The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

BOSTON, May 16.

The following account of a sea engagement between the French Fleet under the command of his Excellency the Count de Grasse, and the British fleet, under the orders of Sir George B. Rodney, is translated from the Martinico Gazette of April 8, brought by the brig Swan, Capt. Goodhue, who arrived at Newbury last Thursday, in 20 days from Martinico.

The Fleet at bay during the night between the 8th and 9th, in the channel of Dominique, covered the merchant ships by his grand manoeuvres, and by that means gave them time enough to make their escape.
The 9th in the morning the two van guards were engaged, 15 French against 18 English ships, the main body of the two fleets being not near enough to engage. The Caton commanded by M. Framimond, sustained with the greatest firmness, the fire from three English ships; near 20 men were killed and wounded, and she was soon disengaged by the Triumphant and Pluto. The English left in the field of battle, and appeared infinitely more damaged than we were. The Caton proceeded to Guadaloupe to repair, and the next day was followed by the Jason, who had suffered by the Zele's running on board her; this last ship having also run on board the Ville de Paris in the night between the 11th and 12th, her mizen-mast and bowsprit were carried away, and not being able to manoeuvre, would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, if Count de Grasse had not ordered the frigate Atalante to go and take her in tow.
The English in that moment crowded all their sails towards the damaged ships; our General to save them, made a signal for the whole fleet to bear down upon the enemy, and to attack them at pistol shot; that judicious manoeuvre at the time when we had but 20 ships against 37, was immediately executed with the greatest intrepidity; the Count de Grasse gave the example. he cut off the English line, and carried every thing before him that lay exposed to the fire of his artillery. The two fleets being becalmed, were mixed together, and fought with unexampled bravery from 7 o'clock in the morning till 7 o'clock in the evening; the ships were engaged the greatest part of the time yard arm and yard arm.
The ship of war le Glorieux engaged by three of the enemy, 2 of which were 3 deckers, was taken, being entirely dismasted, and just ready to sink: the English after taking her out of the line, set fire to her, and she blew up.
We shall go no further in lamenting the sad effects of war, but wait for the well authenticated account of this memorable and bloody day. We have but this moment the certainty of the deplorable situation in which the two fleets were left after the action, and we know only that during the bloody engagement, a number of English ships were seen in a bad condition going before the wind: That on the 13th, the two fleets were seen off Guadaloupe, 13 leagues distant from each other, that the convoy past by Basse Terre from St. Domingo in the night between the 9th and 10th, under the escort of the Sagittaire and the Experiment, and except the loss of the Glorieux, the English ships have suffered much more damage than ours.

P. S. It appears by the last letters from Guadaloupe, that our Fleet stood for St. Domingo: and that the English were endeavouring Monday last to gain Antigua: They add, that the frigate Richmond, after having towed the Glorieux for some time, saved her crew, and then set her on fire.