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weighed 22 cwt. With respect, also, to muskets, 1813. pistols, swords, and pikes, nearly twice as many Aug were found on board the Argus, as were allowed to a british brig-sloop of the Pelican's class,

&c.

The Argus was built at Boston in the year 1799 Size, or 1800 she measured 298 tons american, or 316 of the english; and her qualifications as a cruiser called Argus. forth the following encomium from the editor of the National Intelligencer: "She is admitted to be one of the finest vessels in the service of her class, and the model of such a vessel is certainly inestimable." But the Argus at that time had not been captured by the British. In point of length, the two brigs were the same, within about four feet in favour of the Pelican; who had also three feet more beam, and consequently was of greater measurement by nearly 70 tons. But, while the main yard of the Pelican was 54 feet 7 inches in length, that of the Argus was 55 feet 2 inches. In point of scantling, the Argus had also the advantage in a slight degree.

COMPARATIVE FORCE OF THE COMBATANTS.

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marks

We will set the Americans a good example by Re-, freely admitting, that there was here a superiority on the against them; but then, even after she had action. captured the Argus, the Pelican was in a condition. to engage and make prize of another american brig just like her. The slight loss incurred on one side in this action is worth attending to, not only by the boasters in the United States, but by the croakers in Great Britain.

Despatching his prize, with half her crew, including the wounded, and a full third of his own, in charge of the Pelican's first and only lieutenant, Thomas Welsh, to Plymouth, captain Maples himself,

captain

1813, with the remaining half of the prisoners, proceeded to Aug. Cork, to report his proceedings to admiral ThornPromo- borough. On the 16th the Argus arrived at Plytion of mouth; and soon afterwards, for the promptitude, Maples skill, and gallantry which he had displayed captain Maples was most deservedly posted. Captain Death Allen had his left thigh amputated by his own Allen. surgeon; and, notwithstanding every attention, died on the 18th of August, at Mill-Prison hospital. On the 21st he was buried with high military honours, and attended to his grave by all the navy, marine, and army officers in the port.

of capt.

quiry

on

and

Argus.

Court A court of inquiry was of course held on the surof in viving officers and crew of the Argus, for the loss of their vessel. The court declared, "it was proved officers that, in the number of her crew, and in the number crew of and caliber of her guns, the Pelican was decidedly superior to the Argus." How it was "proved" that the Pelican had more men than the Argus, or what was the number that either vessel carried, the court did not deem it worth while to state. Nor does lieutenant Watson, in his official letter, and which doubtless was before the court, make the slightest allusion to any superiority on the part of the Pelican in number of men. But the court was not aware, perhaps, that lieutenant Watson, and the two officers next in rank to him, had solemnly sworn, in a british prize-court, that the Argus went into action with 125 men. Lieutenant Watson officially enumerates the Pelican's guns, boat-carronade and all, at 21; and, many months before the sitting of the court, that officer, lieutenant William Henry Allen the younger, and the brig's master, had sworn that the Argus mounted 20 guns; a very" decided” superiority certainly. Upon the whole, we must conclude, that these american courts of inquiry are less scrupulous about the truth, than the expediency, of the decisions they pronounce; and yet some persons may consider it not very wise in the Americans, looking back on their previous boastings,

to make the "caliber of guns" a subject of investi- 1813. gation.

Feb.

mirals

Cock

the

Unfortunately, the capture of frigate after frigate Arrival by the Americans could not persuade the british of adgovernment, that the United States were in earnest Warren about going to war. Hence, instead of one of the and 10 or 12 dashing flag-officers, whose names have burn in recently figured in these pages, being sent out to Chesafight the Americans into compliance, a superannuated peake. admiral, whose services, such as they were, bore a very old date, arrived, early in March, 1813, in Chesapeake bay, to try the effect of diplomacy and procrastination. Had not sir John Warren's second in command, rear-admiral Cockburn, been of a more active turn, the inhabitants of that very exposed part of the american sea-frontier, the coast around the bay in which the two admirals had cast anchor, would scarcely have known, except by hearsay, that war existed. But, before we proceed to give an account of the proceedings of rear-admiral Cockburn in the rivers at the head of the Chesapeake, we have to relate a boat-attack that took place a few weeks previous to his arrival on the american coast.

boats

schoo

On the 8th of February, at 9 A. M., while a british British squadron, consisting of the 18-pounder 36-gun fri- chase gates Maidstone and Belvidera, captains George Lottery Burdett and Richard Byron, and 38-gun frigates ner. Junon and Statira, captains James Sanders and Hassard Stackpoole, was at anchor in Lynhaven bay, a schooner was observed in the north-west, standing down Chesapeake bay. Immediately the boats of the Belvidera and Statira were detached in chase. Shortly afterwards,' on captain Byron's making the signal, that the chase was superior to the boats, a fresh force of boats was sent, making nine in all, under the command of lieutenant Kelly Nazer.

