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 o record. Both parties fought with unparalleled vigor a. d 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 vere sabre wound in the hand, from Captain Barrette, a few moments before he fell. It was acknowledged by the English prisoners, that during their captivity, they were treated with great kindness and humanity by Captain Diron, his officers and crew; and that the utmost care and attention were paid to the sick and wounded. The crew of the captured vessel were all fine looking young men. There were among them eight or ten boys. To see this youthful crew on their arrival at Charleston, in their mangled condition, was enough to freeze the blood with horror, of any person not accustomed to such sanguinary scenes. Among the crew was a small boy, not eleven years old, who was twice wounded while contending for victory on the deck of the Dominica. The writer of this action was in Charleston soon after the Dominica was brought into that port, and heard the most of what he has narrated, from those who were acquainted with all the particulars of this bloody conflict. He also saw daily, one of the wounded English midshipmen, with his arm in a sling, who had the privilege of walking about the city, on his parole of honor. The famous privateer Decatur, Captain Diron, sailed from Charleston on a new enterprise, the same day that the writer of this article arrived there. It was with unfeigned pleasure I witnessed the departure of the brave Diron in pursuit of fresh laurels, and in sincerity wished him a successful cruise. VOYAGE TO FRANCE IN THE LETTER-OF-MARQUE SCHOONER DAVID PORTER. On the 20th of October, 1813, the letter-of-marque schooner David Porter, of New York, was lying at Pro vidence, R. I., taking in an assorted cargo for Charleston. She was a fine, fast-sailing vessel of about 200 tons burthen, armed with a long 18 pound centre gun, four six pounders, muskets, boarding pikes, etc., etc., etc., and was commanded by George Coggeshall. At this time the U. S. frigate President, Commodore Rodgers, was lying in this port. He had recently arrived from a cruise, and had discharged the most of his men. From among them I obtained the greatest part of my petty officers and seamen, amounting in all to thirty souls. Having finished loading the schooner, I sailed down the river to Newport, to get ready to leave port, and wait for a favorable opportunity to proceed to sea. At this period there were several English line-of-battle ships and frigates cruising directly off Newport, to blockade Commodore Rodgers and prevent him from going to sea. Wherever there was one American frigate in any of our ports, the English generally kept several seventyfours and frigates to watch and blockade it. The merchantmen and letters-of-marque, at this period, when ready for sea, were generally obliged to wait for bad weather or dark nights to leave port. This was my case. After lying a few days at Newport, I sailed towards evening, on the 14th of November, in a thick N.E. snow-storm, and passed through the British fleet in darkness and obscurity, and fortunately, without molestation. I made the best of my way towards Charleston, During the passage I was chased several times by British ships of war, for our coast at that time was lined with these unwelcome visitors. I however was fortunate enough to escape them all, At day-light, on the morning of the 26th of November, in ten fathoms water, off Cape Roman, saw an English man-of-war brig just out of gun-shot, on our wea |