Kentucky Gazette

CHARLESTON, April 5.

UNEQUALLED BRAVERY.

Arrived at this port yesterday the privateer schooner General Armstrong, Guy N. Champlin, esq. commander, of New York, from a cruise. The following is an extract from her log book:

March 11, 1813—These 24 hours commence with moderate breezes and cloudy weather—at half past five A M tacked to the Southward and Eastward—at 7 discovered a sail bearing S S E. at half past 7 discovered her to be at anchor under the land; at eight she got under way; at half past 8 she got sail on her and stood to the northward; she fired 3 guns at us and hoisted English colors; we were then in 5 fathoms water, and about five leagues to the eastward of the mouth of Surrinam river; at 10 m. past 9 we fired centre guns and hoisted American colors; at 45 min. after she tacked and stood as near us as the wind would permit, keeping up a brisk fire on us from his main deck guns; at a quarter past 10 we standing to the northward and having the advantage of reconnoitering him with our spy glasses, were of opinion she was a British letter of marque, & unanimously agreed to beat down & board; at half past 10, put our helm up and bore down on him with intention to give her our starboard broadside, and to wear ship and give her our larboard broadside, which was all ready for the purpose; and board him: this was all done with the exception of boarding; we found she was a frigate, pierced for 14 guns on the main deck, 6 on the quarter deck, 4 on the forecastle; she had her starboard tacks on board; the wind being light, and keeping up a constant fire our vessel laid ten minutes like a log; we shot away his foretopsail tie, his mizen gaff haulyard; (which brought his colors down) and his mizen and main stay; we thought she had struck and ceased firing, but soon saw her colors flying; we recommenced the action; she lay for a few minutes apparently unmanageable, but soon got way on her, and opened a heavy fire on us from her starboard broadside and main top no doubt with the intention of sinking us all. We laid for the space of 45 minutes within pistol shot of him; our captain, standing by the centre gun, fired one of his pistols and snapped the other, when he was wounded by a musket ball from the ship's main top; the ball passed through his left shoulder: he walked aft to the Doctor & had his wound dressed: we luffed to windward and fore-reached on him. In this action we had 6 men killed and 16 wounded, and all the haulyards of the head sails shot away; the foremast and bow sprit one quarter cut through, and all the fore and main shrouds but one shot away; both mainstays and running rigging cut to pieces; a great number of shot through our sails, and several between wind and water, (which caused our vessel to leak) and a number in our hull.

In this situation we began to make sail from him; got the fore sheet aft, and the jib and top gallant sail on her, and by the assistance of our sweeps we soon got out of gun shot of her. During the time we were getting away from her, she kept up a well directed fire for our foremast and fore gaff, but without effect.

The General Armstrong mounts 15 guns.