Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-01-08
MISCELLANY.
The Boldest Ficht ON RECORD.

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brig and The boats of British squadron
on The one side, and on the other The lit.
tie private armed American brig, Gener.
al Armstrong, of seven guns anc ninety
men, commanded by Captain Samuel G.
Reid. out of the port of New York.
E, The terrible engagement of Paul Jones
with British cruiser, is scarcely par.
allel TO il, and few naval>battles, even by
large fleets, exhibi: so giea: slaughter.
A British residen, of Fayal, who was
witness 10 the action, in letter to the
celebrated Cobbeit. under da,e of Oc:o-
Der Is. 1914. thus describes the bold
defence and noble conduc, of the daring
American privateersman.
The American priyateer brig General
Armstrong, Of New York, Captain Sam
uel C.. Reid, of seven guns and ninety
men, entered here on the 26h ul,imo, a
bout noon, seventeen days from that
place, FOR the purpose of obtaining wa
ter. The captain seeing nothing on the
horizon, was induced to anchor. Be.
fore the lapse of many hours. his maj
es,y's brig Carnation came in, and an
chored near her.
About six, his majesty's ship Planta-
genet of seventy. four gnns, and the Ro-
Ia frigate. came in and anchored Also
The captain of the priva,eer and his
friends consulted the first authorities here
about her security. They all consider
ed her perfectly secure, and that his maj
esty's officers were too we'll acquainted
with The respec. due q. neutral port to
m5last her. But to The great surprise of
every one, abou, nine in the evening,
four boats were despatched, armed and
manned, from his majesty's ships, for
the purpose of cutting her out. Ii being
about the full of the moon, the night
perfectly clear and calm. we could see
every movement made. The boats ap-
preached with rapidity towards her.
when, ii appeare, the captain of the pri-
yaleey hailed them, and told them sever
al times TO keep off. They Eotwithsian.
ding pushed on, and were in the act of
boarding, before any defence was made
from the pripateer. A warm contest en-
sued on both sides. The boats were fl.
nalIy dispersed with great loss.
The American now calculating on a
very superior force being sen', cut his
cables and rowed the privateer close in
alongside OF the fort. within half q ca
ble's length. where he moored her. head
and stern, with four lines.
The governor COW sent remons,rance
to Captain Lloyd Of the Plan.agenet, a.
gainst such proceedings, and trusted that
the privateer would no, be further moles-
ted; she being in the domiuions Of Por.
tugal, and under the guns of the castle
was entitled TO Portuguese protection.
Captain Lloyd's answer was. that he
was determined 10 destroy the vessel, al
the expense of all Faya., and should any
protection be given her by the fort, he
would not leave house standing IN the
village. All the inhabitants we're gath
cred about the walls, expecting renewal
of The attack. Al about miduighi. four
teen launches were discovered to be CO.
ming in rotation, for the purpose.
When they got within clear gunsho,,
tremendous and etFectunl discharge was
made from the privateer, which threw
the boats into confusion. They now re-
turned spirited ere; but the privaleer
keptup SO continual a discharge i, was
almost impossible for the boalsto make
any progress. They finally sacoeeded,
afterimmense loss, in getting alongside
OF her, and attempted TO board at every
quarter, cheered by the officers with a
shout of no quarter which We could
distinctly hear. as well as theF shrieks
and cries. The termination sas near
about total massacre.
Three of the boats were sunS, and but
one poor solitary officer escaped death,
in boat that contained fifty souls, and
he was wounded. The Americaas fought
with great frmness; some of the. boats
were left without single man to row
them; others with three or four; !he most
that any boat returned with was abou,
ten; several boats flonted on shore full Of
dead bodies.
With great reluctance l state that they
were manned with picked men, 'aid COM
manded by the first, second. third and
fourth lieutenants of the Planhgenet;
irst, second, third and fourth ieuten-
ants of the friga,e, and the first officers
of the brig; together with greas num-
ber Of midshipmen. Our whola force
exceeded fur hundred men; but three
officers escaped. two of whom were
wounded. This bloody and unfoAunate
contest lasted 40 minutes.
After the boats gave out. nothing more
was attempted till daylight next mosning,
when the Oarna.ion hauled alongside and
engaged her. The priyateer still c,ntin-
ued to make most gallant deferfe.-
These veterans reminded me of Law
rence's dying words. ON the CHESAPEAKE,
"Don't give up the ship" The qrna-
.ion lost one Of her topmasts, and her
yards were shot away; she was cf up
in the rigging, and received severalsho;s
in her hull. This obliged her to hal of
70 repair, and to cease her firing.
The Americans now finding theirprin.
cipal gun--long Tom-and several 9th
ers, dismounted, deemed it folly to hink
nf aax,;prv bar oro;nct eo rnna riar Arcp.