The New Hampshire Gazette

From St. Christophers GAZETTE, Nov. 10, 1758.

The Particulars of the Engagement between His Majesty's Ship the Buckingham, RICHARD TYRRELL, Esq; Commander, and three French Men of War convoying the Dutch Trade from St. Eustatia to Martinico, to the Leeward of Montserrat, the 3d of November, 1758.

On Thursday the 2d of November, at eight in the Evening, we weigh'd from St. John's road, Antigua. At five on Friday Morning, Montserrat W. half S. distance 7 miles, saw two sail; gave chace, and brought too a sloop that proved to be an English privateer, and the other her consort. At nine gave chace to a sail, which proved to be the Weazle. At Noon Montserrat E. N. E. 5 leagues, saw 3 sail bearing W. b. S. standing to the southward; made all the sail we could, and at I perceived 16 sail standing to the southward. Made the Weazle signal to chace. At 2 discovered a French 74 gun ship, a Frigate of 38, and another of 28 guns. There was also a small frigate and a ship to windward, which we judged to be Dutch arm'd ships, with fourteen sloops.

We immediately clear'd ship, and got every thing ready to engage. At half past 2 the French men of war formed a line a head, the 74 gun Ship hoisted a red flag at the mizzen topmast head, and a white jack at her ensign staff. And at 3, the Weazle being a head of us fired 2 shot at them, which the 74 gun ship, and one of the frigates returned, on which we made her signal to come in, and hailed her to keep close under our stern. At half past 3 the Florissant of 74 guns, fired her stern chace at us, which we declined returning till we got nearer to her, and then returned it briskly. At 4 the largest frigate bore away under our lee, and gave us her broadside, which we also returned; and she immediately sheer'd off. We still continued our bow chace on the Florissant, and she her stern chace on us which we received with several fires from the 28 gun frigate.

Capt. Tyrrel, finding he could not bring the Florissant to a general engagement, gave orders to give the Buckingham a yaw, which bro't her broadside to bear, and give our enemy a smart fire of great guns and small arms, which was briskly return'd by her; and at the same time the large frigate hauled her wind, came in under our stern, and raked us. Several broadsides being exchanged, at half past 5 we came to an engagement within pistol shot. They began the fire, which we return'd with our full broadsides, and small arms from the tops, poop, and gangways, which soon silenced her: At which time we observed her white jack struck at her ensign staff (which never was hoisted again during the engagement) and her red flag lower'd from her mizzen topmast head to the mizzen peak. At half past 6 she fired only 2 guns at us, and we still continued our fire of great guns and small arms. Three quarters after six she fell on board us; her jib boom running in between our main and mizen mast, and her foreyard being foul of our main yard: We continued some little time in that position, and it was observed from our tops by Capt. Tyrrel on the poop with the marines, and by the marines on the gangways, that there was not one of their men on the poop or quarter deck to fire at. To shew the confusion they were in, the men in the tops threw several hand grenades without lighting the fuzes; of which several were picked up after the engagement. At 7 she sheer'd off, and prevented our boarding her, for which we were all ready: But the officers at that time perceiving it impracticable, call'd all the Hands to the great guns, (loaded with round and grape, and round and double headed shot) and brought our broadside to bear upon her within 12 yards. Volleys of small arms from the tops, poop, and gang-boards, were also poured into her in such a manner that every shot must take place; and her men, as before being driven from their quarters, he remained without any manner of help, and give us time to give her a second dose: The wind then springing up sheered her round, and brought her stern to us, on which he set her main sail, hoisted all the sail he could crowd, and made off, favoured by the night.

Our condition was as follows: The tiller rope shot away; all our braces and bowlines gone; our sails aback, and torn to pieces; our masts, yards, and standing rigging damaged; and having no command of the ship, were rendered incapable of following her.

The 38 gun frigate, whenever she had an opportunity, raked us fore and aft.

We had the misfortune to have Capt. Tyrrell wounded, by having a finger taken off his right hand, with several contusions on his head, arms, and body: Lieutenant Harris of the marines, and Mr. Winterborne, master, were also wounded by the same shot. Mr. Marshall the first Lieutenant, who behaved during the engagement like a true Englishman and a brave officer, was killed. We lost 7 men killed; and had 46 wounded, of which 2 are since dead.

There was neither an officer nor man but what behaved like a true Briton, and did his duty with the utmost pleasure and bravery. But we cannot say any thing in praise of the French: They loaded their guns with tar langrage, pieces of cast metal, and other mortifying rubbish; and red chewed Balls from their small arms, of which we have samples to produce. Their langrage is a square bar of iron, 4 inches long, and notched on each square to make them dangerous. In short, their behaviour was so far from what might be expected from the king's ships, that we can compare it to nothing better than that of pirates, or the worst of privateers.