A piratical station was taken in the Island of Cuba by the U.S. schooners of war, Greyhound and Beagle.  They left Thompson’s Island June 7, 1823, under the command of Lieuts.  Kearney and Newton, and cruised within the Key’s on the south side of Cuba, as far as Cape Cruz, touching at all the intermediate ports on the island, to intercept pirates.  On the 21st of July, they came to anchor off Cape Cruz, and Lieut.  Kearney went in his boat to reconnoitre the shore, when he was fired on by a party of pirates who were concealed among the bushes.  A fire was also opened from several pieces of cannon erected on a hill a short distance off.  The boat returned, and five or six others were manned from the vessels, and pushed off for the shore, but a very heavy cannonade being kept up by the pirates on the heights, as well as from the boats, were compelled to retreat.  The two schooners were then warped in, when they discharged several broadsides, and covered the landing of the boats.  After a short time the pirates retreated to a hill that was well fortified.  A small hamlet, in which the pirates resided, was set fire to and destroyed.  Three guns, one a four pounder, and two large swivels, with several pistols, cutlasses, and eight large boats, were captured.  A cave, about 150 feet deep, was discovered, near where the houses were, and after considerable difficulty, a party of seamen got to the bottom, where was found an immense quantity of plunder, consisting of broadcloths, dry goods, female dresses, saddlery, &c.  Many human bones were also in the cave, supposed to have been unfortunate persons who were taken and put to death.  A great many of the articles were brought away, and the rest destroyed.  About forty pirates escaped to the heights, but many were supposed to have been killed from the fire of the schooners, as well as from the men who landed.  The bushes were so thick that it was impossible to go after them.  Several other caves are in the neighborhood, in which it was conjectured they occasionally take shelter.

In 1823, Commodore Porter commanded the United States squadron in these seas; much good was done in preventing new acts of piracy; but these wretches kept aloof and did not venture to sea as formerly, but some were taken.

Almost every day furnished accounts evincing the activity of Commodore Porter, and the officers and men under his command; but for a long time their industry and zeal was rather shown in the suppression of piracy than the punishment of it.  At length, however, an opportunity offered for inflicting the latter, as detailed in the following letter, dated Matanzas, July 10, 1823.