The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1815-03-29
Brilliant Naval Victory (!
Capture OF His Britannia Majesty's sch.
SAINT LAWRENCE.

on ef the ssvners IF The CLasseE,, dated
~ SEA, March 3, 1918.
DEAh SIR--I have the honor 10 ilioI M YOU,
that Gnthe 26,h Feb being about 6 leagues tc
windwirc OF Havana srd leagues from the
and; IT ii a, NJ. discovered schooner,
beariDs l.. OF VS., apparently running be.
fore ihc wind; made every possible sail IN
,hase, bic convoy ID sigh from the uasi head
10 lee waid, laying too nfi Hsyana at merida an,
gaiblns fast on the chase, that appeared 10 be-
large, long, low pilot built schr with yellow
sides size housd up more 10 the nortbward,
and sppssebliy Vas endesvoring 10 escape US
A; hai past meridian fred gun and hoisted
,he American fas, to ascertain. If possible,
,he mellon which he bslonS TO ba, she snew.
ed 10 colors she was carrying press OF sail,
and in a lew minutes carried a~sy hef fore.
topmss, She was at this ti,nc about miles
from US thcy Cut away the wreck OF the top
nlst in,mcdiait and trimmed her Sails
sharp by the WING. Al +. M drawing up
with him very fast, she 6ced a Stern chase quo
d, us, and hois,ed Eor ish c0iors, shelving at
The same time only three port. IN Inc side
mex, 10 us.
Untie1 the impression that she was run
ning vessel bound to ,ana, aud weakly al IN
ed and msnned, al, d every effort 10 clost
with him as qui k IS possible saw but se,y
tsw msn on MS Je ck, aud hastily made small
p.epar aticn ior action, though my officers,
nysVif md acn. did not txpsc, any III hung,
OF course vC were noi completely prepared
ior sc,ihn a, 25 We Hefe within pis'o.
shot ot him when lac opened ter o. ter
ports on . side, and gave Us his broadside OF
sound, grape and mu,ke, balls.----l theb
opened tse CEiasseut's hte from the grea
guns end musseity, snd endeavorcd TO Close
wNh him tor the purpooc of boarding; We
hasne quick Wy al the time, shot ahead OF
hin under his lee, he put bis helm up tor the
pu pose at wearing acioss our stern and to
give Us 'aking fire. which prevented by
Timely liking notice Of his ints nion, and pvt
ins ou helm bard up also. lie shot quick
ahead, and closed within ten yards OF him /;
., this time both fees were heavy severe and
dc.,ucuv. ------i now found his men had been
coacesi.d unde bis buwa,k, and that had
al heavy enemy 20 con,tnd with and al 90
gave the orde, Tor boarding, which my bra,e
officers and men ohee.iul,y obsyed with un.
ex mp.e quloknes,, insiantiy pu, the helm 10
s,srboa, d 10 Icy him on board, and IN the act
1t hossdins he,, she surrepdered.---Mr.W w ,
N. Christi. pfizc. .maser, from has courage
and sc,yijy, goi OH board OF he' /; out boat aud
sent he on buard; ,he pr"ved 10 be his Brit
annie NJ .jrsty's .choooe, 81. Law snec, COM
manded ~ lieut. Jsmes / Gotdon, formerly
the famous ptivateei Atlas, ot Pnilsdeiphl
built IN the Chcsa peake, mounting Is guns,
Is IL pound carronadts, upon an improved
construction aud long nine allowed COM
pIement ot as men, aud had on board num-
Der of soldiers, IN arines and some gentlemen
OF the navy Passengers, boned express TO the
squadron off New.O Orleans having BY report
of her comm sndct men killed and IL woun-
dcd; but by various other reports, Is killed
and % wounded, most OF the IN badly, and sew
ersl mortally. Sne was peffeet wreck, cut
10 pieces in the hull, and scarcely rope LETT
standing. snd, by report of her commander,
not an officer on board but was either killed
or wounded, himself among the latter.
The C's sails and rigging suffered much,
aud from the zeai aad anxiety OF her brave
crew 10 do their duty, and thereby exposing
the mseives, l had Ave men killed and eight
wounded, myself amonsst the latter, though
veiy slign'ly. titus ended The action in fi-
teen minuies alter its CONNIE cement, snd
about eight minutes close quarters, with a
force IN every respccl equal TO our own.
The Chasseu, mouots, six ~ pouuders,
aad eight short 9 pound carronades, the (iat-
ter taken trom one Of her prizes) ten OF cur
l2pound csrronades having been tn own over
board while hard chased by the Barossa fri
gate; and ,he has on board SO men, besides
several boys.
From the number Of hsn,mocks, full o.!
beds, clothes, Sc. found on board OF the S'
Lawrence, ii would lead to belief that many
more we're killed than were reported. The
~. L,wrence fred double the weight OF shot
,ha, we did from her ,weIves, at close quar-
urs, she fted stand Of grape, and two bags,
containing lwo hundred and twenty musket
f, balls each; when from the Chasseur's uincs,
she feed six aud four pound round shot, hav-
leg no other, excep, some lew grape. Was
10 close this letter, without mentioaing the
determined bravery OF my FIRST lieutenant,
Mr.. John Distsr, should be acting very IN