The following particulars relating to the taking the schooner ALERT, are just arrived from Philadelphia.¹ 

That on the 6th of March last, she entered Delaware-bay, being joined by the ships Mermaid and Kitty, from Rhode Island,² and at three o'clock in the afternoon, three half-gallies or armed boats attacked and engaged them till sunset, when the boats left them— with light wind, they all continued standing up the bay till seven o'clock, when they came to anchor. At day-light next morning they made sail together, and at seven o'clock, seven half-gallies came off from the Pennsylvania shore, six of which attacked the Kitty, being the most defenceless, the other being the largest of the gallies, lay a-head of the schooner so as to rake her fore and aft, whereupon a severe firing began between the ships, schooner, and the enemy's boats or gallies, which continued until 10 o'clock, when a breeze springing up, (they having had little or no wind, and a calm during the engagement) they obliged the boats to sheer off, and stand for the Jersey shore; the schooner chasing them as near as she could venture to the shore, and would have taken or destroyed five of the boats, had there been sufficient depth of water to have followed them a little further; the ships and schooner then proceeded up the river, the boats also rowed up, keeping in shoal water, until 9 o'clock when they reached the lower end of Reedy-island, it becoming calm, the boats crossed a head of them and got into Reedy-island in a thick fog; a breeze springing up soon afterwards, and the enemy being joined by two more boats, making nine in number, they again attacked the ships Kitty and Mermaid, boarded and took them, notwithstanding all endeavours used by the schooner, by setting every sail he could to get to their assistance, but was prevented for want of wind; the enemy then manned the ship Mermaid, nearly of equal force with the Alert, and with the ship and boats together attacked the schooner, endeavouring to board her, Captain Moore perceiving this, hauled his wind, when the third engagement began, in which his pilot was wounded, and incapable of keeping the deck, and the larboard clue of the schooner's main-topsail being shot away by the Mermaid, together with the forebrace; the boats, some a-head and some a-stern, firing incessantly into her, and having no wind to work his vessel, it being quite calm, and the nine boats making a disposition to board him, having but about six rounds of powder, and eight rounds of grape shot left, and it being near night, when a flag came from the boats to demand a surrender of the schooner. Capt. Moore consulted his mate, the pilot, and Mr. James Stratton, lieutenant of engineers, who was on board, and they agreed with him, that it was impossible in their situation to defend the schooner against such superior force, (the boats having from 16 to 20 men each) and therefore it was best, (to prevent the loss of lives that must necessarily happen on being boarded) to deliver her up, making the best terms he could, which he did, and by that means saved the baggage and cloaths belonging the passengers.³