BATTLE BETWEEN THE SCRAPS


AND BON HOMME RICHARD.
{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register.", "edition": "01", "page": "p4", "byline": ""}
BAL LIE BEIWEEN The SERAPlS


AND BON HOMME RICHARD.


Earnest rs was for the action, could
not reach the Commodore's ship until in
the evening being then within pistol Shot,
when he hailed the Bon Homme Richard,
we answered him by firing whole broad
side.


The battle being thus begun, was contn.
ued with unremitting fury. Every method
was practised on beth sides 10 gain an ad
vantage, and rake each other; and | must
confess that the enemy's ship being much
more manageable than the Bon lfomme
Richard, gained thereby several times an
advantageous situation, in spite of my best
endeavors to prevent it. As | had to deal
with an enemy Of .greQtig Suher2r force.
was under the necessity Of closing with him
to prevent the advantage which he had over
me in point of maneuvre. 1t was my nten-
tion to lay the Bon Homme Richard athwart
the enemy's bows, but as that operation
required great deXterity in the manage
ment OF both sails and helm, and some Of
our braces being Shot away, it did not exact
ly succeed to my wishes; the enemv's bow
sprlt, however, Came over the Bon Hommc
Richards poop by the mizen mast, ana
made both ships fast together in that Situa-
tion, which BY the action OF the wind on the
eneny's SAILS, forced her stern close to the
Bon Homme Richards bow, SO that the ships
lay square along side of each other, the
yards being all entangled, and the cannon
OF each ship touching the opponents side.
When this position took place it was s
o'clock, previous to which, the Bon IIomme
Richard mad received s:ldry eighteen
pounds shot below the water, and leaked
yery much, Ny battery of , Founders, on
which hai placed my chief dependence,
being commanded b. Lieut.. d lie and Col
Ne.oer:. and principally BY American sea
-Isl, ard French volunteers, were entirel,
s.le1csl aaa abandoned. As to the six old
s:,a:=sa pogn9ers tha; formed the battery
:: .e .sasr g4a dees, they did no service
wa.:=Te-: :~o ol; o. three OF them burst
6: Is: age, and killed almost all the
-+a 80 SIRE stationed 10 manage them.
5-:..- ~. :.sne 30. Col. De- Chamilard,
- :.1.1iaa tel ! party 81 20 soldiers on
~ 5.cp l44 abandoned that station, after
.tf.-g Is: s.ne of his men. These men
s-:.--.=t :seir quarters. had now only
-. .-4s :: cannon, nine -pounders on the
.-a---- lea. :aa- were not sienced; and not
-f-= Z heavier Cannon was fired during
- -=si 81 the action. The purscr, Mr..
M-4.4 sho Commanded the guns on the
q---:-r deck, being dangerously wounded
Il :.e Aead, was Obliged 10 fill his place,
AMI with grea. difficulty rallied few men,
ard sAii:ed over one OF the lee quarter deck
gIas, so that We aftcrward played three
pieces Of 9 Founders upon the enemy The
tops alone seconded the fire Of this little bat
terry, and held out bravcly during the whole
Of the action; especially the main top, where
Lieut., Stack commanded. ! directed the
fire of one Of the three cannon, against the
main-mast, with dodble-hcaded shot, while
the other two were exceedingly well served
with grape and canister shot to silence the
enemy's musketry, and clear her decks,
which was at last effected. The enemy
were, as have since understood, on the in
stant of calling for quarters, when the cow
artiice or treachery ofthree of nv under Off
GERS induced them to call to the enemy.
The English commodore asked me if | de-
manlcd quarters, and | having answered
him in the most determined negative, they
renewed the battle with double fury; they.
were unable to stand the deck, but the fire
Of their cannon, especially the lower battery
which was entirely formed Of IS Founders,
was incessant. Both ships were set on fire
in various places, and the scene was dread
full Beyond the reach of language. 10 ac-
count for the timidity Of nv three under off



the ,uaster-at-arm, must observe that the
two first were slightly wounded, and as the
ship mad received various shots under wa
ter, and one Of the pumps 5eing shot away,
the carpenter expressed his fear that She
would sink, and the other two concluded
that she was sinking; which occasioned the
gunner to run after on the poop without my
know ledge, to strik the colors; fortunately
for nae, a cannon-ball had lone that before,
by carrying away the ensign staff: he was
therefore reduced to the necessity of sink
ing S he supposed, or of calling fer quarter,
and he preferred the latter.


All this time the Bon Homme Richard had
sustained the action alone, and the enemy,
though much superior in force. would have
been very glad to have got clear, as ap-
pears 9y their own acknowledgements, and
b. their having let go an anchor the instant
that laid them on board, by which means
TREY " wouid have escaped had not made
thea vel, fast to the Bon Homme Richard.


At last, At half past o'clock the Alliance
appeared and now thought the battle at
en; but, to my utter astonishment, he
0.scte tSsa proadside full into the stern OF
sI5 8@n Il ii nc Richard. We called to
hs3' ;0g tslas sake to torbear firing into the