The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-12-21
NAVAL BRAVERY.
pRlvAfEER GEN. ARMSTRONG.
Cofy Of a letter from our Consxi az Fayaf. 90
fhe Secretary Of State.

a.most outrageous violation Of the neutrsli,y
OF this port, in utter contempt of the laws OF
civilized nations, has recently been commit
ted here, by the commanders Of His Britain
mic Majessy's ships Plantagcnet, Rotn end
Carnation, against The American privolc c-arn-
ed brig General Armstrong, Samuel G. Reid,
commandcr, but have great satisfaction in
being able to add, that this occurrence ter
minated in one of the most brilliant actions
on the part Of Captain Reid, his brave oIh-
GERS and crew. that can be found on naval
record.
The Amerisssn brig came 10 anchor 10 this
port in the siternoon Of the 2e,h Of Sep,era-
ber. end al sunset Of the same day, the D..
bove named ships suddenly appeared in these
roads II being nearly calm in the port, was
rather doubtful ii the privateer could, escape
it she 60. under way, and relying on the ins-
,icc and good faith Of the British captains, it
was deemed most prudent TO remain AZ apch.
or. A little after dusk Captain Reid, sceing
some suspicious movements on the part of
the British, began to warp his vessel CLOSE
under the guns Of tho castle, and while doing
SO, he was at about eight o'clock, p. M, ap-
preached by four boats from the ships, filled
with armed mcu. After hailing them repeat
edly and warming them to keep OF, no order 4
ed his men TO fire on them and killed aud
wounded number Of men. The boa,a re-
turned the Rre and killed one imsh, and worn.
ded the frst Lieut.. of the privatccr, and re-
turned TO their ships, and, as il was now light
moonlight, 1t was plainly perceived from the
brig as well ~ from the shore, that formi-
dabls attack was prcmcdi,a,ing, Soon after
midnight, twelvc'or more large boats crowd
ed with men from the ships and armed with
carronades, swiycls and blunderbusses, small
arms, &c. attacked the brig a sesere ccn-
test epsued which las,ed about Forty minutes,
and ended in the total defeat and partial des-
truclion of the boats, with O. most unpsral-
leled carnage on the part of the British. Il !
is estimated by good judges that near four
hundred men were in the boats when the at
lack commenced, and no doubt exisis in tho
mind Of the numerous spectators of tho sccnd
that more than half of them worc killed or
wounded scycral boats were destroyed; two
OF them remained along side Of the brig lit
orally loaded with their own dead. From
these two boats only Sscn,ccn reached the
shorc alive ,cnost OF them were severely
wounded. The whole of the following day,
tile Bri,ish wero occupied m burying their
dead among them werc two Licuss. and one !,
midshipman of tile Ro,s--the hrs, Lieut.. Of
the Plantagenct, ills said, cannot survive his
wounds, and many OF the scsrncn who reach
ed their ships were fnorialy wounded and
have becb dying daily. The British, rnorii-
fed at this signal and unexpected defeat, en-
dcavCr 10 conceal the extent Of the loss, they
admit however. that they lost in killed and
who have died sihcc the engagement, np-,
wards of 40 Of the flower of their officers
and men. The captain OF The Rota told mo
be los, 20 men from his ship. Two days sf-
ter this affair took place the British sloops Of
war Thais and Calypso came into port, when
Capt. Lloyd Immediately took them in requi-
sition to carry home tho wounded officers and
seamen--,hcy have sailed for England, one
on the Cd and tho other ON the 9Th ins,. each
carried IS badly wooKded. Those who were
slightly wounded, TO the number, % l arm in.,.
formed, Of about so, remained on beard Of
their respective ships, and sailed last evcpihg
for Jamaica. Strict orders we're given that
the sloops OF war should take no letters what.
ever 70 England, and those orders were rig.
idly adhered to. .y, .tfa..,..i
In face Of tho testimony Of all Fsyal and 4
number of respectable strangers who happen
ed to be in this place at the moment, the Britt
ish com mandcr cndcssors to throw the odiiin
Of this transaction on the American captain;
Reid, alleging that he sent the boats merely
to reconnoi,re tho brig, and without any hos-
tile intentions the pilots Of the port did ID.
form them Of the privateer the moment they
entered the port. To reconnoi.re an cncmy's
vessel in q friendly port, at night, with -four
boats, carrying by the best accounts 10 mens
is certainly Strange proceeding The fact
is, they expected, az The brig was warpipg ins
that the Americans would not be prepared 20
receive them, and they had hopes OF carrying
her By d" coup de main." II any thihg could
add 10 the baseness Of this transaction on the
part of the British commander. Il is want of
csb6or openly aid boldly 10 avow the facts.
In vsis can he expect by such Subietfsgc 10
shield himself from the indignation Of the
world and the merised resentment Of his own
government end nation for shus tsamp!iag on
The Sovereignty oftheir most ancient and faith