longer stay in port. I therefore determin
ed to put to sea the first opportunity which
should offer ; and I was the more strongly
induced to do so, as I had gained certain in-
tejligence that the Tagus, rated 38,and two
ather frigates, had sailed for that sea in pur-
suit of me, and I had reason to expect the
arrival of the Racoon from the N. W. coast
of America, where she had been sent for
the purpose of destroying our fur establish.
ment on the Columbia.
appointed for the Essex Junior, and every
arrangement made for sailing, and I intend-
ed to let them chase me off, to give the
Essex Junior an opportunity of escaping.
On the 28th March, the day after this de-
termination was formed, the wind came on
to blow fresh from the southward, when I
parted my larboard cable and dragged my
starboard anchor directly out to sea. Not
a movement was to be lost in getting sail on
the ship. The enemy were close in with
pointing forming the west side of the'bay ;
‘but on opening ‘them, I saw a prospect of
passing to windward, when I took in my
top- gallant sails, which were set over sin-
gle reefed top-sails, and braced up for this
purpose; but on rounding the point a hea-
vy squall struck the ship and carried away
her main-top-mast, precipating the men who
were aloft into the sca, who were drowned.
Both ships now gave chase to me, and I en-
deavored, in my disabled stute, to regain the
port; but finding I'could not recover the
common anchorage, I ran close in'o a small
bay, about three-quarters of a mile to lee-
ward of the battery, on the cast side of the
harbor, I let go my anchor within pistol
shot of the shore, where I intended to re-
pair my damages as soon as passible. The
enemy continued to approach, and shewed
evident intention of attacking, regardless of
the neutrality of the place where I was an”
chored; and the caution observed in their
approach to the attack of the Essex was
truly rediculous, as was their display of
their motto flags, and the number of Jacks
at all their mast-heads. I with as much ex-
pedition as circumstances would admit of
-got my ship ready for action, and endeavor-
to get aspring on my cable, but had not
succeeded when the enemy, at 54 minutes
after 3 P. M. made his attack, the Phoebe
“placing her self under my stern, and the
both ships kept up a hot raking fire.
Cherub on my starboard bow ; but the Che-
rub soon finding her situation a hot one,
bore up and ran under my stern also, where
I had
got three long twelve pounders out of the
stern ports, which were worked with so
much bravery and skill that in half an hour
we so disabled both as to compel them to
bau] off to repair damages In the course
-of this firing 1 had by the great exertions of
Mr. Edward Barnewall, the acting sailing
master, assisted by Mr. Linscott, the
boatswain; succeeded in getting springs on
sour cable three different times; but the
fire of the enemy was so excessive that be-
fore we could get our broadside to bear
they were shot ; and thus rendered useless
tous. My ship had received many inju-
ries, and several had been killed and woun-
ded; but my brave officers and men, not-
witlistanding the unfavorable circumstan-
wees and the powerful force opposed us,
$
shameful surrender.
sign andthe motto flag at the mizen, had
were no ways discouraged—all appeared to
be determined to defend their ship to the
last extremity, and to die in preference to ,
Our gaff, with the en-
‘been shot away, but Free Trade and Sailors’
Rights continued to fly at the fore. Our
‘ensign was replaced by another, and to
guard against a similar event, an ensign was
made fast in the mizen rigging, and several
Jacks were hoisted in the different parts of
the ship. The enemy soon repaired his for
a fresh attack ; he now placed himself, with
both his ships, on my starboard quarter, out
of the reach of my carronades, and where
my stern guns could not be brought to
bear; he there kept up a most galling fire,
which it was out of my power to return,
when I saw no prospect of injuring him
without getting under way and becoming
gheassatlant. My top-sail sheets and hal.
A rendezvous was
liards were all shotaway, as well as the jib
znd-foretop-mast-stay-sail-halliards. The
only rope’ not cut was the flying-jib-hail-
liards ; and that being the only sail I could
set, I caused it to be hoisted, my cable to be
cut, and randown on both ships, with an
intention of laying the Phoebe on Hoard!
