The Sun.
London, England, 1813-04-21 00:00:00

• t•
,wh en hbout a ta a mile c.ta an , e 3 1 Ir.l-* t t • 4"
fire, giving us her ittriiiiird hr-oadSide„, which watt.
nut returned till We ‘i'er€ clusc cm hey w•eliiht!.i•
bow. Botti ti&
nriiv itiaavre.l to ohtiiiti advati:.
tageani posit bni, our opptinent evide, ly.a+ died
close action; sintlfiiing high to disable 0,4 in
lii which fitifleceeded too ii.cll, having sittit
the bead of our llowsprii With the jib-boom, and
our running rigging so much cat as 'to prevent Our
preserVitig the weather gage. ,
At five minutes past three, finding the enemy's
rakiug fire extremely beav7, Captain Lamb .rt or
tiered the ship to lie laid t1.,1 board, in Which We
should have succeeded had not out foremast bccni
shot away at this mordent; the reniains.Of our
bowsprit passing over his tatirail ; shortly Wier
thii the maintop-mast Went, leaving the ship, to
tally untrianagcable, with _most ot our starboard
guns rendered useless from th;.: ivrek lying over
them.

• . At half past thiee our gallant Captain received
a dangerous wottnd in the breast, mid was carried
below ; from this time we' etitthi not fire inoae
then two or three gnus until a quarterptist
when our niiten-mast Was shot arfayf the ship
then fell off a little, and brought amity of Oise flOir-:
boerd gives -to bear : ab# enemy's rigging was so
much cut that he could not now shooang 'a-
head, 'which brought us fairly broadside and broad
side. Our main-yard now went. in the slings,.
• both ships continued engaged in this mantle!' WI
thirtyativeaniaittes past four, we frequently on tire
in coaxeattenee of the wreck lying ma the side en-
gaged. Our opponent noe- made sail a-head out
of gun-shot, nacre he remained an hour repair-
ing his damages, leaving us an unmanageable
wreck, with only the main-mast left, and that
tottering. Every exertion was made by 10 duriog.
• this interval to place the ship in a state to renew
the action. We succeeded in clearing the wreck •
of our marts from our guns, a sail was set on the
stumps. of the foremast and bowsprit, the weather
halt of the main-yard remaining aloft, the whi-
t:ad: was got forward in the hope of getting the
ship before the wind, our helm being still perteet ;
the effort unfortunately proved inefrectual, from
the main-mast falling Over the side, from the
heavy rolling of the ship, which nearly cavered
the whole of our starboard guns. We still waited
the attack of the enemy, he now
.atanding td-
wards us for that purpose ; on ‘his .coming nearly .
within hail of us, anti from his manoeuvre pea-
ceiaing he intended a position a•-React Where, he
could rake aid without a possibility of our retailing
a shot; I then consulted the officers, who :Treed
with myself that oar having a great part of olir
. crewv killed and wounded, our howsprjt and three
Masts gone, several guns useless,we should not be
justified in wasting the lives of more of those re-
maining, who i hope their Lordships and the
country will think have bravely' defended his Ma-
jesty's ship ; under these circumstances, hottever
teluttantly, et, fifty minutes past'fire, ontaeoloars
were lowered nom the stump of the mizet-thast;
and we were taken possession of, a little. iifter,
by the American frigate Conatitution,•commanded
by Commodore Baiohridge, who, itfanediately af-
ter ascertaining, the state of thealliip,
.resolved on
burning Which we had -the satisfaction of
seeing done as soon as thewounded.were remorid.
Annexed I send you a return of the killed end
wounded, and it is ,avith pain I,Terceive it so nu-
merous,;, also a statement. of the com 0,111.14 foil**
of the two ships, when hope their Lardsiaps
rt ill not think the British flag tarnished, althoeah
success, has not attended us. It would he prep
sumptuous, iri Me tai speak of. Captain Lambert's
merits, who, though gill in danger from his
wound, we still entertain the greatest hopes of
his being. restored ro the service and bis coitatry..
It is most gratifying to my feeliags to notice.
the gallantry ist. every officer and, sea Man, and
marine on board ;in justice-to the officers, I lief;
leave t`o mention' them iudividually. I can never
speak too biaoly of the able exertions of Lien-
tenants Flcvringhani and Buchanan, andatiso Mr".
Robins-on. Master, who Was aeverely. .wounded;
.and Lieutenants Mercer and Davis, of time royal
.marines, the latter of whom also was severely
wounded. To Captain. John Mardian; 11.; N.
who was a passenger, I am particularly obliged
far his exertions and -advice throughout the ac-
tion. To Lieutenant Alpin, who was on, time
main deck, and Lieutenant Saundeh, who earn-
mantled on the foreeastle, 1 also return my
thanks., 1 cannot but notice the'good conduOt
of the mates and midshipmen, many of whom ere
killed, and the greater part 'wounded. To Mr.
'P. C. Jones, Surgeon, and his assistants, every
praise is dna for their unwearied assiduity in the
care of the worinded. Lientenant--General Flas-
lop, .Major Walker, emit Captaiii Wood, of his
stair, the latter of whom was severely woutaled:
were soliaitous to assist and remain oilT the aira
terstlecla I cannot conclude this letter with Out
expressing my grateful acknowledgments, thus
publicly, tar. the generous - treatment Captain.
Lambert arid his officers have experienced from
our gallant enemy., Commodore' Bainb..tidge, and
his Officers.

I have the honour to be &c.
ITC`. D. CHADS, First Lieutenant
of His Majesty's late ship Mart;.
P. S. The Constitution has also suffered 4evele.
ly both in' Ina rigging and tnen,, having her
und maintop-mast„ both maintop.:
sail-yards, .stpuoi.er-bogm, gaff, and trysail-tunst
WM), 'shot, :Ind the greatest part of the standing
I i,,ging very much damaged, with ten men hilted,
thei Commodore, rifth'Lientervint, I,'lrttl torty-aix
men wounded, font of whom are- since dead.