Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-04-01

Z cou,,nue,t oil the harbor OF ST. Salvatore,
h.octatlipg the Eonne Cheyenne until tie 2jlh,
when the dnntaeuc, ~, hove in sigh, and
chased me inlo the harbor but night coming
on, re anvil stood ont 10 the southwark.
Knowing that she had lett Rio Janeiro for the
express purpose Of relieving the Bonnc Ci,oy-
sanc and the Packet, (Which had also biocka..
,ed for fourteen days, and obliged her to.end
her mail tn R.o in Portuguese smack,l l
Judged it most prudent to shift my cruising
ground, and hauled by the wind to the west.
ward, with the view of cruising of Pernamb,ico,
& ON he 4,h day of Feb captured the English
bsie Resolution OF 10 guns, from Rio Janeiro,
bound to Morahnam, with Coilee, Jerted 'ef,
-four, fustic and butter, and S2S.000 an
specie AS she sailed duh and l could i'll
spare hands to man her, Itook out the mo-
ucy and set her on tire. then run down
the coast for Norshnam, anil cruized there
short time; from thence ran osf Surinam =
After GRAZING off that coast from the 18th
TO the 22d OF February without meeting YES
sci, stood for Demarara, with an intention
should not be fortunate on that station, to
run through the West Indies, on my way 10
the u States But, on tile morning of the
"a h discovered brig TO lecward, to which
1 gave chase: ran into quarter less four. and
not having apilot was Obliged to haul off;-the
fort at the entrance Of Deuia ara river at this
time bearin,, s. w distance about l 2leagucs.
Previous to giving up the chase, / disco
yered a vessel at anchor without the bar with |
English Colors Aging, apparently brig of war.
I'm beating round Corobano Bank, in order to
get at her. at half Past 3 PM. l discovered
another sail NY weather quarter, edging
down for us At 4, 20 she hoisted Eng
lish colours, at which time we discovered
her to be n large man oil briI--beat to
quarters, and cleared slip for action-kept
close by the wind, in order it possible TO get
the weather guage.--N 5. 10, finding l.
a |. 4.
can colours and tackcd.----At S, IS, i'll PISS
sing each other, exchanged broatisides within
half pistol shot Observing the enemy in the
act OF wearing, bore up, received his star
board broadside, ran him close 'on board |
the starboard quarter, and kept up such q
heavy and we'll directed fire, that in less than
Is minutes she surrendered, (being totally cut
10 Picces,) and hoisted IN ensign, ANTON coHn,
from his fore rigging signal of distress.
Shortly after her main mast went By the board.
dispatched Lieut.. Shubrick On board, who
soon returned With her first Lieutenant. who
reported ler to be his Britannia Msjesty's
late brig PEACOCK, commanded by Capt. VIM
Peake, who tell in The latter part OF the action
thar number of her crew were killed and
wounded, and that she was sinking fast, having
then six feet water in her hold,--Dispatche,l
the boats Immediately for the wounded, and
: brought boil, vessels to anchor. Such shot
holes rs could be got at, ere then plugged her
guns thrown overheard, and every poss BILE ex..
ertion used 10 keep her itioat, until the pri-
soners could be removed, by pumping and
bailing, but without effect. as she uriostu-
nately sunk in Eve and half fathoms Of water,
carrying down IS of her crew, AMI three of my
brave fellows, viz. John Hart, 1o1ebh Wikiiaras
and Hannibal Bod. Lieut.. Conner, Midship.
man Cooper and the remainder of my men
employed in removing the prisoners, with
difficulty saved themselves by jumping into a
at On he bfxy M CHI ppt
down. Four men, of the Is, mentioned. were
so fortunate to gain the fore top, and were
afterwards taken off by our boats. Previous
10 her going down, four OF her men took to
her stern boat that had becn 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 were lost l have not been
able to ascertain from her officers the exact
number of killed. Capt Peake and four men
were found dead on board. The Master, one
MidshiPman, Carpenter and Captains Clerk,
and twenty nine men wounded most Of
them very severely, three of whom died of
their wounds, after being removed, and nine
drowned. Our loss was trihing in comparison.
John Place, killed, Samuel CoulsnD and Joseph
Dalryuinble, slightly wounded George Cof-
fin end Lewis Todd, severely burnt by the ex
plosion of cartridge. Todd survived only
cut. One shot through the fore mast; and the
bowsprit slighuysmjnred Our hull received
lhtle or no damage.
AT the time the Peacock was brought to
action, the Espiegie (tle brig mentioned
above as being at anchor) mounting sixteen
two and thirty pound carronadss and two long
mines, lay about 6 miles in shore, and could
plainly see the whole Of the action. Appre.
hensiYe that She would beat out TO the assis
tance of her copsoPt, such exertions were used
by my officers and crew in repairing DANA
ges, &c. that by O'clock boats were Stow
ed, new set oi sails bent, and the ship com
.plctely ready for action. At2A N got under
way and stood BY the wind TO the nogtliSsard
and westward, under easy sail.
On mastering next morning, found we had
fSro hundred and seVenty-seveh souls on board
(ineiudipg the crew Of the American brig
Hunter of Portland, taken a few DAYS before
by the Peacock.---As the Hornets crew
had been on two thirds allowance Of pro.
visions, for some time, and had but 3 400 gal
Ions Of water on board, reduced tie allow
ance to three pin,s a man, and determined TO
make the best OF my way 60 the U States.
The Peacock was deservedly styled one. of
the ineSt vessels OF her class i'm the British
navy. should judge her TO be about the ton
mage Of the Hornet. Her beam was greater bv {
inches-but her extreme length not so great bv d
feet She mounted 10 four & twenty pound car
ronades, two long mines, one twelve pound car.
rOoade on her top gallant fore castle, as 81 1T.
ing gun, and one or FOUNDER, and swivel,
mounted aft. find by by her quarter Bill
that her crew consisted OF Iod men. four %
{. whom were absent in prize.
The cool and determined conduct of my
officers and crew during the action, and theii
almost unexampled exsrtions afterwards
Cntltlc them 10 my NNarmpSt acknoviedoe