The Rhode Island Republican

NEWPORT.
THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1813.

Yesterday morning, the ship Whampoa, of New York, from France, with a cargo of brandy, silks &c. was chased into the West Passage by a British frigate. The commander of the Whampoa finding it impossible to escape, the wind being at N. E. and the tide setting out, run her aground, on the Narraganset shore, cut away her masts and scuttled her. The several military companies in this town were mustered, part of whom went over to her assistance; but owing to the ferry-boats being aground on the West side, they were unable to proceed further than Jamestown before the British had got possession with their boats and set her on fire. The militia at S. Kingstown mustered and fired upon the British, and several were supposed to be killed and wounded, as their boats were once driven back to the frigates. The gun-boats under the command of Commodore Parrott, in this harbor got under way and went up as far as the north end of Jamestown, and what is very extraordinary, lay there for above an hour, with a fair wind, without proceeding down; which had it been done, in all probability would have saved the ship. The militia had not all returned when this paper went to press. and we have not yet been able to obtain more particular information.

P. S. We have just learned that the fire was extinguished by the indefatigable exertions of the company under command of capt. Peirce, of this town, and that a great proportion of the remaining property was saved.