The Rhode Island Republican

By Mail.

GALLANT ACTION BETWEEN AN AMERICAN PRIVATEER AND A BRITISH FRIGATE.

Extract of a letter from Captain Guy R. Champlin, of the private armed sch. Gen. Armstrong, of New-York, dated

"CHARLESTON, APRIL 5TH, 1813.

I arrived here last evening, after an unfortunate cruise of 8 weeks; during which time, on the 7th of March, we had an engagement with a British sloop of war, on the coast of Surinam. We exchanged 6 or 7 broadsides, in order to ascertain whether she was a vessel of war or not. We were satisfied, however, and hauled off without injury. On the 11th, we made a sail at 7 in the morning, laying in-shore of us, at anchor, about 5 leagues NE of Surinam river. We bore down on her, and soon discovered her to be a ship. We approached within gun shot. She got under way in a very lubberly manner, run up English colors, and fired 3 guns from her gun deck. We gave her Long Tom, and shewed American colors. She then commenced a fire from seven guns on her main deck, and one from her forecastle, which led me to believe she was a Liverpool letter-of-marque, as they have several frigate built ships from that port, and it was the general opinion on board that she was a letter-of-marque. We accordingly concluded to run down close on board of her, and give her our starboard broadside, and board her every man. However, as she looked warlike, and was pierced for 28 guns on her gun deck, I thought it most prudent, for the salvation of the vessel, and a punctual discharge of duty on our part, in case of any deception, to hoist the bloody flag,--which we did, being then in perfect readiness for the worst event. We bore down on him within half pistol shot; when to our mortification, we too late found her to be a frigate. However, there was no alternative; we must fight the enemy to disable him, to enable us to crawl off. We exchanged two broadsides, and cut away his ties, haulyards, stays, braces, &c. and our marines picked his men from their posts as fast as they shewed themselves. We gave 3 or 4 broadsides in passing them the first time, by which we brought his colours down. We immediately wore round, and gave three cheers. His fire ceased. We accordingly held our fire and thinking he had struck; by which we lost two raking fires on him. The moment he brought his broadside to bear on us to rake us, he opened his whole battery on us, and dealt destruction to our sails and rigging. We immediately luffed to, and recommenced the action: His wads were very destructive to us. He poured in his grape, cannister, &c. in great quantities. However we saw them throw over many of their killed. We had 7 killed and 6 wounded. I received a shot from the maintop, which went through my collar bone, and out at my back. We had but one shroud, no stay, baulyards or sheets standing, when we hauled off. We have several shot betwixt wind and water, 4 or 5 shot through our bowsprit, foremast one third cut off by a 32 pound shot, and we have several 32 and 18 pound shot on board. However, we got safe away-- thank Heaven and the General, we got out of the scrape.--On the 19th, on our way to a port in the U. States to repair our damages, we fell in with the British ship William, from St. Johns, of 246 tons, new ship, with a cargo of fish, valued at 25,000 dols. and captured her. The frigate mounted 28 guns on her gun deck, 6 or 8 on her quarter deck, and 4 on the forecastle. We could not learn her name."