The firing on both sides were now tremen-
dous ; I had let fall my fore-tap-sail and fore-
sail, but the want of tacks and sheets ren-
dered them almost useles to us—yet we
were enabled, for a short time, to close with
the enemy ; and although our deck were
now strewed with dead, and our cockpit
filled with wounded-—although our ship
had been several times on fire, and was ren.
dered a perfect wreck, we were still encour.
aged to hope to save her, from the circum
stance of the Cherub, from her cripled state? -
being compelled to haul off. She did not
return to close action again, although she
apparently bad itin her power to do s0, bu,
kept a distant firing with her lohg guis,
The Phoebe, from our disabled state, was
enabled however, by edging off) to chose the
distance which best suited her long guns,
and kept up a tremendous fire on us, which
mowed down my brave campanions by the
dozen. Many of my guns had been render-
ed useles by the enemy’s shot, and many of
“them had had their whole crews destroyed
We manned them again from those which
were disabled, and one gui, ln particular,
was three times manned —filteen men were
slain atit in the course of the action ! buf,
‘strange as it may appear, the captain of it
escaped with only a slight wound
Finding that the enemy had it in his poiy-
er to choose his distance, I now gave up all
hopes of closing with him, and as the wind,
for the moment seemed to favor the design,
I determined to endeavof to run her on
shore, land my men and descroy her. | Ev-
ery thing semmed to fayor my wishes. ' We
had approached the shore within musket
shot, and 1 had no doub: of succeeding,
when, in an mstant tae wind shifted (rom the
land (as is very common in this port in the
latter part of the day) and played our head
down on the Phoebe, where we were again
exposed to a dreadful raking fice. My ship
“was now totally unmanageable ; vet, as hér
head was towards the enemy, au’ he to lee-
ward of me, I stili hoped to be able to board
him. At this moment licuienant Com-
‘mandant Downes tame on board to receive
“my orders, under the imp ession thay I
could 2
should soon be a prisoner. Fe
be of no use to me in the then wretched
state of the essex; and finding (from the
enemy’s putting his helm up) that my last
attempt at boarding would not succed, I di-
rected him after he had been about (zn min-
utes on board, to return to his own ship, to
be prepared for defending or destroying her
in case of attack Hetook with him seve-
rai of my, wounded, leaving three. of his
boat’s crew on board to make room fi
them.— The Cherub had now an opportu
ty of distinguishing: herself, by ke:pi ney %
a hor fire on him during his return,
slaughter on board my ship had now.
come horrible, and the enemy continuing to
be cut from the hon to bring her head
round ; this succeededy we again got our
broadside to bear, and as the enemy was
much crippled and unable to hold his own,
I have no doubt ie would have drifted out
of gun shot before he discovered we had
anchored, had not the hawscr unfortunately
parted. My ship had taken fire several
times during the action, but alarmingly so
forward and aft at this moment, the flames
were bursting up each hatchway, and no
hopes were entertained of saving her; our °
distance from the shore did pot exceed three
quarters of a mile, and I hoped manysof my
brate crew would be able to save them-
selvs should the ship blow up, as I was in-
formed the fire was near, the magizine, and
the explosion of a large quantity of pow-
der below served to increase the horrows of
our situation—our boats were destroyed by
the enemy's shot ; I therefore directed
those who could swim to jump overboard,
and endeavor to gain the shove. Some
reached it—some were taken by the ene-
emy, and some perished in the attempt;
bat most prefered sharing with me the fate
of the ship. We, who remained, returned
our attention wholly to extinguish the
Hames; and when we had succeeded went
again to the guns, where the firing was
kept up for some minuts, but the crew ha-
ving by this time become so weakened,
that they declared to me the impossibility
of making further resistance, and intreated
me to surrender my ship to save the woun-
ed, as all further attempt to opposition must
prove ineffectual, almost every gun being
disabled by the destruction of their crews.
xii SH
“oe :
~ i
: ary a
Inow sent for the ofoert of iyisions to
consult them ; but what A y surprise
to find only acting lieutenant Sthephen De-
cature M¢Xnight remaining, (who confirm-
ed the report respecting the condition of
“the guns on the gun deck—those onthe
spar deck were notina better state. Lt.
