The Rhode Island Republican

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 1812.

Copy of a letter from Mr. S. T. Anderson, enclosing one from Com. Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy.

SACKET'S HARBOR,
13 Nov. 1812.

Sir--Since the enclosed letter from the Commodore was written, the Growler has returned with a prize, and in her Capt. Brock, brother to the late General of that name, with the baggage of the latter. By the prize we learned that the Earl Moira was off the False Ducks, and the Commodore has put off in a snow storm in the hope of cutting her off from Kingston. By information received from Capt. Brock, there is no question but that Kingston is very strongly defended; he expressed surprise to find our vessels had got out of the harbor after having been in it; and says that the regiment to which he belongs is quartered there, 500 strong, besides other regulars and a well appointed militia. The resistance made fully justifies this report. Be assured, sir, that in the action of which the Commodore has given you an account, the national honor has been most ably supported. In great haste, your most obedient servant,

SAML. T. ANDERSON.

The Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy.

Sacket's Harbor, 13th Nov. 1812.

Sir--I arrived here last evening in a gale of wind, the pilots having refused to keep the lake. On the 8th, I fell in with the Royal George and chased her into the Bay of Quinte, where I lost sight of her in the night. In the morning of the 9th we again got sight of her lying in Kingston channel. We gave chase and followed her into the harbor of Kingston, where we engaged her and the batteries for one hour and forty-five minutes. I had made up my mind to board her, but she was so well protected by the batteries and the wind blowing directly in, it was deemed imprudent to make the attempt at that time--the pilots also refused to take charge of the vessels. Under these circumstances, and it being after sun-down, I determined to haul off and renew the attack next morning. We beat up in good order under a heavy fire from the Royal George and batteries to 4 mile Point, where we anchored. It blew heavy in squalls from the westward during the night, and there was every appearance of a gale of wind. The pilots became alarmed and I thought it most prudent to get into a place of more safety. I therefore (very reluctantly) deferred renewing the attack upon the ships and forts until a more favorable opportunity.

At 7 A. M. on the 10th, I made the signal to weigh, and we beat out of a very narrow channel, under a very heavy press of sail to the open lake. At 10, we fell in with the Governor Simcoe running for Kingston, and chased her into the harbor. She escaped by running over a reef of rocks, under a heavy fire from the Governor Tompkins, the Hamilton and the Julia, which cut her very much. All her people ran below while under the fire of these vessels. The Hamilton chased her into nine feet of water before she hauled off. We tacked to the southward with an intention of running to our station at the Ducks, but it coming on to blow very heavy, the pilots told me it would be unsafe to keep the lake, I bore up for this place, where I arrived last night.

In our passage through the Bay of Quinte, I discovered a schooner at the village of Armingstown, which we took possession of, but finding she would detain us, (being then in chase of the Royal George) I ordered Lieut. McPherson to take out her rigging and sails and burn her, which we did. We also took the sch. Mary Hail from Niagara, at the mouth of Kingston harbor, and took her with us to our anchorage. The next morning, finding that she could not beat through the channel with us, I ordered the sailing-master in the Growler to take her under convoy, and run down past Kingston, anchor on the east end of Long Island, and wait for a wind to come up on the east side. I was only in hopes that the Royal George might be induced to follow for the purpose of re-taking our prize, but her commander was too well aware of the consequences to leave his moorings.

We lost in this affair one man killed and three slightly wounded, with a few shot through our sails. The other vessels lost no men and received but little injury in their hull and sails, with the exception of the Pert, whose gun bursted in the early part of the action, and wounded her commander (sailing master Arundel) badly, and a midshipman and three men slightly. Mr. Arundel, who refused to quit the deck, although wounded, was knocked overboard in beating up to our anchorage, and I am sorry to say was drowned.

The Royal George must have received very considerable injury in her hull and in men, as the gun vessels with a long 32-pounder were seen to strike her almost every shot, and it was observed that she was reinforced with troops four different times during the action.

I have great pleasure in saying, that the officers and men on board of every vessel behaved with the utmost coolness, and are extremely anxious to meet the enemy on the open lake; and as long as I have the honor to command such officers and such men, I can have no doubt of the result.

I think I can say with great propriety, that we have now the command of the lake, and that we can transport troops and stores to any part of it without any risk of an attack from the enemy, although the whole of his naval force was not collected at Kingston, yet the force of the different batteries would more than counterbalance the vessels that were absent. It was thought by all the officers in the squadron, that the enemy had more than thirty cannon mounted at Kingston, and from 1000 to 1500 men. The Royal George protected by this force was driven into the inner harbour, under the protection of the musquetry, by the Oneida and four small schooners, fitted out as gun-boats: the Gov. Tompkins not having been able to join in the action until about sundown, owing to the lightness of the winds, and the Pert's gun having burst the third shot.

We are replacing all deficiencies, and I shall proceed up the lake the first wind in the hopes to fall in with the Earl Moira and the Prince Regent; at any rate I shall endeavor to prevent them from forming a junction with the Royal George again this winter. I shall also visit Niagara river if practicable, in order to land some guns and stores that I have taken on board for that purpose. If the enemy are still in possession of Queenstown, I shall try to land them a few miles below. I shall have the honor of writing you more in detail upon this subject on my return or perhaps before I leave here if the wind should continue a-head. I have the honor to be, &c.

ISAAC CHAUNCEY.

The Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy.