to
be dismasted; was informed by the French captain that the damage
these vessels received in the action of the 3d had occasioned
their masts being taken out.

_August 7th._ The French privateer came out, and brought me a
letter from the French Consul, in which he observes, that our
attack of the 3d instant has disposed the Bashaw to accept of
reasonable terms, and invited me to send a boat to the rocks with
a flag of truce, which was declined, as the white flag was not
hoisted at the Bashaw's castle. At 9 A.M., with a very light
breeze from the eastward, and a strong current which obliged the
Constitution to remain at anchor, I made the signal for the light
vessels to weigh, and the gun and bomb boats to cast off, and
stand in shore toward the western batteries; the prize boats
having been completely fitted for service, and the command of
them given to Lieutenants Crane, of the Vixen, Thorn, of the
Enterprize, and Caldwell, of the Syren, the whole advanced with
sails and oars. The orders were for the bombs to take a position
in a small bay to the westward of the city, where but few of the
enemy's guns could be brought to bear on them, but from whence
they could annoy the town with shells; the gunboats to silence a
battery of seven heavy guns which guarded the approach to that
position, and the brigs and schooners to support them, in case
the enemy's flotilla should venture out. At half-past one P.M.,
a breeze from N. N. E., I weighed with the Constitution and stood
in for the town; but the wind being on shore, made it imprudent
to engage the batteries with the ship, as, in case of a mast
being shot away, the loss of the vessel would probably ensue,
unless a change of wind should favour our getting off. At
half-past two P.M., the bomb and gun boats having gained their
station, the signal was made for them to attack the town and
batteries. Our bombs immediately commenced throwing shells, and
the gunboats opened a sharp and well directed fire on the town
and batteries, within point blank shot, which was warmly returned
by the enemy. The seven gun battery, in less than two hours, was
silenced, except one gun; I presume the others were dismounted by
our shot, as the walls were almost totally destroyed. At a
quarter-past three P.M., a ship ho