Naval Documents related to the Quasi-War between the United States and France Volume I Part 3 of 3 Naval Operations from February 1797 to October 1798 United States Government Printing Office Washington, 1935 Electronically published by American Naval Records Society Bolton Landing, New York 2011 AS A WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS PUBLICATION IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. 'QUASI-WAR-UNITED STATES AND FRANCE 475 lkt~~~tfrom Captrin Tho- Truxtun's journal, U. 8. Prigate C-n, 80 September 1798, Sunday At 3 P M dl the Fleet being out consisting of 43 Sail of Merchant Vessels belonging to various Partts of the United States, I hoisted the Signal for forming into close Order which Signal was answered by the Baltimore. We then proceeded on keeping. by the Wind on the Starboard Tack, carrying Poop, and Top Lgfits at Dark, and the Battle Lanthorns all lighted. At 8 Ditto tacked, and stood to the Southward, at 10 Ditto tacked and stood by the Wind as per Column, all Hands at uarters, Guns ready to fire at a moment's Warning. At Day Li?I t discovered a Schooner on the Weather Bow, which I took for a french Privateer, gave Chase, and brought her to after firing two Shot. She proved to be a Spaniard from Havannah bound to Charleston, South Carolina, and laden with Sugar, and Fruit, carrsng no Guns, and only eight Men. The Master requested my Protection, but this was inadmissible, as we are at Peace with Great Britm. At Noon the Bay of Matanzas under the Pan bore South, South East, ten Leagues Distance, from which I take my Departure. 811 the Fleet that came out with us in Sight and weU. Latitude observed at Noon, when the above Bearings were taken 23O.42 North. Received by the Belvidera, that came out of the Havannah Yesterday, and is one of the Fleet, an Answer from the Governor General of the Island of Cuba, to my Letter of the 21" Instant, on the Subject of the Departure of the Fleet, now under my Convoy Home. The Signal almost constantly flying to keep the; Fleet in close Order, notwithstanding which the Masters would scatter, without paying any Attention to it. Longitude at Noon calculated from the Pan of Matanzas 81°.28'W. [HS of Pa. NDA photostat.] [October, 17981 Information famished by Captain West regarding the Schooner Ampifirfie, Thomas SneU, master, and prisoners taken by the French Privateer Fbde la Mu, commanded by Pierre d'Pine Yesterday arrived here, the schooner Rme~,captain P. West, in 24 days from Curracoa. The following persons came passengers in the Rover. Captain Garret Berry of the snow Fanny, of this port, and his mate, taken when bound for Laguira; James Duncan, mate of the brig Philip, Captain Gorsuch and three of his men; one of captain Roxborough's, of the snow Mary1a.d; and the sailing master and two men of the armed schooner Amphdrite. Captain West has politelyfavored us with th-e following information: The schooner Amphitrite, armed with 10 guns, and 22 men, Thomas Snell, master, saiIed from New York on the 12th of August last. on a voyage to Demarara, from thence to Grenada, where she arrived on the 20th of September. Left the last mentioned port on the 4th of October, bound for Curracoa, but on the 6th of the same month was stranded on the isle of Aves, a barren, uninhabited place, where they got safe on shore, and saved some of the materials belonging to the schooner. After they had been six days on the island they purchased 476 NAVAL OPERATIONS; FEBRUARY 17g74CTOBER 1798 a boat, which the captain and four men was to get to Curratma in, and endeavour to procure some small vessel for the purpose of taking them off: on the 13th, the brig Philip, of this port, Captain Gorsuch, made her appearance; the men on shore made signals of +tress, which Captain Gorsuch took notice of, and went to their assstance. Took from the island three of the schooner's crew, and then departed for Curracoa; when within three miles of her port of destmation, they were boarded by a French privateer, one Dupang commander, who had on board three Americans, viz. John hlathers, native of this port, late mete of the snow MaryZiznd, John Roxborough; Solomon Geer, formerly master and late mate of the schooner Lucinda John Murry Cambbell, master; one Laycock, late gunner of the ship Stag, of Norfolk; when the officer of the privateers was on board of the Philip, they enquired of Captain Gorsuch whether all these men belonged to the brig? the captain answered no - where did you get them? I took them from an American schooner stranded on the Isle of Aves. They then took the whole