Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

AMERICAN VALOUR.

The following is taken from the Star, a London paper of 18th July.

I sailed from Hampton Roads, June 18, in company with the ship Merchant, loaded by J. Brown, of Richmond, and consigned to Lamb and Younger London, bound for your place. We outsailed her much, lost sight of her the same day. Nothing particularly occurred for 24 days; but when in the lat. of 29, 2. and long. 17, 30, on the 10th of July, at 2 P. M. espied a lofty ship to the southward in chase of us. By her appearance we were all fully convinced she was an enemy, and being likewise certain we could not outsail her, at 4 P M. had all ready for action, down with all sails up courses, spread boarding netting, &c. at half past 5. P. M. we packed our main top-sail, and laid by for her; all hands giving her 3 cheers; she then bore down under our starboard quarter, fired one gun into us, and showed national colours; we found her to be a privateer of 22 guns, twelves, nines, and sixes, with small arms in the tops, and full of men. We immediately rounded to, and gave her a broadside, which commenced the action on both sides; the first broadside we received cut away all our halyards, top sheets and braces, and killed 3 men on the quarter deck.

We kept up a constant fire for two glasses and a half, when she sheered off to repair damages, and in about one glass returned to board us, with his bloody flag hoisted; we were all in readiness to receive him, got our broadsides to bear upon him, and poured in our langrage and grape shot with great success. A heavy fire kept up on both sides for three glasses this second time, in all, the engagement continued for 5 glasses; at last he found we would not give out, and night coming on, sheered off and stood to the southward. His loss no doubt was considerable, as the last 2 glasses were so nigh each other, and our well directed fire must have done great damage. My brave ship's company acted with a degree of undaunted courage which no doubt does credit to the flag. I cannot help mentioning the good conduct of my passengers during the action: Mr. M'Kennon, and Mr. Hodgson, with small arms, stood to their quarters with a degree of noble spirit; my two lady passengers, Mrs. M'Dowell, and Miss Mary Harley, kept conveying the cartridges from the magazine to the deck, and were very attentive to the wounded, both during and after the action, in dressing their wounds, and administering every comfort the ship could afford, in which we were nowise deficient for a merchant ship.

When she sheered off, saw him heaving the dead bodies overboard in abundance. Our ship is damaged in the hull, one 12 pound shot under the starboard cat-head, splintered the sides much; one double headed shot through the long boat; sails, rigging, spars, prodigiously injured.

I here give you a list of the killed and wounded: Killed
John Leetch,
Samuel Huffman

William Johnston,
William Chester.

Wounded
W. M'Kennon, passenger,
Daniel Comb, 2d mate,
D. Gordon, seaman,
Henry Mason, do.
William Bagnall, do.
John Baron, do.
Goodwin Hill, do.
John Brown, do.

The force of the Planter was twelve 9 pounders, and six 6 pounders, 43 men.