The New Hampshire Gazette

SALEM, Nov. 26.
Recapture of the Hermione Frigate.
Capt. Williams, just arrived from Laguira, informs us of the recapture of the Hermione, formerly British frigate, and taken by her mutinous crew about two years since, and sold to the Spaniards at Laguira. She was cut out of Port Cabello, in a most gallant manner, by four boats from the Trent British frigate, with only 120 men. The Hermione was laying at a wharf, secured only by a fast, in a passage about a pistol shot wide, leading into the harbour, and under the guns of a most formidable castle; she was complete for sea, and was supposed to have on board 500,000 dollars property. Her crew consisted of 600 men, but were so refractory, from a reluctance to go on board a ship where such horrid murders had been perpetrated, that no more than 180 were doing duty at the time; 120 were in irons on board, and the remainder were confined on shore; she was at the same time deficient in officers. Under these circumstances, with her head lying outwards, and a leading wind, the desperate attempt was made by the British boats: they boarded her, cut her fast, killed the captain and many of her crew, and got safe out, although she was under a castle mounted with 300 brass cannon, and had to pass several inferior forts.
The astonished Spaniards declared it to be the act of devils, and not of men. The Spanish Captain was a brave and amiable man, and deeply regretted by his countrymen. The Spaniards had expended 200,000 dollars upon the Hermione: she had 50 guns mounted, and was shortly to have sailed to rendezvous at Cuba.