The Enquirer

CHARLESTON, September 5.

Captain Johnson of the brig Fox, has furnished us with the following statement of the capture of the Spanish frigate Le Pomona, on the 23d ult. after a short, but perhaps one of the most brilliant actions, which the annals of the British navy can afford. It was furnished captain Johnson by captain Brisbane, of the British frigate Arethusa. On the 23d August, in company with the frigate Anson, they discovered a strange ship, and immediately made all sail in chase, at first taking her for the Spanish 74, which is continually running in and out of the Havanna, when the signal was made for laying her on board. She ran in and anchored under the guns of a fort, a small distance to leeward of Havanna, which mounted 16 guns, thirty-six pounders; and she was supported by twelve gun-boats, each mounting a twenty-four pounder forward and a nine pounder aft, and each manned with 100 men. At 11 A. M. the Arethusa ran close in shore, and anchored within pistol shot of the frigate; a general action instantly commenced, and in the course of 20 minutes the frigate struck. During the action 7 of the gun-boats were sunk, and three of them blew up, the other two were run on shore. The fort also, from some accident, blew up in the engagement. The Arethusa was set on fire in the action, by red-hot shot from the fort, and several of her men were wounded by the explosion of some gun-powder in consequence. There were but two men killed on board the Arethusa; captain Brisbane, his first lieutenant, the lieutenant of marines, and thirty seamen, were wounded. On board the Le Pomona, the captain and 70 men were killed, and 30 wounded, several of which had since died of their wounds. The frigate Anson lay off as a reserved force, and did not approach the enemy till after the frigate had struck. The Le Pomona, mounted 49 guns, with 340 men, and was from Vera Cruz, with a valuable cargo of specie and plate. It was stated she had on board one million of dollars, several trunks and boxes of which were removed on board the Arethusa, after the action, together with part of the plate. The Arethusa mounts but 32 guns. Captain Brisbane lamented his inability to save any of the seamen on board the gun-boats that sunk, which; together with those on board the boats that blew up, he supposed must have amounted to nearly 1000 men, besides those that were killed on board the frigate, and blown up in the fort.

Courier.