Article Title: From Savannah. British privateers, flying French and American colors, approached Amelia Island and, having lured out the Spanish commander, seized both a Spanish galley and the settlement.  
Author: 
Published in: Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser
Place of Publication: Philadelphia, PA
Publication Date: 9/18/1799


  
  
S A V A N N A H , August 30.  
The following intelligence is received from subscriber, at St. Mary's, dated 23d August, 1799.  
" On the morning of the 21st inst. three vessels came over the bar of St. Mary's, and anchored at nearly an equal distance between Cumberland and Amelia Islandsthey prove to be two privateers from Providence and a prize sloop, one of the privateers is a schooner mounting ten guns and between 60 and 70 men, chiefly blacks, commanded by an Italian named Miller.  The other is a kind of a galley, with one large lateen sail, mounting one 12 pounder and about 40 men, commander is named McGee :  They have the well known Providence privateersman Tom Johnston, on board, as their spy and pilot.  
These vessels on coming in, hoisted on board the galley, a French national flag, with the American flag over it, as if a prize to the schooner who had American colors at her main top mast head.  These intended deceptions had the desired effect, for the Spanish commandant on Amelia, capt. Martenies and the captain of the Spanish galley, then laying in view, imprudently went in their boat along side of the privateers (supposing them friends) and were detained prisoners.  A few hours after this, the crews of the privateers went in the boats and took possession of the Spanish galley mounting a 24 pounder and several swivels without a gun being fired, as there was but eight men on board the galley, and these ignorant of what had taken place.  The Spanish post on the island fell of course, not having more than ten men, and not a single piece of artillery at the place.  
The next day, the commanders of the privateers suffered the whole of the Spanish prisoners to depart for St. Augustine.  The British flag is now flying on Amelia, and I am told that these worthy descendants and followers of Kid and Blackbeard intended to establish a rendezvous there.  
The whole of this transaction is considered by most people here, as a very wanton piece of business, and highly injurious to this country, as it will be the means of breaking up the perfect settlements on Amelia, and as far as St. John's, and removing settlers the most favourable to America.  
The principle object of these privateers, was to have fallen in with the ships from New York with their cargoes, two of which had arrived at Amelia, and re-shipped their cargoes on board American vessels, and had sailed for New York.  I find they would have taken American vessels, had they fallen in with them.  Another of these ships that put into Charleston, was expected.  
These circumstances were known to the before-mentioned Johnston, who arrived here in a sloop from Providence, about a month past, under colour of taking a load of cattle from St. Simon's.  He returned to Providence, and brought these plunderers ; but finding the vessels gone from Amelia, one of the privateers proceeded to Charleston bar, and sent her boat with Johnston to town, where he found that the ship had sailed two days before for Amelia, on this she pushed back to where they now are.  The ship does not appear, and from the time she has been out, it is believed she is taken, as the Lark British sloop of war was cruising for her.These privateers took a Danish schooner that was lately at Savannah, called the Little Tartar, loaded with coffee, bound to Florida, and sent her for ProvidenceThe prize sloop is from St. Augustine bound to Savannah, Sisson master.  
How long these privateers will be allowed to remain at Amelia, or what will be their future movements, is uncertain with us hereas it is the general wish of the inhabitants to know nothing of them, whilst we remain undisturbed by them.  
Pray Messrs. Printers, will you be so good as to inform the citizens of the southern counties, what is become of our revenue cutter and two galleys ; we think they must have gone on some foreign expedition, as we have not seen or heard of them for several weeks."