The New Hampshire Gazette

N E W-Y O R K, October 3.

On Monday Afternoon last arrived here the Privateer sloop Royal Hester, of 14 Guns, Solomon Davis Commander, this Port, and brought in with him two rich Prizes, a ship snow, which he took on the 11th and 12th of September, in Lat. 34. 10, on their Passage from Porto Prince, in Hispaniola, to Bourdeaux, chiefly loaded with Indigo, some Hides, and Sugar. The Ship is about 300 Ton Burthen, called Levebonniere, mounting 14 six and four Pounders, and 46 Men, and was commanded by Mons. Ballon. The Snow is about 260 Ton Burthen, called Le Leger, mounting four Pounders, had 66 Men, and was commanded by Mons. Trenchere.--Capt. Davis first descri'd them about 7 the Morning of the 11th, steering N. N. E. the Wind large. About 11 o'Clock he made them to be two deep loaded Merchantmen, they still keeping their Course; soon after which he tack'd, and they haul'd their Wind and view'd him, showing six large Stink Pots, one at each of their Boom Ends, and one at each Starboard and Larboard e-Yard Arm. In that Manner they bore down on the Hester, and each gave her a Broadside, which was return'd three Cheers only, as they kept the Weather Gage. Half after 12, A. M. by the Conduct of Capt. Davis, the Hester became the Windward Vessel, and then the Engagement began, which continued very warm on both sides some Time, the Hester receiving the Fire of both Ship and Snow, when Davis, being before prepared for boarding, the latter, he seem'd both then and before, by her Hour. when having kill'd out-right Eleven of the French Sailors, and wounded Thirty odd more, the Hester call'd for Quarters, and Capt. Davis ordered her Colours to be truck, the French Captain refusing to strike at any Rate, altho' he had his Right Leg & left Arm shot off, and was then near expiring. During this, Capt. Davis observing the Ship bearing down to assist the Snow, was oblig'd to cut his Grappling nor had he Time sufficient to take his Men out of the Prize. and resolutely engaged the Ship for two Hours and half, with only 25 Hands, Officers included, when he was obliged to sheer off and refit, having all his Rigging cut to Pieces, in so much that he had but one shroud standing to a Mast, the ship in the mean Time making sail, and endeavouring to escape. About half after 6 in the Evening, Capt. Davis got chief of his Men from on board the Prize snow, and gave the commanding Officer of her, repeated Orders to keep his Company all Night; but in the Morning of the 12th Sept. finding the Prize had left him, and he still in sight of the ship, he gave chase, and engaged her a fresh for three half Hours, during which she sprung her Luff three different Times, and fired a Broadside, when the Hester bearing down to board her, she struck, having 3 kill'd and 7 wounded. These two Prizes are esteemed the richest brought into America this War, being valued at upwards of £80,000. There was four Men kill'd on board the Privateer, and near thirty wounded. It seems Mons. Trenchere, Master of the snow, had taken the Sacrament at Porto Prince, in full Assurance not to strike to the English if attacked on the Voyage, which he strictly adher'd to: for while Quarters were offering him, he was so invenom'd, that suddenly grasping a Poll Axe that lay near him, he hove it with such vengeance at one of the Hester's Men, that the Blow fractur'd his Skull, and the poor Man has been trepan'd for it twice since his Arrival. The French Merchant also refus'd Quarters, altho' badly wounded and hardly able to make Resistance, yet, attempting it, he was shot thro' with a Brace of Balls by one of the Hester's Men. The Prisoners taken in the above Prizes, inform, that the Day before they engaged the Hester, they beat off a Dogger and Schooner Privateers, belonging to New York, the latter of which, tho't to be Capt. Arent Schuyler, they suppose to have sunk, as after the first Broadside the French snow gave her, she fell off, and did not answer any of the false Fires made by the Dogger the greatest part of the following Night. On the 4th of Sept. a Week before Capt. Davis came athwart his Prizes, in the Latitude of Bermuda he met with a heavy Gale of Wind or rather Hurricane, which obliged him to throw over board two of his Carriage Guns, and had his Main mast carried away below the Hounds; so that he engag'd with 12 Guns only, under a Jury-Mast.