National Gazette

Bourdeaux, July 6. The privateer La Citoyenne Françoise, of this port, Captain Dubedat, mounting 26 carriage guns, 8 and 12 pounders, and 6 swivels, returned hither yesterday, after a glorious engagement which she supported from 6 till half past 8 in the evening, against an English frigate of 40 guns, in lat. 42. 24. N. and long 15. W. from the meridian of Paris. Captain Dubedat was killed in the engagement by a bullet which struck him in the breast. Citizen Rigal, the second Captain, then took the command, but the English frigate being disabled in her bowsprit and mizen-mast dropt astern. La Citoyenne Françoise pursued her; but the captain finding it necessary to repair his running rigging, which was all cut to pieces, and to fish his lower masts, which he observed were in danger of falling overboard, he lost sight of the enemy in the night time, without being able to discover her the next morning, as he was not in a condition to crowd sail in order to keep up with her. La Citoyenne Françoise had 16 men killed, and 37 wounded. She took a prize a few days after she sailed.

The English frigate had on board a great number of troops, who, by the fire of their musketry, killed a great many of our people, as the enemy were to the windward, and kept that position notwithstanding every attempt to get the wind of them.

Captain Rigal bestows great praises on the bravery of his crew; and, had not his rigging and masts been so much damaged, he has no doubt that, considering the distressed state in which the English were, he should have boarded and taken their vessel, tho' he was inferior in force to the enemy.