garrison. The Colonel embarked, landed, as he conceived, at the proper point, pursuant to Captain Hamilton's order, and was forming his men in order of battle, when he was met by Captain Shaw, and ordered to march into the garrison, at open order, the safest route. When my own boat landed, we were met by two men, who took charge of the boat, as we understood, to bring her under the protection of the fort batteries; believing our baggage to be thus made safe, we forbid our servants to carry any portion of it; but loaded them with cannon balls, which they bore to the fort. Our baggage was, however, taken by the Indians, in a very short time after we left the boat. In receiving the orders of Capt. Hamilton, I asked if he had brought spikes, to spike the enemy's cannon? to which he replied, that he had plenty. Captain Hamilton, on delivering the orders of General Harrison, observed that the object of landing, and marching a portion of the troops on the right bank, was to draw the attention of the Indians; and by thus engaging them, afford an opportunity to the garrison to make a sally; and, by a circuitous route, surprize and carry the batteries, and cannon of the enemy, below the fort, on the right bank.

I am, respectfully, &c.

GREEN CLAY, Brig. Gen.

His Ex. Maj. Gen. HARRISON. (A true Copy)

GHAN,

G. CROGHAN, A. D. C.

CHAPTER XVII.

Naval Operations Renewed.

These gloomy and distressing scenes of the forest, served as so many shades to the brilliant scenes on the ocean, where the American flag continued to wave victorious.

On the 24th of February, 1813, captain Lawrence, in the Hornet, of sixteen guns, fell in with, and captured his Britannic majesty's brig Peacock, of eighteen guns, after an action of fifteen minutes. The Peacock went down, at the close of the action, with her brave captain Peake and the rest of her killed; but the thirty-three wounded, were all saved. The Hornet had one killed, four wounded, and lost three sunk in the prize.

CAPTURE OF THE PEACOCK.

Copy of a letter from Captain James Lawrence, of the U. Sloop of War Hornet, to the Secretary of the Navy.

SIR,

U. S. Ship Hornet,

Holmes' Hole, March 19, 1813.

I have the honor to inform you of the arrival at this port, of the U. S. ship Hornet, under my command, from a cruise of 145 days; and to state to you, that, after Com. Bainbridge left the coast of Brazils, (January 6,) I continued off the harbor of St. Salvadore, blockading the Bonne Citoyenne, until the 24th, when the Montague, 74, hove in sight, and chased me into the harbor;

but, night coming on, I wore, and stood out to the southward.

Knowing that he had left Rio Janeiro, for the express purpose of relieving the Bonne Citoyenne, and the Packet (which I had also blockaded 14 days, and obliged her to send her mail to Rio in a Portuguese smack,) I judged it most prudent to shift my cruising ground, and hauled by the wind to the westward, with a view of cruising off Pernambuca, and, on the 4th of February, captured the English brig Resolution, of 10 guns, from Rio Janeiro, bound to Maranham, with coffee, jerked beef, flour, fustic, and butter, and about 23,000 dollars in specie. As she sailed dull, and I could ill spare hands to man her, I took out the money and set her on fire. I then ran down the coast for Maranham, and cruised there a short time; from thence run off Surrinam. After cruising off that coast from the 15th until the 22d February, without meeting a vessel, I stood for Demarara, with an intention, should I not be fortunate on that station, to run through the W. I. on my way to the U. States; but on the 24th, in the morning, I discovered a brig to leeward, to which I gave chase; run into quarter less four, and not having a pilot, was obliged to haul off the fort, at the entrance of Demarara river, bearing S. W. distant two and a half leagues. Previous to giving up the chase, I discovered a vessel at anchor, without the bar, with English colours flying, apparently a brig of war. In beating round Carobana bank, in order to get to her, at half past 3, P. M. I discovered another sail on my weather quarter, edging down for us at 4, 20, she hoisted English colours, at which time we discovered her to be a large man of war brig-beat to quarters, and cleared ship for action, and kept close by the wind, in order, if possible, to get the weather-guage--at 5, 10, finding I could weather the enemy, I hoisted American colours, and tacked-at 5, 25, in passing each other, exchanged broadsides, within half pistol shot. Observing the enemy in the act of

wearing, I bore up, received his starboard broadside, run him close on board on the starboard quarter, and kept up such a heavy and well-directed fire, that in less than 15 minutes she surrendered, (being totally cut to pieces) and hoisted an ensign union down from his fore rigging, as a signal of distress. Shortly after, her main mast went by the board-despatched Lieut. Shubrick on board, who soon returned with her 1st Lieut. who reported her to be his B. M. late brig Peacock, commanded by Capt. William Peake, who fell in the latter part of the action; that a number of her crew were killed and wounded, and that she was sinking fast, she having then six feet water in her hold - despatched the boats immediately for the wounded, and brought both vesels to anchor. Such shot-holes as could be got at, were then plugged, guns thrown overboard, and every possible exertion used to keep her afloat until the prisoners could be removed, by pumping and bailing-but without effect, as she unfortunately sunk, in five and a half fathoms water, carrying down 13 of her crew, and three of my brave fellows, viz. John Hart, Joseph Williams, and Hannibal Boyd. Lieut. Conner and Midshipman Cooper, and the remainder of my men, employed in removing the prisoners, with difficulty saved themselves, by jumping into a boat that was lying on the booms, as she went down. Four men, of the 13 mentioned, were so fortunate as to gain the fore-top, and were afterwards taken off by our boats. Previous to her going down, four of her men took to her stern boat, that had been much damaged during the action, who, I sincerely hope, reached the shore; but, from the heavy sea running at that time, the shattered state of the boat, and difficulty of landing on the coast, I am fearful they were lost.I have not been able to ascertain, from her officers, the exact number of killed. Capt. Peake, and 4 men, were found dead on board; the Master, one Midshipman, Carpenter and Captain's Clerk, and 29 men wounded, most of them very severely, 3 of which died of their

wounds after being removed, and 9 drowned.-Our loss was trifling, in comparison; John Place killed, Samuel Coulson, and Jos. Dalrymple, slightly wounded; our rigging and sails were very much cut; one shot through the foremast, and bowsprit slightly injured. Our hull received little or no damage.

At the time I brought the Peacock to action, the Espeigle, (the brig mentioned as being at anchor,) mounting 16 32lb. carronades, and 2 long nines, lay about 6 miles in shore of me, and could plainly see the whole of the action.--Apprehensive she would beat out to the assistance of her consort, such exertions were used by my officers and crew, in repairing damages, &c. that by nine o'clock our boats were stowed, a new set of sails bent, and the ship completely ready for action. At 2, P. M. got under way, and stood by the wind to the northward and westward, under easy sail. On mustering next morning, found we had 277 souls on board, (including the crew of the American brig Hunter, of Portland, taken a few days before, by the Peacock,) and, as we had been on two-thirds allowance of provisions, for some time, and had but 3,400 gallons of water on board, I reduced the allowance to 3 pints a man, and determined to make the best of my way to the U. States.

The Peacock was deservedly styled one of the finest vessels of her class in the British navy. I should judge her to be about the tonnage of the Hornet; her beam was greater, by 5 inches, but her extreme length- not so great, by 4 feet. She mounted sixteen 24 pr. carronades, 2 long nines, one 12 pr. carronade on her top-gallant forecastle, as a shifting gun, and one 4, or 6 pounder, and 2 swivels, mounted aft. I find, by her quarter bill, that her crew consisted of 134 men, four of whom were absent in a prize.

The cool and determined conduct of my officers and crew, during the action, and their almost unexampled exertions afterwards, entitle them to my warmest ae