The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-03-04
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.
eo"no1ors s-sabridge to The Secretary of The Navy
u :. frigzte Constiiution.l

- oo' anu west iouEitrdc 38, about %
leagues distance from the Coast OF Brszils,
ie,i In with and captured his Britain ic M-lss-
ys tngatc Java, of ~ guns and upwards oi
soo men, commanded by Captain Lamocr,
very distinguished oiiicer.-rhe action iaFeA
. ! nour SIS minutes, IN which time the enc .ny
was completely dismasted, not having a spar
OF any kind standing. The loss on board I've
CONSTITUTION was killed and IS ~oirdea as
per enclosed list. The enemy 90 snsn XII
led, aud l0lwounced, certainly (anool. the
latter Captain Lambert, mortaly) but by the
enclosed letter, written on board the ship,(by
one ofthe officers oil the Java) and acciden,ly
found, it is evident thai the enemy's wounded,
must have been much greater than above
stated,and who must have diedof theirwounds,
previously 10 their being removed. The let
Ter states 90 killed and no wounded.
For further detsils soi the action, beg
leave to refer you TO the enclosed extracts
from my journal. The Java had in sd-
dition to her own crew upwards of 100 super
nnmery officers and seanen, TO join the Brit
ish ships Of war in the East Indies also
Lieut.. General Hislop, appointed to the COM
mand of Bombay, Major Walker, and Capt.
Wood, of his staff, and Capt. Msrshall, mas
ter and commander in the British Navy, gong
of war there.
Should attempt to do justice, by reprcscn-
tation, to tue brave and good conduct of ali
my officers and crew, during the action,
should fail in the attempt therefore, suffice
1t To say, that the whole of their conduct was
such as TO merit my highest encomiums. l
beg leave TO Recommend the officers particu-
IarIy to the notice of government, as also the
x.c1 ,hr ~ md
the families of those brave men who fell in
the action.
The great distance from our own coast,
and the perfect wreck we made the Enc emy's.
frigate, forbid every idea of attempting to
take her TO the United States, ahd not consid
.cring il prudent to trust her intoa port of
BraziIs, partic ular'y ST. SaIvador,,as you will
perceive by the enclosed letters, No. /, 2, and
8. I had no alternative -bua buraing her,
which did on the 3lst ult. after receiving
all the ptfsoners and their baggage, which was
very tedious work, only having one boa, left
(out Of eish) and not one left Of board tho
{. Java.
On blowing up the frigatc Java, proceed
ed to this place, where have landed al, the
prisoners ON their parole, to return 10 Eng
land, and there remain until regularly sex-
capacities ia any place or in any manner
whatever against the y. States Of America,
until the exchange shall be effected
have the honor to be, Sir,with the great
est respect, VIM. BAINBRlDGE.
/. Extract from Commodore HIHiam Bain6ridge's
Journal, kehs on board the U. S. Fugafc
Constitution. Tuesday, Dec. 90, 1912.
aAt 9, a. M, discovered two strange sails
ON the weather bow. At 10, discovered the
strange sails to be ships one oil thom stood
In for the land and the other stood of shore,
in a direction towards US. AT 10 As, a. m.
we tackled ship to the northward and west
ward, and stood for the sail standing towards
us, and at III, a. m. tackled to the southwark
and eastward, hauled up the mainsail and took
in the royals. AT J. 80, made the private
signal for the day, which was not answered,
and then sat the ,Dainsail and royals to draw
the strange sail off from the neutral coast,
and separate her from the sail in company.
" Wedsesday, soM Dec. (naufieal time J.
In lat. Is, s, S. long. SO, w. 10 leagLcs
from the coast of Brazil, commences with
clear weather and moderate breezes from the |
E. N. +. hoisted our ensign and pendant. AT |
Is minutes past mcredian, the ship hoisted |
her colors--an English ensign, having sig
nal flying at her main.
"At l 2s, n. m. being sufficiently from the |
land, and finding the ship TO be an English
frigatc, took in the mainsail and royals, tack
ed ship, and stood for the enemy. AT SO,
n. os. the enemy bore down with an Intention |
Of raking US, which We avoided by wearing.
AT 2, n M. the enemy being within halt
mile Of us, and 20 windward, and having |
hauled down his color; except the union jack
at the mizenmast head, induced me to give
orders to the Officer Of the Sd division to fire
q gun ahead of the encmy,to make him show
his colors, which being done, brought on
fire from US Of .he whole broadsidc, on which
the enemy hois,cd his coIors, and immediate.
~ returned our fire. A general action, with
round and grape, then commenced /; the en-
envy keeping at a much greater distance than