The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-10-18
EIGHTEENTH OF OCTOBER.

tod States and Macedonian, the battle on
Lake Champlain, and the battle ct New Or
leans.
The Wasp, commanded by Captain Jacob
ZONES; mounted Is tweniy-four pound carron-
AIDES, and had just returned from France, width
er Captain Jones had been sent with despatch
es for our Minister at the Court of ST. Cloud.
Getting his vessel ready for sen, with all pos
sible dispatch. Captain Jones sailed from Phil
adelphia. on the 18th CT October, with as gal
liant set of officers as ever slept The quarter
deck, and crew worthy Of their officers. On
the 10Th, the Wasp encountered heavy gale,
by which she lost her jbboom and two sea-
men. On the night of the 18th, at about half
past eleven, in latitude 81 deg. North, longi-
tude 65 deg. West, the weather being very
clear, and the moon shining very bright, the
man on the lookout discovered five strange
sail steering TO the Eastward. The Wasp
hauling to the windward, watched them closely
until daylight on the 18th. when il was discoy-
cred that they were five large merchantmen'
two of them carrying l6 guns each, under
convoy Of a sIoop- ofwar. Captain Jones had
every reason to believe that these armed mer-
chantmen would assist the sloop, yet he re-
solved TO hazard an attack though the sloop
itself was superior in strength TO his own yes
sci. The weather being stormy, and the swell
of the sea very high, he ordered down the top
gallant yards, closely reefed the topsails, and
prepared for action. Contrary TO his expecta-
ton the convoy sailed five or six miles ahead,
and there lay to, while the sloop, hosting
Spanish coIors, remained under easy sail, un-
til the Wasp came down within SO yards on
her laibOard side, with the American ensign
and pendant displayed, and hailed her. She
replied, by hauling down the Spanish colors.
running up the British ensign. and pouring a
broadside into the Wasp. Jones returned the
fire with great alacrity, and the vessels gradu-
ally neared each other maintaining the COM
bat with great animation. The English fred
with much more Iapidity, but with far less ef-
feet, than the Americans. Their shot took eff
feet chiefly OF the rigging Of the Wasp. In
very few minutes this vessel had her main-top
mast shot away. 1t fell across the larboard
fore and fore ,opsail braces, and caused the
head-yards to be unmanageable during the re-
mainder OF the action. In two or three minutes
more, the gait and mizzen top-gallant mas
were shot away, each vessel continuing still in
the position it had occupied from the com
mencement Of the action and delivering its fire
with great spirit. The water being, as we have
said, very rough, Captain Jones gave orders TO
his officers t, fire as the vessel went down, so
that every shot told upon the hull or swept
lhe decks. The consequence was an immense
slaughter on board the English ship. Instead
ofpursuing the same plan, the English fired
as they got ready, more frequently as
their vessel on the rise, and thus their shot
either passed entirely over The Wasp, or TOOK
effect upon her rigging. At this period Of the |
engagement, the Wasp shot ahead of her ad- |
versar,, raked her from stem to stern, and then |
resumed her former position. Captain Jones |
seeing that the enemy had much the worst of |
the contest, and wishing to put an end 10 the |
etiusion OF blood, was extremely DESTROYS to |
board, but was deferred from doing so, by the |
extreme ronghness Of the sea. which, he appre |
hended, might endanger the safety Of both yes
sells. AT the same time he was urged to do so |
by fear that the enemy mig Int escape, the |
crippled condition Of the Wasp rendering pur-
suit impossible. He, therefore, made up his |
mind to board al all hazards, and with this |
view, wore his ship around, and ran alhwar,
the enemy's bow, so that the jib boom came in |
between The main and mizzen rigging Of the |
Wasp. The enemy's vessel now lay in po |
sition for laking broadside, which Captain |
Jones Immediately ordered to be given. While |
loading f,r this broadsde, the vessels were so |
close tog" ther that the hammers of The Wasp |
struck against the sides of her adversary, |
and two ot her guns, when run out, actually |
protrudtd INTO her PORTFOLIOS, sweeping the |
whole leng III of The deck when they were fred |
and carving death and destruction in their
train. NJ sooner had this broadside been civ |
en-. than daring seaman, named Jack Lang, |
VINO had once been impressed on board Brit |
lsh man-of war, without any orders drew a |!
cutlasS, jumped on gun, and was 10 the act |
OF ieaplng on board the enemy, when he was |
ordered ia X by Captain Jones Ii was i'm
POSSIBLE, however, 10 restrain his impetuosity |
ana the CT" being all equally anxious, Lieut..
Dude volunteered to lead them on, and was |
:aIlant'y seconded by 1t. Booth. 10 their ut
Ter astoa.~hment, when they reached Ibce en-
envy drcN they found only one man who |
was not rHher dead or wounded, and that was |
the man the wheel. Covered with the DIV |
ing and ,!'r dead, the deck was slippery with |
piood' hen he reached the Quarterback,
the commander and two other officers. throw
ing down their swords, intimated, bv bowins
10 Lte"'e"aut Bidde, that they had surrender,
ed. The staff OF The British ensign having been
shot away early in the commencement, of The
action, At "as carried alolt ami nailed IN ,b,.
nasty British seaman. One of The offc-,s
OF the W ASP, after the surrender, climbed ~,
and tore Il down. The battle lasted BIN, fort,
three minutes, and the prize proved 10 he a.
BIN ro,p-of-war Frolic, Capt. Whynye,es