The Virginia Gazette

An extract from the Martinique Gazette of July 1, 1779.

The 25th of June the frigate la Blanche of 36 guns, commanded by Monsieur de la Galisonniere, being one of the squadron of Monsieur de la Mothe Piquet, came to anchor in the bay of Fort Royal, after having had an engagement with the Jupiter an English 74 gun ship; this action does the greatest honour to the French navy, and deserves mention as a most heroick exploit. A vessel of the convoy having been separated from the fleet and falling to leeward in a stormy night, the commandant threw out a signal for the la Blanche to go and convoy her back to the fleet; he soon came up with, and took her in tow, when the Jupiter attacked the frigate la Blanche, with that confidence of success which a superiority of force always inspires, but the high sea preventing the working of the Jupiter's lower deck guns'; the frigate sustained very little injury; Monsieur de la Galisonniere, worthy of the name he bears, supported the attack of the Jupiter with the utmost intrepidity, and returned her fire so vigorously that she was obliged to sheer off, after a very hot action; the la Blanche pursued her for the space of half an hour, but the Jupiter being a better sailer than the frigate, out sailed her, notwithstanding the damage he had received in the engagement, Monsieur de la Galisonniere thought proper to give over the pursuit, that he might not be separated from the convoy.