This

July, she captured seven merchantmen, and a brig-of-war, the Reindeer, Captain Manners, of 18 guns, and one shifting gun, and 118 men. capture was made after an action of 19 minutes, in latitude 48° 36′ N. and longitude 11° 45′ W. On that day, at fifteen minutes after four A. M., the Wasp being in pursuit of two sail before the lee beam, discovered the Reindeer on the weather beam, and immediately altered her course, and hauled by in chase of her. The pursuit continued until half-past meridian, when the Reindeer, having previously hoisted an English ensign and pendant, showed a blue and white flag at the fore, and fired a gun.

RECISELY at fifteen minutes past one, Captain Blakely called all hands to quarters, and prepared for action. At twenty-two minutes past one, he tacked ship, and stood for the Reindeer, with an expectation of being able to weather her. At fifty minutes past one, the Reindeer tacked and stood from the Wasp. Fifty-six minutes past one, the Wasp hoisted her colors, and fired a gun to windward, which was answered. The chase was kept up until thirty-two minutes past two, when the Reindeer tacked for the Wasp, and the latter took in her stay-sails, and furled the royals. Captain Blakely having now discovered that the Reindeer would weather him, immediately tacked ship, and at fifteen minutes past three, the Reindeer being on his weatherquarter, at sixty yards distance, fired her shifting-gun, a twelve-pound carronade, loaded with round and grape-shot.

At seventeen minutes past three, the same gun was fired again; at nineteen minutes past three it was fired a third time; at twenty-one minutes past three a fourth time; and at twenty-four minutes past three a fifth time. The Reindeer not getting sufficiently on the beam of the Wasp, the latter was compelled to receive these repeated discharges. without being able to bring a gun to bear. Her helm was therefore put a-lee, and at twenty-six minutes after three Captain Blakely commenced the action with his after carronade, on the starboard side, and fired in succession. The mainsail was then hauled up, and at forty minutes after three, the Reindeer's larboard bow being in contact with the larboard quarter of the Wasp, Captain Manners directed his crew to board her. The attempt was gallantly repulsed by the crew of the Wasp, who several times beat off the enemy; and at forty-four minutes past three were ordered to board in turn. Throwing themselves with great promptitude upon the deck of the Reindeer, they succeeded in the execution of their orders, and her flag came down at forty-five minutes after three. In a line with her ports she was cut almost to pieces; her upper works, boats,

and

spare spars entirely destroyed, and on the following day her foremast went by the board. Twenty-five of her crew were killed, and 42 wounded, making a loss of 67 men.

On board the Wasp the injury sustained was not so material. Her rigging was destroyed however in several places, her foremast was pierced through by a twenty-four pound ball, and her hull struck by six round shot and many grape, though not with sufficient force to penetrate far. Her loss amounted to five killed, and twenty-one wounded, principally in boarding. Among the latter, Midshipmen Langdon and Toscan, both of whom expired some days after. Having received the prisoners and their baggage on board the Wasp, Captain Blakely blew up the Reindeer on the evening of the 29th, and sailed for L'Orient to provide for the disabled part of each crew, whose wounds had become offensive in consequence of the intense heat of the weather. He arrived at that port on the 8th of July, and found that the damage could be repaired by the carpenters of the ship in a few days.

In this action Lieutenants Bury and Reily, who had been in the engagements with the Guerriere and Java, and of Lieutenant Tillinghast, (2d) who was instrumental to the capture of the Boxer, maintained the high credit which they acquired on those previous occasions. And Captain Blakely, whose reputation as a skilful seaman and an expert navigator is not surpassed by that of any naval officer, had his crew so well drilled upon the principles of marine discipline, that they never despaired of vanquishing an equal force of their enemy.

In the port of L'Orient, the Wasp was detained by head winds until the 27th of August, having been anchored there 52 days. During this time every attention was given to her officers and crew by the inhabitants,

and their situation in a foreign port rendered particularly agreeable by the assiduities of the American minister.

At

After leaving that place and capturing two valuable British merchantmen, Captain Blakely fell in with a convoy of ten sail, on the 1st of September, under the protection of the Armada, seventy-four, and a bomb ship. He stood for them, and succeeded in cutting out of the squadron a brig laden with brass and iron cannon, and military stores from Gibraltar; and after taking out the prisoners and setting her on fire, he endeavored to cut out another vessel, but was driven off by the seventy-four. N the evening at half past six, he discovered two vessels on his starboard, and two on the larboard bow, and hauled for that which was farthest to windward. seven she was made out to be a brig of war, making signals with flags which could not be distinguished, owing to the darkness of the night; and at twenty-nine minutes past nine, she was under the lee-bow of the Wasp. Captain Blakely ordered the twelve-pound carronade to be fired into her, and received a return from the stranger. The Wasp then ran under the lee-bow of the enemy to prevent her escape, and immediately commenced an action, which continued until ten o'clock, when Captain Blakely, supposing his antagonist to be silenced, ceased firing, and hailed to know if she had surrendered. No answer being given to this demand, he recommenced firing, and the enemy returned him broadside for broadside.

At twelve minutes past ten, the enemy having made no return to the two last broadsides, was again hailed to know if he had surrendered. Captain Blakely was informed that the vessel being in a sinking condition, her commander had struck his colors. The Wasp's boats were immediately lowered, when a second brig-of-war was discovered a little distance astern, standing for her. The crew were instantly sent to their quarters, and preparations made for another engagement. The Wasp was lying to for the approach of the second stranger, when at thirty-six minutes past ten, two other brigs were discovered standing also for her.

Under these circumstances, Captain Blakely was prevented from taking possession of his prize, and keeping off the wind, with an expectation of drawing the brig first discovered, after him, he ordered new braces to be rove to replace those which had been shot away. His expectations were not, however, answered, the brig-of-war continuing in pursuit only until she was near enough under his stern to give him a broadside, and return to her companions. This she did, and cut the rigging and sails, and shot away a lower main cross-tree of the Wasp.