Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

Kingston, (Jam.) December 3.

The following account by Don Sanches Ramires, of the action, fought between the French and Spaniards on the 7th of November at Santa-Domingo, in which general Ferrand was killed, we were yesterday favoured with :

On the 6th of the month, I arrived with the last supply of arms and ammunition at the Risulet of Magarin, within the jurisdiction of Seybo, where my troops were badly situated and moreover in a desert, with continual rain, so as to wet all our arms, without a remedy to dry them, on account of the inclemency of the weather. General Ferrand with his troops were encamped at Corralero, about two leagues distant from Magarin. Observing the danger which threatened us, owing to our disadvantageous position, and the bad state of our arms, not having even sufficient time to draw up my troops, I retreated to Palo-Hincado, the peculiar position of which offered great advantages;—but I could not effect my arrival at that place before the 7th, in the morning, on account of the overflowing of the rivers. From the time of my arrival at Palo-Hincado, which was at 9 o'clock, I was solely occupied in forming my troops, in order to await the enemy, who on the same night (being apprised of the bad state of our arms, by a French-man of colour, who was attached to my troops, but went over to those of General Ferrand,) availed himself of the favourable opportunity. I immediately ordered the arms to be dried and put in serviceable state with the greatest dispatch, and drew up my Infantry on the most elevated spot of the camp—on the right wing I placed part of my cavalry, and on the left another, and between the infantry and the cavalry of the right, in a gully which separated them, I put in ambush 200 men with cutlasses. At the spot where the enemy had to pass, I ambushed thirty men, in order that, on our attacking his vanguard, they might at the same time fire upon his rear. Every thing being thus disposed, I gave orders to advance upon the enemy after the first fire, without waiting the second, and proclaimed pain of death to the drummer who should beat the retreat, to the general who should order the same, were it even myself, and to all others that should abandon their post. At this time, the enemy was in sight, and his column facing us—without allowing him time to form a line, our fire commenced, and he was pressed on all sides with such intrepidity, that in less than ten minutes the victory was decided in our favour.

On our part, the two commanding officers of the cavalry, and adjutant of the same, and three privates of the Infantry, were killed—and forty-five wounded, but on the enemies side more than three hundred were left dead on the field of battle, and upwards of one hundred were made prisoners. General Ferrand, who made his escape with others (for all were routed) either from disgrace, fury, or despairing of escaping my cavalry, which pursued him very closely, put an end to his existence with a pistol.

Juan Sanches Ramires.

Head-Quarters at Seybo, 7th & 8th November, 1808.