On seeing the boats approaching her, the schooner, which was the Lottery, of six 12-pounder carronades and 28 men, captain John Southcomb, from Baltimore bound to Bordeaux, made all sail to escape;

ture

her

ance.

1813. but soon found herself becalmed. At 1 P. M. she Feb. opened from her stern-chasers a well-directed fire Cap- upon upon the headmost boats, or those first detached. These rested on their oars until their comrades after a came up; when the whole rushed forward, and, brave through a very animated fire of round and grape, resist- boarded the schooner, but did not carry her until after a most obstinate resistance, in which captain Southcomb was mortally wounded, and 18 of his men also wounded, many of them dangerously. The British sustained a loss comparatively slight, having had only one man killed and five wounded. Gallant This was a very gallant resistance on the part of bela- the Lottery; and captain Southcomb, until he and died, was treated with the greatest attention by death captain Byron, on board of whose frigate he had South-been brought. Captain Byron then sent the body of comb. the Lottery's late commander on shore, with every

viour

of capt.

Boats

lieut.

Pol

mark of respect due to the memory of a brave officer; and he afterwards received a letter of thanks from captain Charles Stewart of the american 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Constellation, at an anchor in St.-James river leading to Norfolk, watching an opportunity to put to sea. The Lottery was a fine schooner of 225 tons, pierced for 16 guns, and afterwards became the Canso in the british service.

Just as sir John Warren, with the 74-gun ships Sanunder Domingo, bearing his flag, captain Charles Gill, and Marlborough, bearing rear-admiral Cockburn's flag, king- captain Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, accompanied detach- by the Maidstone and Statira frigates and Fantome ed and Mohawk brig-sloops, had arrived abreast of the han river Rappahannock, in their way up the Chesa

horne

Rappa

nock.

peake, five large armed schooners were discovered, and were immediately chased into the river by the frigates and smaller vessels. It now falling calm, the boats of the two line-of-battle ships and frigates, consisting of the San-Domingo's pinnace, with 23 officers and men and a 12-pounder carrouade, under lieutenant James Polkinghorne, Maidstone's launch,

with 21 officers and men and a 12-pounder carronade, 1813. under lieutenant Matthew Liddon, Marlborough's Feb. barge and cutter, with 40 officers and men, under lieutenants George Constantine Urmston and James Scott, and Statira's cutter with 21 officers and men, under lieutenant George Bishop, total 105 officers and men, were immediately detached in pursuit.

ture

schoo

After rowing 15 miles, lieutenant Polkinghorne Capfound the four schooners, which were the Arab, of four seven guns and 45 men, Lynx, of six guns and 40 armed men, Racer, of six guns and 36 men, and Dolphin, ners. of 12 guns and 98 men, drawn up in line ahead, and fully prepared to give him a warm reception. He, notwithstanding, dashed at them. The Arab was boarded and carried by the Marlborough's two boats; the Lynx hauled down her colours just as the San-Domingo's pinnace arrived alongside; and the Racer was carried by lieutenant Polkinghorne, after a sharp resistance. The guns of the Racer were then turned upon the Dolphin; and the latter was gallantly boarded and carried by the Statira's cutter and Maidstone's launch.

Loss on

The loss sustained by the British in this very each gallant boat-attack amounted to one seaman and one side. marine killed, lieutenant Polkinghorne, another lieutenant, (William Alexander Brand,) one lieutenant of marines, (William Richard Flint,) one midshipman, (John Sleigh,) and seven seamen and marines wounded. The loss sustained by the Americans was six men killed and 10 wounded. The captured schooners were very fine vessels and of large dimensions for schooners, each measuring from 200 to 225 tons. The Racer and Lynx, under the names of Shelburne and Musquedobit, were afterwards 14-gun schooners in the british service. Because, probably, these four formidable schooners were only privateers, the gallantry of lieutenant Polkinghorne in capturing them, with a force so decidedly inferior, did not obtain him a commander's rank until upwards of 14 months afterwards.

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