Wilmer, after fighting most gallantly
throughout the action, Had been knocked
overboard by a splinter while getting the
sheet anchor from the bows, and was drown-
ed. Acting lieutenant John G. Cowell had
lost aleg ; ” Mr. Ebward Barnewell, acting
sailing master, had been carried below al-
ter receiving two severe wonnds one in the
breast and one in the face ; and acting licu-
tenant William H. Odenheimer had been
knocked overboard from the quarter an in-
stant before, and did not regain the ship till
after the surrender. "I was informed that
the cockpit, the sternage, the wardroom
and the birth deck could contain no more
wounded ; that the wounded were killed
while the surgeons were dressing them, and
that unless somethin was speedily done fo
prevent it, the ship would sink from the
number of shot holes in her bottom. And
on seuding for a carpenter, he informed me
that all his crew had been killed or wound-
ed, and that he had once been over the side
to stop the leaks, when his slings had been
shot away, and it was with difficulty he was
saved from drowning. The enemy from
the smoothness of the water, and the im-
possibility of our reaching bim with our
cavrronades, and ‘the iitle apprehension
that we excited by our. fire, which had now
become much at ackened, was enabled to
take alm at usas 2 target; his shot never
missed our hinll und my ship was cut up in
a manner which was perhaps never witnes-
sed—in fine, 1 saw no hopes of saving her,
and at 20 minutes after 6 P. M. gave the
painful order to strike the colors. Seventy
five men, including officers were all that
remained of my wiwic 06 Ws afier the ac-
tion, capable of dong duty: aud many of
them severely wounded, of whom
have since Hick: Phefénemy $1 continue
ed his @ive; and my ars Ey. . unfortunate
companions were still faliug - about me. 1
dirscted an Opposite Zune bs 10 shew
them we intepaed no fur et resistance ;
but they did not resist; four men were kill-
cd at my side, and othe rss disferent parts of |
the. ship. I now believed. he intended to
show us no quarter, z nd that it would bé' a8
well to die with my flay; filviog as struck, and’
S ONE
’
10
was on the point of agam ho sting it when
about ten minutes after puis: the colors
down he ceased firing.
19 BE CONTINUED.
~
THE Al MERIC AN PATRIOT: oi
+To hE his thoughts
Is Sore Freeman's right.’
a fed
‘The Gelord EE of the fi
rian: ‘Church, have recommended to all the
churches under their care, to observe the
THIRD THURSDAY of AUGUST | next,
as a day of F asting, Humiliation ard Prayer. /Tate'battle at €hippaway, with great credit ;
[The proclamation of thé General As
sembly of this Church; for want ofl proper -
room, has reiuctantly been omitted. in this
week’s paper: agrecably to regueg it shall
be published in ove 1c next. ] N
Extract of a letter from a Merchant at
Portsmouth, N. H.toanother in Boston, da-
ted, July 1s.
ceived here that our affairs are in a pros-
perous train of adjustment with England;
nay many believe that an armistice is alrea=
dy concluded. I am not satisfied ds yet
that the latter opinion is correct;
the former I entertain no doubt.
‘goods to a very great amount are coming
by water and over land conveyances, via
Eastport, to Boston.
packages already considerably advanced in
the U. S. towards Boston.”
From the Portsmouth Oracle of Saturday
last.
pc NEWS EXPECTED... #%
Extract of a letter from a Merchaat in
Eastport to a gentleman in this town.
