The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-04-30

ed, sunk at the anchorage IL which the
enemy's ship Hornet brought her after the
action. The Captain writing desk with
some other articles belonging to the vessel
had drtted ashore, and the former was
brought over ia the packet; and with a
view Of securing what NAV thus be saved of
the Peacock's wreck. which lies between
Demerara River and Mahaica, His Excel
lencv Governor Carmichael has requested
by Procla nation. that all papers may be
sent TO the Kings House, and any E,aseri-
ais deposited in the Kings Stores at Fort
Frederick.
DEMERARA, Feb. 81.
The following extract of letter from
gentleman of the frs. responsibility in Ma
haica, we present our readers with cops-
derable (though Mechanically satisfaction
particularly as, on the sore of information,
it acts a complete Introduction to what
appears on the subject from the Kings
House.
{" We hav: all been much shocked at the
capture of the Peacock, and the melancho-
" circumstances attending it. l had the
detail from four of the crew who escaped
from her (by means of the small boat hang
ing over her stern, which was much shat
tered, and with difficulty kept aloat by
! them until they were picked up by a COLONY
boat, after having been six or seven hours
| in that situation two hours after she had
been taken possession of by the American
Sloop Of War Hornet OF 20 guns, princi-
paly 50 Founders and 175 men The acti
on took place little to windward of Ma
haica, in five fathom water, and common
| ced about 10 minutes Gefore o'clock ON
Wednesday evening last, and in AS minutes
the Peacock was obliged 70 strike being
| perfect wreck. About quarter of an hour
before she struck. Captain Peake was in
the act of cheering his crew, and encoura-
ging tnem to continue the unequal contest,
| when he received a "a FOUNDER i'm his
breast, and fell with smile on his rpunte
nance. The man from whom I received
| this account was then at the helm, not two
yards from where the Captain was stand
| ing, and sprang forward and took him i'm
! his arms to carry him below, when he was
knocked down by splinter" Here is
some Of poor Captain Peake's blood (said
he, pointing to his trowsers,) was cover
ed with it, but the salt water has almost
washed it out" No other officer was killed.
| Early in the action Mr.. Lot fell" Poor
Lot" exclaimed the Captain, {" did not
| think you would have been the first" Mr.
| Lot was taken down to DR.. Whitaker. but
| returned to his Quarters before the action
ceased, having merely been deprived Of his
senses for a time. When these poor fell
lows male their escape, the wounded on,y
had been taken out ct the vessel; ard at
that time she had eight feet wafer in her
hold, and the American Lieutenant (whose
name is O'Conuor) had hailed his ship TO
say. that the prize was sinking, and these
lads conceived that all hands on board the
Peacock were in danger of going down in
her. as she had been brought to an anchor.
and the Hornet had drifted considerable
distance from them. and did not seem to
take notice of the Lieutenant when he hail-
ed. They conjcctured that the Peacock
had from 90 20 IS killed and badly wound
ed. The enemy only acknowledged one of
each but they say they do not believe that.
as their fire was well kept up, and the o.
Their did not send their boat to take pos
sessisn for twenty minutes after the Pea
cock had struck. The plain and apparently
| sincere testimony of these men. and the
regret which they expressed FOR the cap
tain were both convincing and affecting
The spokesman, a respectable looking sail
or. said, that he had been ii years in His
Majesty's service. and six with Captain
Peake; and " Sir (said he,) better man,
or Drawer officer, or a better disciplined
ship, never sailed out of England; every
man exerted himself to the utmost, but
they were too heavy for u.s."