proaching, commodore Truxton ascertained to be a heavy French frigate, of fifty-four guns. He immediately prepared his ship for action. He continued the chase till one the next day, when a fresh wind enabled him to gain upon her. At eight in the evening, having got within hail, he hoisted his ensign; had all the candles in the battle lanterns lighted; and was in the lee gang way, ready to speak to the French ship, when she commenced a fire from her stern and quarter guns at the rigging of the Constellation. Having repeated the orders he had before given, commodore Truxton, in a few moments gained a position on the weather of the French ship, which enabled him effectually to return her broadside. After a close and severe action of about four hours, the fire of the French ship was completely silenced, and she sheered off, at the moment when Truxton considered her as his prize, and had ordered the tattered sails of the Constellation to be trimmed. It was then perceived that the main-mast was totally unsupported by rigging, every shroud having been shot away. All efforts to support the mast were useless; it went over the side in a few minutes, carrying all the top-men with it.* Before the ship could be cleared of the shattered fragments, which was accomplished in about an hour, the French ship had *JAMES JARVIS, of New-York, a midshipman, commanded the main-top. He was apprized of his danger by a seaman, but had so high an opinion of the duty of an officer, that he replied, "If the mast goes, we must go with it." This soon happened, and only one of the men was saved. effected her escape. Her disappearance was so sudden, that, the people on board the Constellation supposed she had sunk. She arrived at Curracoa, five days after the engagement, so shattered, that all her crew were continually employed at the pumps to keep her from sinking. She had one hundred and şixty men killed and wounded. Her captain stated that he had twice struck his colours; but, owing to the darkness, it was not perceived on board the Constellation. Believing it was the determination of the American captain to sink him, he renewed the engagement from necessity. The Constellation had thirty-nine men killed and wounded. The French frigate was the Vengeance. CAPTAIN LITTLE-FRIGATE BOSTON. THE United States frigate Boston, commanded by captain Little, being on a cruise, to protect the American commerce in the West Indies, in latitude 22, 50, longitude 51, captured, on the 12th of October, 1800, after an action of an hour and forty minutes, the French national corvette Le Berceau. The Boston mounted twenty-four 12, and eight 9 pounders, and had two hundred and thirty men, of whom six were killed, and eight wounded. Le Berceau was commanded by captain Senes, had twenty-two 9, and two 12 pounders, on one deck, and two hun dred and thirty men. She lost all her masts, and was otherwise much disabled. She had been out from Cayenne twenty-five days, during which she had plundered two American vessels and made prize of one. On a former cruise she had captured several American vessels. A variety of circumstances conspired to render this capture of much importance. Le Berceau was considered one of the fastest sailing corvettes in the French navy; she served as a lookout vessel to the French fleet for eighteen months, had frequently been chased by British cruisers, but never overtaken; and had been very successful in capturing British, American, and Portuguese vessels; and was bound on this cruise to intercept the American Indiamen, and South American ships. Captain Senes had been post captain in the French navy for many years; was a midshipman in count D'Estaing's fleet in the revolutionary war; and was esteemed a brave and intelligent officer. Le Berceau lost in the engagement her first lieutenant, master, boatswain, master-gunner, and pilot, besides a number of seamen. Captain Senes, and a commissioner, who was in Le Berceau, after being in the Boston fifteen days, were, at their request, permitted to go to Barbadoes, on their parole. The Boston expended upwards of 27 cwt. of powder, upwards of 1500 round shot, besides double that number of chain, double-headed, and grape, during the action. Captain Little arrived, with his prize, at Boston, the 14th of November. CAPTAIN STERRETT. In the month of August, 1801, Captain Sterrett, commander of the United States schooner Enterprize, of twelve guns, and ninety men, fell in, off Malta, with a Tripolitan cruiser of fourteen guns and eighty-five men. A desperate conflict ensued, and had continued for nearly two hours, when the Tripolitan hauled down her colours. The crew of the Enterprize left their guns, and gave three cheers for the victory. Upon this, the cruiser poured a broadside into the Enterpize, hoisted her colours, and renewed the action with redoubled vigour. Her crew, brandishing their sabres, continually attempted to board. They were again overcome by the skilful crew of the Enterprize, and struck a second time. Captain Sterrett then ordered the cruiser under his quarter, and kept his men at the guns. But the Tripolitan had no sooner come to the position she was ordered, than she renewed the action the third time, by pouring a broadside into the Enterprize. The Tripolitans hoisted their bloody flag, and attempted to board. The indignant cry of "Fight on, and sink the perfidious villains to the bottom," was now heard from every part of the American schooner. Every effort was made by Captain Sterrett to ensure a complete victory. His superior skill in the management of his vessel enabled him to rake the corsair, fore and aft. A number of shot between wind and water, opened her sides for the sea to pour in. Fifty of her men were killed and wounded. Her treacherous commander, perceiving the destruction of his vessel and crew inevitable, implored for quarters. Bending in a supplicating posture over the waste of his vessel, he threw his colours into the sea, to convince the American captain that he would no more attempt to resist. Captain Sterrett, actuated by the sentiment of true bravery, stopped the effusion of blood, though the treacherous conduct of the Tripolitans merited no mercy. His instructions not permitting him to make a prize of the cruiser, he ordered her crew to throw overboard all their guns, swords, pistols, ammunition, &c. and then to go and tell their countrymen the treatment they might expect from a nation, determined to pay tribute only in powder and ball. The Enterprize, in this engagement of three hours, did not lose a man. Captain Sterrett, after paying every attention to the wounded Tripolitans, ordered the cruiser to be dismantled. Her masts were cut down. A spar was raised, to which was hung a tattered sail, as a flag. In this condition she was sent to Tripoli. On her arrival there, the indignation, excited by her defeat, was so great, that the bashaw ordered the wounded captain to be mounted on a jack-ass, and paraded through the streets as an object of public scorn; and then to receive five hundred bastinadoes. The Tripolitans were so terrified at this event, that the sailors abandoned the cruisers then fitting out. Not a man could be procured to navigate them.* * History of the war between the United States and Tripoli p. 91. |