[Pamphlets. American history]

22
Tuzesday, 22nd. —Stood off and on all Day with a design to make
another Trial if the wind lull'd at night there being no signs of more
moderate weather wore ship and stood back towards Galway MullOur people very mnucth fatigued.
Wlednesday, 23rdc.'-Weather somewhat more moderate & our
people a little recruited, Our enterprising Capt. with about 30 men
went on shore about 11 P.M. with a Design to fire the Town of
Whitehaven.2
Jones in his report says: "TLhe 21st, being near Carrickfergns, a fishing boat came
off which I detained. I saw a ship at anchor in the road, which I was informed by the
fishermen was the British ship of war Drake, of twenty guns. I determined to attack her
in the night; my plan was to overlay her cable, and to fall upon her bow, so as to have all
her decks open and exposed to our musquetry, &c.; at the same time, it was my intention
to have secured the enemy by grapplings, so that, had they cut their cables, they would not
have attained any advantage. The wind was high, and unfortunately the anchor was
not let go as soon as the order was given, so that the Ratnger was brought to upon the, enemy's quarters at the distance of half a cable's length. We had made no warlike appearance,
of course had given no alarm; this determined me to cut immediately, which might appear as if the cable had parted, and at thie same time enable me, after making a tack out
of the Loch, to return with the same prospect of advantage which I had at first. I was
however prevented from returning, as I with difficulty weathered the light-house on the
lee-side of the Loch, and as the gale increased. The weather now became so veiy stormy
and severe, and the sea ran so high, that I was obliged to take shelter under the south shore
of Scotland."
2 Jones's account of this important affair is as follows:- The 22d introduced fair weather, though the three kingdoms were, as far as the eye
could reach, covered with snow. I now resolved once more to attempt Whitehaven; but
the wind became very light, so that the ship would not in proper time approach so near as
I had intended. At midnight I klft the ship with two boats and thirty-one volunteers;
when we reached the outer pier the day began to dawn; I would not, however, abandon
my enterprise, but despatched one boat under the direction of Mr. Hill and Lieut. Wallingford, with the necessary combustibles to set fire to the shipping on the north side of the
harbor, while I went with the other party to attempt the south side. I was successful in
scaling the walls and spiking up all the cannon in the first fort; finding the sentinels shut up
in the guard house, they were secured-without being hurt. Having fixed sentinels, I now
tookl with me one man only (Mr. Green), and spiled up all the cannon in the southern
fort, distant from the others a quarter of a mile.
" Oil my return fiom this business, I naturally expected to see the fire of the ships on the
north side, as well as to find my own party with every thing in readiness to set fire to the
shipping on the south; instead of this, I found the boat untder the direction of Mr. Hill
and Mr. Wallingford returned, and the party in some confusion, their light having burnt
out at the instant when it became necessalry. By the strangest fatality, mlly own party were
in the same situation, the candles being all burnt out. The day too came on apace, yet I
would by no means retract while any hopes of success remained. Having again placed sentinels, a light was obtained at a house disjoined from the town, and a fire was kindled in the
steerage of a large ship, which was surrounded by at least one hundred and fifty others,
chiefly from two to four!hundred tons' burden, and lying side by side, aground unsurrounlded by the water. There were, besides, from seventy to a hundred large ships on the north
arm of the hlarbor, aground clear of the water, and divided from the rest only by a stone
pier of a ship's height. I should (would) have kindled fires in other places if the time
had permitted; as it did not, our care was to prevent the one kindled firom being easily extinguished. After some search, a barrel of tar was found, and poured into the flames, which
now ascended from all the hatchways. The inhabitants began to appear in thousands, and
individuals ran hastily towvards us. I stood between them and the ship on fire, with a pistol in my hand, and ordered themn to retire, which they did with precipitation. The flames
had already caught in tlhe rigging, and began to ascend the mainmast; the sun was a full
hour's march above the horizon, and as sleep no longer ruled the world, it was time to retire. WVe re-embarked without opposition, having released a number of prisoners, as our
boats could not carry them. After all my people had embarkedl, I stood upon the pier for
a considerable space, yet no person advanced; I saw all the eminences around the town
covered with the amazed inhabitants.
" When we hadl rowed to a considerable distance from the shore, the English began to
run in vast numbers to their forts; their disappointments may easily be imagined when
they found, I suppose, at least thirty heavy cannon rendered useless. At length, however,
they began to fire, having, as I apprehend, either brought down ship's guns, or used one
or two cannon which lay on the beach at the foot of the walls, dismounted, and which had
not been spiked. They fired with no direction, and the shot falling short of the boats,
instead of doing us ally damage afforded some diversion; which my people could not help