« Eastport, July 7.
« The report this morning is that a Fri-
gate arrived at Halifax on Friday last, with
despatches from England ofa very impor-
tant nature, and that a messenger, who arri-
ved in her, satoff for Quebeck in two hours
after her arrival, with these despatches, to
governor Prevost. An inhabitant of Hali-
tax arrived here iast evening with this in-
telligence ; he had conversed with the cap-
; : aE. ~ conduct of Col
« From various sources information is re- o
but of
British
“We know of 1500
tain of the Rigate, who assured bim that fic
might rely on it, that a speedy termination
to the war with Great Britain, would take
place... The frigate came out with no oth-
er object than to bring these despatches.
The Express fof Canada had passed
through St. Johns ; where the messenger
repeated that his news was pacific, and his
belief that a treaty of peace had been signs
ed by that time.
Transports had arrivad at Halifax trom
France, with about 12,000 troops of Wel-
lihgton’s army ; but this was not consider-
ed decisive proof of an intention to preserve
in the war, as it was understood Great
Britain intended to keep a large peace es-
tablisement in her colonies.
—————
"COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER op
FICE, /*
New York Saturday evening, Tuly 16.
“We have been favored with the follow.
ing extract of a letter, received by this eve: ¥
ning’s northern mail. ly
“ Uric (N Y.) July 13.
“ I have Just received a letter from the
army in Canada. Major general Brown pur-
sued the enemy to Queenstown Heights,
where he was on the 10th instant, and would
await the arrival of baggage, &c. The ¢éne-
my have retreated to Burlington Heights,
and arrangements have been made to cut
him off.
«If the fleet (which was to sail last Mon.
day,) co-operate, the British army must
surrender ; If not, they may be enabled to
effect there escape by water.”
—t oe 7
wn APPOINTMENT. WW ¢ understand that
T obias Lear, Esq is appointed Accountant
of the War Department, vice Wm. Sime
mons dismissed. }
WwW sshington City Gaz.
FROM THE ALBANY ARGUS Jury
a eh 9
From. Sachett’ s Harbor, our accounts are
to Thursday evening, the 14th. The fleet
were In port, nor was it known when they
would go out, . Its co-operation is undoubt-
edly expected at the head of Ontario. We
are, however, Sinpeses to think it has sailed
ere this, 4
+ We have roueited ommton that our
Torved have advanced to Fort George, the
enemy retreating to Niagara, and haye ens
ped. in rear of that place.
cam a
a at
FRVe learn from western papers, that the
yy Aoluntedrs acquitted themselves at the
Ee
,
and further, that the British after contend-
‘ing for some titne with'the army under gen,
Brown, at Chippaway, retreated to. Fort
“George whither they were pursued by the
American army, who captured that place
Jon the 11th instants
4 The court stituted to enquire into the
ampbell, have reported un-
faivourably of his conduct in the late expe
dition to Long oi
ave again entered the Pa,
ships, besides smaller vessels,
were in that nei
“The British
tuxent. Ten A
ighborhood. They were ase
sending the rifler, and had burnt the Hun-
tingdon tobacc@ware house. The enemy's
force in the Potomac sonsists of one 74,
two frigates, an d ten sloops and schooners,
besides a number of barges.
~The British fave landed 1500 men at
Nottingham (Md.) 20 miles from Wash-
ington. :
The actual gumber of the enemy, killed
wounded and taken prisioners, at the battle
of Chippewa 8 298, including 6 captains
and 4 subalter Many of the killed and
wounded were taken off the ground before
the termination’ of the battle. The aggre-
gate of the killed wounded and missing on
the side of Gen. Brown, i is 328.
Twenty regiments of Lord Wellingston’s
army it is said have arrived at Quebeck.
Eastport (Mass.) has been captured by
the British. The fort mounted six 24 poun-
ders and was garrisoned by 70 or 80 men