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The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
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British fleet under Admiral Saunders chased a reported French convoy from Brest on November 16, but encountered Spanish ships instead; gale forced return, with French likely in St. Martin's. Achilles and Dorsetshire detached to protect East Indiamen off Cape Finisterre.
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Extract of a Letter from an Officer on board Admiral Saunders's Fleet, Nov. 23.
"I have the Pleasure of informing you, that the 16th Instant when we were about 6 Leagues to the Southward of Ushant, the Acteon gave us Intelligence of five Ships of the Line, five Frigates, and about sixty Sail of Transports, leaving Brest the Morning before. They stood to the Southward. She had lost Sight of them about ten or twelve Hours before we spoke with her; upon which we made all the Sail we could set, and stood after them. Next Morning the Acteon being ahead to look out made the Signal for seeing a Fleet: Then the general Signal to Chase was made, but, to our great Chagrin, after Chacing eight Hours, they proved to be five Spanish Ships of War: Notwithstanding this Disappointment, we still kept on till we were about 7 1/2 Leagues to the South by West, half West, of Ushant; and had determined to have gone further after them had not we met with a gale of Wind from the S. W. that drove us to the N. E.: however, we were pretty well assured they have not got to the Southward of us yet, but are put into St. Martin's, so that I don't despair of meeting with them, as we spread from Cape Finisterre to Ushant."
P. S. The Achilles, of 60 Guns, and Dorsetshire, of 74, left us on the 17th Inst. to cruize off Cape Finisterre for our East Indiamen.
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Where did it happen?
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Ushant
Event Date
Nov. 23
Key Persons
Outcome
no engagement; chased ships identified as spanish; french convoy believed in st. martin's; gale drove fleet northeast.
Event Details
On 16th instant, Acteon reported French fleet leaving Brest; British fleet chased southward from Ushant but found Spanish ships after eight hours; continued pursuit until gale from S.W. forced return; Achilles and Dorsetshire detached on 17th to cruise off Cape Finisterre.