The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-04-08
wAsnIHoToy, MARCH 23, 1918.
OFFICIAL LETTER.
z. S. stih Uoraet, Holmes Hole,

Y
days and to state TO you, hat after commo
dore Bainbfidse left the coast OF Erazil'
| January sth) continued Oft the harbor o
| St. Salvatore, biockadng the Bonne Citoyen-
| nc, untj! the oath, when the Montague, ~
| hove in sight, and chased me into the harbor;
| bot night coming on, | wore and stood out 10
| the southwark. Knowing that she had lel,
| Rio Janeiro FOR the express purpose OF re.
| living the Bonne Cheyenne and The Packet
! (Which had also bocEaded ior fourteen days
| and obliged her TO send her mai! TO Rio, IN d
! Portuguese smack,) judged 1t most prudcnr
| 10 shit ny cruizng ground, and hauled by
| the wind To the eastward, wit. view o! CruI-
! zlne of Pernam5uco. and on the 4,h day oi
| February, captured the EOghsh brig RcsoIu-
| ton, OF 10 guns, from Rio Jaaeifo, bound to
Morahnsm. with coffee, jerked beef, Hour,
| fustic, butter, and about twenty-five thousand
dollars in specie. AS she sailed dull, and l
could not spare hands TO man her, took ont
the money and SET her on fire. then ran
down the coast OF Morahnan,, and crnized
there a short time from thence ran of Sur
imam, After cruizing off that coast from the
5th to the o2d OF February, without meet
ing vessel, stood for Demerara, WITH an
intention, should | not be fortunate on thai
station, TO run through the Wcst-lndies, OIL
my way 10 the United States. But, on the
2.th III the morning, l discovered big to
lecward, 10 which i gave chase ran into
quarter less four, and not having pilot, was
Obliged To- haul oiT---tho Tort II the entrance
oil Demcrara river ai ,his time bearing Nv.
distance about l-2 leagues. Previous 20
giving up the chase, discovered a vessel 1t
anchor without the bar, with English co.oTs
flying, apparently brig OF war. In beatiag
round Corobano Bank, ia order 10 &C, al her,
at half past 3, p NJ. discovered another
sal! on my weather quarter, edgiug down Tor
us. At Il, 90 minutes, she hoistcd English
cclors, at which iinc we discovered her to
be large man of war brig---bcat to quarters,
and cleared ship for action, and ke pt close by
the wind, III order if possible to get the
weather gage. At S, 10 minutes, finding !
could weather the enemy hois,ed American
coIors, and tackled. AT s, o5 minutes, in
passing each other, exchanged b:cadsides
within half pistol shot. Observing the enc
my III the act of wearing, bore up, received
his s.arboard broadside, ran him close On
board on the starboard quarter, and kept up
such heavy and well directed arc, taaI ia
loss than IS minutes he surrendered, (bcng
literally cut to pieces) and hoisted an ensign,
union down, from his fore rigging, as sig.
nal of distress. Shortly after bis main mast
went by the cboard.--0espa,ched Lieut. Shu.
brick on board, who soon returned with her
first lieutenant, wlo reported her to be His
Britannia Mdlcaty's late brig Peacock, com.
mandcL by captain William Peake, who fell
in the latter part OF the ac,ion--,hat a mum
Der OF her crew were killed and wounded,
and that she was sinking fast, having then six
feet of water IN her hold ID espatched the
boats Immediately for the wounded, and
brought both vessels to anchor. Such sho,
holes as could be got at were ihcn plugged
her guns thrown overboard, and every posi-
bic exertioo used TO keep her atlnat, unit The
prisoners could be removed, by pumping and
bailing, but without effect. as she unfortun-
atey sunk in FIVE and half iathom. water,
carrying down thirteen Of her own crew, aud
three of my brave fellows, viz. John Hart,
Joseph Williams and Hannibal Boyd lieut.
Conner, Midshipmau Cooper, and the re-
mainder Of my men, employed in removing
the prisoners, with difficulty saved themselves
by jumping into boat that was lying OH her
booms as she went down. -Four men of the
thirteen, mentioned, were so fortunate as TO
Satn tue IOTc auu WCrc a(CTWaTuS TAKEN
OFT by the boats-Prevous 10 her going down,
four of her men took To her stern boat that
had been much damaged during the action,
who, | sincerely hope reached the shore in
safety but from the heavy sea running at
the time, the shattered state Of the boat, and
the difficulty of landing on the coast, ! am
fearful they we're lost. have not been able
TO ascertain from her officers the exact mum.
Der killed. Capt. Peake and four men were
found dead on board. The Master, one
Midshipman, Carpenter and Captains Clerk,
aud twenty-Diuc seamcn were wounded; most
of them severely, three Of whom died eft
their wounds after being removed, and nine
drowned Our loss was triiling in compari-
son. John Plaice, killed Samuel Coulsan
sud John Delyrumple, slightly wounded
George Coffin and Lewis Todd, severely
burnt by the explosion OF cartridge. Todd