crew of the Philip on board the rivateer, except Captain Gorsuch one man and a boy, put people on goard, and dispatched her for St. Domingo, as he said; and made the best of his way for the island of Bonair. where he landed all he had on board: left that place and made the best of his way for the wreck - when arrived there he anchored his schooner and went on shore. When first on shore told James Comor, sailing master of the distressed, that he had received orders from the Governor of Curracoa to come and take them with all they had saved, and carry them for Curracoa, but after a short time they were convinced to the contrary, being ordered on board the privateer in a very rude manner, and a strong guard put over what was saved from the schooner; our John Mathers being one of the guard. After James Connor had been a short time on board, and very strictly examined by Dupang, they both went on shore, and Dupang told Comer, that if he should find any goods whatever concealed, he might expect to be severely handled. Dupang landed, and searched above and under ground, until he was weary, but found nothing more than what was mentioned; they took what they pleased and put on board, and then burnt the remainder; left Connor on shore under guard with the rest during the night; before morning John Mathers struck James Connor with his naked cutlass three times, and made him lay on his face the remainder of the night, in the sand. The day following Captain Snell arrived mth a small schooner he had got at the aforesaid place, but to his great astonish- ment found Dupang the=, and his people in a far worse condition than when he left them; being robbed of what little they had-got on shore. Capt. Snell came to with his schooner some small dwtance from Dup ; they got the privateer under way and run close to Capttun Sne7 1 and ordered him to hoist out his boat and come on board, which Snell immediately did; when on board was most shame fully abused; Dupang threatened to put him on a small sand-ke destitute of every necessary of life; took from Snell his boat, put d his people on board and discharged him for the place from whence he came, and staid by the wreck for more plunder, if possible to be had. He had before their departure got the foremast, cables, anchors, sails, ropes, main boom, and main mast, from the wreck. so that poor Snd had the schooner to pay for without reaping the benefit of what QUASI-WAR-UNITED STATES AND FRANCE 477 was saved from the wreck. Captain Snell arrived at Curracoa on the 20th of October, with a double misfortune: htstranded, and then robbed. I Peleg West, have had the opportunity of brhgii the under- signed to the port of Baltimore, belonging to the Amphitrite, who we here ready to attest the same. JAMESCONNOR, Sailing Master. LEVI BARDIN,First Mate. [LC, "Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser" ( Phila.), 7 Dec. 1798.1 [From the New-York Daily Advertised FRENCHATROCITY The following dew will be read by every American with fee* of mingled horror and detestation. The conduct of the French m this instance has been so abominable, so fiend-like, that we want words to express our boiling indignation. Our only consolation is, that the sphtof our countrymen is awakened and that similar outrages mill seldom occur in future. Our young na is growing a pace, and spreading its protecting wings over our wiT e spreading commerce; and ere long, will be able to repel injuries and avenge insults from whatever quarter they may come. [OOPY.] CURRACOA By this public instrument and protest, be it known and made manifest unto all whom it doth or ma.y concern, That on this 15th day of October, 1798, before me B. H. Philips, consul of the United States of America at Curracoa, penonally came and appeared Thomas Snell, late master of the schooner Amphitrite, of New-York, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelisk of Almighty God, DEPOSETH, that he sailed in the said schooner from New-York, on the 12th day of August last, loaded with provisions, bound to the West-Indies, and on the 20th of September arrived at Grenada, where he sold part of her cargo; and on the 4th inst. left Grenada with the remaining part of her cargo, bound to Curracoa. That on the 6th inst. at meridian, he saw the island called Roca, it bore by his compass S. E. by E. distant about six leagues, when the schooner was hauled to the south and westward, in order to pass between the above-named island and the isles of Avis, su posing that there was a current setting strong to windward, from t ge small progress the vessel made.