Almost every day furnished accounts evincing the activity of Commodore
Porter, and the officers and men under his command; but for a long time
their industry and zeal was rather shown in the _suppression_ of piracy
than the _punishment_ of it. At length, however, an opportunity offered
for inflicting the latter, as detailed in the following letter, dated
Matanzas, July 10, 1823.
“I have the pleasure of informing you of a brilliant achievement
obtained against the pirates on the 5th inst. by two barges attached
to Commodore PORTER’S squadron, the Gallinipper, Lieut. Watson, 18
men, and the Musquito, Lieut. Inman, 10 men. The barges were
returning from a cruise to windward; when they were near Jiguapa
Bay, 13 leagues to windward of Matanzas, they entered it—it being a
rendezvous for pirates. They immediately discovered a large schooner
under way, which they supposed to be a Patriot privateer; and as
their stores were nearly exhausted, they hoped to obtain some
supplies from her. They therefore made sail in pursuit. When they
were within cannon shot distance, she rounded to and fired her long
gun, at the same time run up the bloody flag, directing her course
towards the shore, continuing to fire without effect. When she had
got within a short distance of the shore, she came to, with springs
on her cable, continuing to fire; and when the barges were within 30
yards, they fired their muskets without touching boat or man; our
men gave three cheers, and prepared to board; the pirates,
discovering their intention, jumped into the water, when the
bargemen, calling on the name of “ALLEN,” commenced a destructive
slaughter, killing them in the water and as they landed. So
exasperated were our men, that it was impossible for their officers
to restrain them, and many were killed after orders were given to
grant quarter. Twenty-seven dead were counted, some sunk, five taken
prisoners by the bargemen, and eight taken by a party of Spaniards
on shore. The officers calculated that from 30 to 35 were killed.
The schooner mounted a long nine pounder on a pivot, and 4 four
pounders, with every other necessary armament, and a crew of 50 to
60 men, and ought to have blown the barges to atoms. She was
commanded by the notorious Diableto or Little Devil. This statement
I have from Lieut. Watson himself, and it is certainly the most
decisive operation that has been effected against those murderers,
either by the English or American force.
“This affair occurred on the same spot where the brave ALLEN fell
about one year since. The prize was sent to Thompson’s Island.”
A British sloop of war, about the same time, captured a pirate schooner
off St. Domingo, with a crew of 60 men. She had 200,000 dollars in
specie, and other valuable articles on board. The brig Vestal sent
another pirate schooner to New-Providence.