. After halng them
repeatedly and warning Them 10 keep off, he Or
dered his men TO fire on them and killed and Wound
ed several men. The boats returned the fire and
killed one man and wounded the first lieutenant of
the prvaieer, and returned TO their ships and as
il was now moonlight, it was plainly perceived
from the brig well from the shore that a for
mdable attack pTemeditaIing. Soon after
midnight, twelve more large boals, crowded with
men from the ships and armed with carronades,
swives and blunderbusses, small arms etc.. at
tackled the brig; severe contest ensued, which
lasted about 40 minutes, and ended in the total de-
feat and partial destruction of the boats, with a
most unparalleled carnage on the part of the Brit
sh. 1t is estimated by good judges that near four
hundred men were in the boats when the attack
commenced, and no doubt exists in the mind Of the
numerous spectators of the scene, that more than
one hafof them were killed or wounded; several
boats were destroyed two ofthem remained along
side OF the brig literally loaded with their own
dead. From these two boats only seventeen reached
the shore alive, and the most of them were severely
wounded The whole of the following day the
British were occupied in burying their dead
among them were two lieutenants and one midship-
man of the Rota--the first lieutenant of the Plan
tagenet, it is said, cannot survive his wounds and
many OF the seamen who reached their ships were
mortaily wounded and have been diving daily.l
The British mortified al this signal and unexpected
defeat, endeavored to conceal the extent of their
loss they admit, however, that they lost in killed
and those who have died since the engagement up
wards of l20 of1he flower Of their officers and men.
The Captain of the Rota told he lost 70 from his
ship. Two days after this affair took place the
British sloops of war That's and CALYPSO came into
port, when Captain Lloyd Immediately took them
into requsltiOn to carry home the wounded officers
and seamen. They sailed for England, one on the
I'd and the other on the 4th inst.-each carried 25
men badly wounded. Those who were slightly
wounded, to the number as am informed, of about
30 remained board Of their respective ships and
sailed last evening for Jamaica. Strict orders
given thai the sloops of war should take no letters
whatever to England, and those orders were rigid
ly adhered to. ~
In the face of the testimony of all Fayal and
number Of respectable strangers who happened to
be In this place at the moment, the British COM
mander endeavors TO throw the odium of this
transaction on the American Captain, Reid, alledg-
ing that he sent the boats merely reconnOtre the
brig, and without any hostile intentions; the pilots
of the port did inform them of the prvateer the
moment they entered the port. To reconnotre an
enemy's vessel in friendly port, at night with
four boats, carrying by the best accounts 100 men,
is certainly strange proceeding The fact is,
they expected, the brig was rning in that H.
a eR a 8ga g 3 o es her b
nam" Ii any thing could add TO the baseness of
this transaction on the partof the British command
er, it is the wanto candor openly and boldly TO
avow the facts. In vain can he expect by such
subterfuge to shield himself from the indignation of
! the world and the merted resentment Of his own
government and nation, for thus trampiing on the
sovereignty Of their ancient and faithful ally,
and for the wanton sacrifice of British lives.
| On the part Of the Americans the loss was COM
paratively nothing, two killed and seven slightly
| wounded. Ofthe slain, we have TO lament the loss
OF the second lieut. Mr., Alexander o. Williams, OF
| New York, brave and meritorious officer.
Among the wounded are Messrs. Worth and
Johnson, first and third lieuienants, Capt. Reid
was thus deprived early yin the action Of the servi
ees OF all his neutenanis Dut MS cool and intrepid
i conduct secured him the victory
On the morning Of the 9Th ult, one of the Brit
ish ships placed herself near the shore and com
menced heavy cannonade on the pEivateer Find
ing further resistance unavailing Captain Reid or
dered her to be abandoned after being partially de-
stroyed, to prevent herialng into the hands Of the
enemy, who soon after sent their boats and set hel
on fire.
Ats o'clock in the evening (soon after the frs
attack | applied to the Governor requesting his
Exceeney to protect the privateer either by force
or by such remonstfance 10 the commander of The
squadron as would cause him 20 desist from any
further attempt The Governor, indignant al wha
had passed, but feeling himself totally unable witt
the slender means he possessed, TO resist such
force took the part OF demonstrating, which he die
in forcble but respectful terms His letter Capt
Lloyd had no other effect thanto produce men
acing reply Insulting in the highest degree. Moth
ing can exceed the Indignation of the public author
tiles, as well as OF all ranks and description of per
sons here, at this unprovoked enormity. Such wa
the rage Of the British destroy this vessel that nj
regard was paid 10 the safety of the town, SOM
| Of The inhabitants were wounded and a number o
houses were much damaged. The strongest repre-
sentations this subject are prepared by the Gov
ernor for his Court. .,.......
Since this affair the commander, Lloyd, threat
ened to send on shore an armed force and arrest tn
privateer's crew, saying there were many English