Star.
London, England, 1813-05-18 00:00:00

CIUDAD RODRIGO, APRIL 30.

The repairing of the old works of this fortre.ss,and'
the constructing of new ones, is continued with acti-
vity, by which its defences are augmented.
General D. Carlos de Hespanha, since his journey
to Aadalusia, has again taken the command of his
division, in which are employed Brigadiers Vives and
Carrol. The collecting of French troops in Vallado-
lid coatinues.

AMERICAN PAPERS.

'l'll MINGTON, MARCH 26.

The followiug correspondence was received from
Lcwistuwu last evening, by the Dover Mail :
" Headlnarten, Lewistown, March 23.
" Ste*-7M the Governor of the State of Delaware, and Com-
ntaudi r otirs military force, 1 improve the ear Vest time afforded
me, since my arrival at this place, ofa.:knowledging the receipt
A' your letter of the ltith instant, dii-,cted to the Chief Magis-
trate of Lewis.
" The respect which gentrens and magnanimous nations:
even when they are enemies, take pride eliensbing towards
each other, erjoins it upon me, as a duty which 1 owe to
.the
State over which I have the honour it this time to preside, co
the Governtrviii v: which this ,:ate is a Menit.s., and to the ci-
vilized wink?, to enquire of you v. hether, upon fonder and more
mature tri continue resolved to mtempt the destruc-
tion of this..iwn ? I shall probably this evening riceive your
reply to the present communication, and your determination of
excel:tiny or relinquishing the demand mentioned in your letter
of the liith ins:. it that demand is still insisted upon, I have only

to observe to you, Vat a compliance sv.,aki be :Ai immediate vio-
, ution of the Lbw.) 0: illy .sunny, and an eternal stizma on the
nation of which lam a citizen. A compliance, therefore, cannot
I he acceded to.—l have the honour to he, &c.
(igaed) " Jos trit HALSrr,
.• " Governor of the State Daaware."
(REPLY.)
" His E. M. sh:p Puietiers in the mouth of the Defi-
i ware, Match 23, 18 13.
44 reply to your letttr received this day, by a flag of
truce, M answer to mine of the 16th instant, I have to observe,
that the demand 1 have made upon Lewistown iv, in my opinion,
neither ungenerous nor wanting in that magnanimity wh.ch one
nation ought to observe to another, with which it is at war. It
is in my power to des. roy your town, and the request I have
made upon it, as the price of its security, is neither distressing
nor unusual. I must, therefore, persist—and whatever sufferings
may fait upon the inhabitants: of Lewisrown, must ha attributed
to yourselves by your not complying with the request tonally ac-
quiesced in.—l have the honour to be, Sm.
(Signed) " J. P. BERICSPORD
s' Commodore, and commanding H. B. M. Squadron
in the Delaware."
(From a New-York paper of the 10th ult. it ap-
pears, that the bombardment of Lewistown was car-
ried on vigorously by the Belvidera frigate, and two
other lititish ships of war. It was water only that
the British Commodore requested, but which was re-
fused to the last; and the ships were continuing hos-
tilities against the town when the last advices came
away.]

COPY OF A LETTER PROD! CAPTAIN LAWRENCE OF THE

UNITED STATES SLOOP OF WAR, IIOILNETI TO THE

bECRETARY OY THE NAVY. •
" U.S. Ship Hornet, Holmes' Hole, March 29,1813.
" Sts —I have the honour to inlorm you of the arrival at this
pert, of the V. S. ship lint:let, under my command, from a
c.litse of 145 days, and to state to you, that after Commodore
batobridge left tt-.1 coast of brazils (January 6), 1 continued off
the harbour of St Salvador, blockading the Bonne Citoyenne,
until the 24th, when the Montague, 74, hove in sight, and chased
we into the harbour; but night corning on, 1 wore and stood
out to the southward.
" Knowing that she had kit Rio Janeiro for the express pur-
pose of telieviii4 the Bonne Citoyenne, and the Packet (which I
li.td also blockaded for 14 days, and obliged her to send her mail
tf: Rio, in a Portuguese smack), 1 judged it most prudent to shift
my cruizing grnuud, and hauled by the wind to the westward,
with the view of cruizing off Pernambnco, and on the 4th of Fe-
bruary captured the English brig Resolution of 10 guns from Rio
Janeiro, bound to Maranham, with entire, 6:c. and about 23,000
Sollars in specie. I took out the money, and set her on tire. I
then ran down the coast for Maranham, and cruised there a
short time, from thence run off buritann.
" Ade: crezing off that coast from the 15th until the 22d of
siithout wetting a vessel, I stood for Demerara, with
,1 ire...init.°, should I nor be fortunate on that station, to run
hrough the Writ Indies; on my way to the United States; but
on the 24th in the Morning, I discovered a brig to !rewire!. to
.;rich I gays chase—ran into quarter-less four, and nut having a
Lbligell to basil off; the fort at the eutrance of Dente-
ara river at this time bearing S.W. distant 2i leagues.
" Pr, VIOUA to giving Op the chase I discovered a vessel at
apthor without the bar, with English colours flying, apparently
a brig of war. In beatiag round Carobana bank, in order to get
to her, at half past 3, p.ns. I discovered another sail on my wea-
ther quarter, edging down for us—at 4.20. she hoisted English
-niot.rs, at which time we discovered her to he a large man of
war brig—beat to quarters and cleared ship for action, and kept
close by the wind, in order, if pnasible, to get the weather-gauge.
" At 5 10. fin. Mg I could weather the enemy, I hoisted Ame-
rica., colours, and tacked.
• akt 5. 25. in passing each other, exchanged broadsides
within halt pion., shot.
•r. Observing the enemy in the act of wearing, I bore up, and
rectived his starboard broadside, rust him close sits board on the
• a.i4board.quarter, and kept up such a heavy and web-directed
fl u, that in less than 15 minutes she surrendered (being totally
G... ... p1C(.1.), and hoisted an ensign, union down, from his fore-


