unparalleled outrage on the lives and property of citizens of the United
States. The government immediately adopted measures to punish so
outrageous an act of piracy by despatching the frigate Potomac,
Commodore Downs, Commander. The Potomac sailed from New York the 24th of
August, 1831, after touching at Rio Janeiro and the Cape of Good Hope.
She anchored off Quallah Battoo in February 1832, disguised as a Danish
ship, and came to in merchantman style, a few men being sent aloft,
dressed in red and blue flannel shirts, and one sail being clewed up and
furled at a time. A reconnoitering party were sent on shore disguised as
pepper dealers, but they returned without being able to ascertain the
situations of the forts. The ship now presented a busy scene; it was
determined to commence an attack upon the town the next morning, and
every necessary preparation was accordingly made, muskets were cleaned,
cartridge-boxes buckled on, cutlasses examined and put in order, &c.

At twelve o'clock at night, all hands were called, those assigned to
take part in the expedition were mustered, when Lieut. Shubrick, the
commander of the detachment, gave them special orders; when they entered
the boats and proceeded to the shore, where they effected a landing near
the dawn of day, amid a heavy surf, about a mile and a half to the north
of the town, undiscovered by the enemy, and without any serious accident
having befallen them, though several of the party were thoroughly
drenched by the beating of the surf, and some of their ammunition was
injured.

The troops then formed and took up their line of march against the
enemy, over a beach of deep and heavy sand. They had not proceeded far
before they were discovered by a native at a distance, who ran at full
speed to give the alarm. A rapid march soon brought them up with the
first fort, when a division of men, under the command of Lieut. Hoff,