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As the English schooner evinced a disposition to run to leeward, Captain Diron was fearful that he wished to make his escape. To prevent this, the Decatur filled away to bring his bowsprit over the stern of his antagonist, but to counteract this manoeuvre, the English schooner gave him a whole broadside, which fortunately for him, only injured a portion of his rigging and sails.

The Decatur answered the broadside by again giving him a shot from his long-tom, at the same time ordering the boarders to be ready at a moment's warning, to rush on board of the enemy, should an opportunity offer. It was now about a quarter to three o'clock in the afternoon, and as the privateer approached to board, three cheers were given by the crew; when, the English schooner gave the Decatur a whole broadside, which killed two of her crew, and materially injured the sails and rigging.

In the mean time, the privateer kept up a brisk fire of musketry. The Englishman then kept away, to prevent being boarded, while the Decatur followed close under his stern, to avoid another broadside from him, and lose not a moment in boarding him.

In this manner the conflict was kept up, and another attempt made to board, but it was again repulsed. Capt. Diron then ordered the drum to beat for the boarders, and the crew cried out to let them board.

The Decatur's bowsprit was forced over the stern of the enemy, and her jib-boom pierced through the mainsail of the English schooner. It was now half-past three o'clock. While the fire of the musketry was being kept up by a portion of the privateer's crew, the rest rushed from the bow-sprit on board the Dominica. A terrible scene of slaughter and bloodshed then ensued; the men fought with swords, pistols, and small arms. In short, it

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BATTLE between the SCHOONER DECATUR and the SCHOONER DOMINICA,

on the 5th of August 1813

was a hand to hand combat, and was well sustained on both sides, until Capt. Barrette and his principal officers were either killed or wounded.

Mr. Vincent Safifth, first-prize master, and Mr. Thomas Wasborn, quarter-master, were the first two of the Decatur's crew who got on board of the English schooner.

This action was one of the hardest contested battles on record. Both parties fought with unparalleled vigor and desperate courage. The decks were covered with the dead and wounded. The conquerors themselves hauled down the English colors. On board the Decatur there were five killed and fifteen wounded. On board the Dominica, thirteen killed and forty-seven wounded, five of whom died soon after the action; making altogether sixty killed and wounded.

Among the killed was the commander, G. W. Barrette, Mr. J. Sacker, sailing-master, and Mr. D. Brown, purser. Mr. Archer and Mr. Parry, midshipmen, were wounded.

The only officers not killed or wounded were the surgeon and one midshipman. The first Lieutenant was on shore sick.

When the two schooners separated, the rigging and sails of both vessels were in a very bad condition. To restore and repair damages, and look after the wounded, was the first care of Capt. Diron, his officers, and crew.

On returning to Charleston with his prize, Capt. Diron made the land near Georgetown, ran down along the shore, and crossed Charleston bar without meeting an enemy. For several days previous to his arrival, there had been two English men-of-war brigs cruising off the harbor, but fortunately for him, they had steered away to the southward, so that he had time to enter the port without being molested.

Captain Diron was a fortunate man in more respects. than one, for the day after capturing the Dominica, he fell in with, and took without resistance the British ship London Trader, from Surinam bound to London. She had on board a valuable cargo, consisting of 209 hhds. of sugar, 140 tierces of molasses, 55 hhds. of rum, 700 bags of coffee, and 60 bales of cotton. The prize arrived safe in Savannah, on the same day that Captain Diron reached Chareston.

During the combat between the Decatur and the Dominica, which lasted over an hour, the British government packet Princess Charlotte remained a passive spectator of the scene. As soon as the two schooners were disengaged from each other, she tacked about, and stood to the southward. She left St. Thomas bound to England, under convoy of the Dominica, to a certain latitude, and from thence to proceed on her course alone.

REMARKS ON THE BATTLE.

The surviving officers of the Dominica attributed the loss of their vessel, to the superior skill of the Decatur's crew in the use of musketry, and to Captain Diron's adroit manner in manoeuvring his schooner during the action, which rendered their carriage guns in a manner, almost useless.

Captain Barrette was a brave young man, not more than twenty-five years of age. He was wounded early in the action, by two musket-balls in the left arm, but he fought till the last moment, refusing to surrender his vessel, although urged to do so by the few survivors of his crew. He declared several times his determination

not to survive the loss of his schooner.

One of the Lieutenants of the Decatur received a se

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