The New Hampshire Gazette

Extract of a Letter from Capt. William Day Commander of the Ship Prussian Hero, who lately sailed from New York for the West Indies, dated March 4th 1758.

To the windward of Antigua, at 8 in the Morning a French Privateer of 12 Guns, came across our Bow: our Guns being all housed: She ran up within 200 Yards of us, and bore away: We immediately run out our Guns, and gave her a Broad Side; upon which she made all the Sail he could before the Wind, and got out of the reach of our Guns, and then hauled her Wind and dog'd us all Night. In the Morning we fell in with a Schooner of 10 Guns: They both engaged us from 8 to 10; and at 12 another Sloop of 8 Guns came to their Assistance: And at 4 in the Afternoon they thought to make a grand Attack upon us, and all ran boldly on as tho' they intended to board us.--We let them come within reach of our Guns: when, upon the first Broad Side we gave them, one of the Sloops was obliged to haul his Wind and lay by: The Schooner and the other Sloop still came on; but we ply'd them so warmly, that a little after 6 in the Evening they hauled their Wind, and as Night was coming on and they to Windward of us, could not get either of them.--They were full of Men: and I believe we kill'd a considerable Number of them.--We saw many of the Shot strike them; which put them in the utmost Confusion.--They would not come to Leeward of us, if they had, we would have taken the Three.--Mrs. Day (the Captain's Wife) behaved all the Time of Action, in the Gun Room handing Powder, more like an old Veteran than a Woman, and declared all the Time, she would not quit her Post, while there was a Man able to fire a Gun. We had 3 Men slightly wounded by a Powder-Horn blowing up.--We have 63 Men and Boys, and two Women.