rigging, as a signal of distress. Shortly after, her Mein-Mast
went by the board.
" Dispatched Lieutenant Shuhrick on board.wbo soon return-
ed with her First Lieutenant, who reported her to be his Britan-
nic Majesty's late brig Peacock, commanded by CaptaidWil-
Lam Peake, who fell in she latter part of the action; that a num-
ber of her crew were killed and wounded ; and that she was
sinking fast, she having then six feet water In her hold. Dis-
patched the boats immediately for the wounded, and brought
both vessels to anchor. Such shot-holes as could be got at were
then plugged, guns thrown overboard, and every possible exer-
tion used to keep her afloat, until the prisoners could be removed,
by pumping and bailing, but without effect, as she unfortunately
sunk in 5i fathoms water, carrying down 13 of her crew, and
three of my brave Glows. Lieutenant Connor, and Midship-
man Cooper, and the remainder of my men employed in re-
moving the prisoners, with difficulty saved themselves by jump-
ing into a boat that was lying on the booms as she went down.
Four men of the 13 mentioned were so fortutiatt., as to gain the
foretop, and were afterwards taken off by our boats.
" Previous to her going down, four of her men took to her
stern boat that had been much damaged during the action, who
I sincerely hope reached the shore. I have not hero able to ascer-
tain from her officers the exact number of killed. Captain Peake
and four men were found dead on board. *1 he master, one mid-
shipman, carpenter, and captain's clerk, and c 9 men, wounded,
most of them very severely, three of which died of their wounds
after being removed, and nine drotvned.
" Our loss was trifling iu comparison. John Place killed ;
Samuel Coulson, and Joseph Dalrymple, slightly wounded;
George Coffin and Lewis Todd, severely burnt by the explosion
of a cartridge.—Todd survived only a few days. Our rigging and
sails were much cut. One shot through the fore mast, and the
bowsprit slightly injured. Our bull received little or no damage.
" At the time I brought the Peacock to action, the Espiegle,
(the brig mentioned as bring at anchor) mounting 16 two-and-
thirty-pound carronades.and two long nine's,lay about six miles
in-shore of me, and could plainly see the whole of the action.—
Apprehensive she would beat out to the assistance of her coo-
sort, such exertions were used by my officers and crew, in
pairing damages, &c. that by nine o'clock our boats were stowed,
a new set of sails bent, and the ship completely ready for action.
At two A.M. got under weigh, and stood by the wind to the
northward and westward, under easy sail. On mustering next
morning, found we had 277 men on board (including the crew
of the American brig Hunter, of Portland, taken a few days be-
fore by the Peacock.)
" The Peacock was deservedly styled one of the finest vessels
of her class in the British Navy. 1 should judge her to be about
the tonnage of the Hornet. Her beam was greater by 5 inches,
but her extreme length not so great by four feet. She mounted
16 four-and-twenty-pound carronades, two long nines, one 12-
pound carronade on her top-gallant forecastle, as a shifting gun,
and one 4or 6-pounder, and two swivels mounted aft. i find
by her quarter-bill that her crew consisted of 134 mcn, four of
whom were absent in a priie.
" The cool and determined conduct of my officers and crew
during the action, and their almost unexampled exertions after-
wards, entitle them to my warmest acknowledgments ; and I
beg leave most earnestly to recommend them to the notice of
Government. (Signer') " JAMES LAWRENCE."
" Hon. Wm. Jones, Secretary of the Navy."
" P. S. At the commencement of the action my sailing-master
and seven men were absent in a prize, and Lieut. Stewart and six
men on the sick list."