by John Marshall

“ This act of savage ferocity was overtaken with the most speedy, condign, and complete punishment; for Captain Harris, under the emotions excited by so treacherous and horrid a murder, stood nearer to the shore, and fired on the pirates till not a vestige of them remained visible; the whole of those barbarous wretches, about 400 in number, were either killed or wounded. During the same cruise, the boats of the Belliqueux and Sir Francis Drake destroyed a French ketch and two gun-vessels, under a heavy fire from the batteries of Bantam, with the loss of only one man belonging to the frigate. ”

“ I am sorry to state the loss of the enemy must have been great, as their boats being small, and overloaded with men, arms, and ammunition, many were capsized, and most of the men in them, as well as those that jumped overboard, drowned; the scene I understand was truly piteous, as the officers commanding our boats were prevented from affording that relief which humanity would have dictated, from having to launch two of the feluccas off the beach, in the face of a brisk fire of small arms, from the men who had escaped and fled into the jungle. ”

“ Lieutenant Cunningham, of the Sir Francis Drake, with the officers and men stationed at the launches, &c. obtained my praise, and deserve every recommendation for the arrangement of the boats in case of defeat. I have now to regret the necessity of subjoining an account of the killed and wounded of the four ships [3] , in which, when I consider the strength of the fort, and the numbers opposed to us, in storming the town, I deem ourselves particularly fortunate. The fort is a regular fortification, mounting 16 six-pounders. ”