The Virginia Gazette

LAST Thursday evening arrived at Newport, after a short cruise. His most Christian Majesty's frigate Hermione, commanded by the Chevalier de la Touche, the day before at 7 A. M. five leagues to the S. S. E. of Montauk Point, he discovered a ship, a sloop, a schooner, and a snow, all armed, he immediately bore down on the ship which met him half way, a most furious engagement commenced, which lasted an hour and a half within musket shot, when the English frigate sheered off. The rigging of the Hermione was so much cut as to prevent M. la Touche from bringing the enemy (who was at that time, and during the whole of the engagement to the windward) to a second action; after firing three guns, to which the enemy did not answer, he chased (in sight of the British frigate, who made no efforts to prevent him) with as much sail as he could make, the schooner to Montauk Point, in six fathom water, the wind calming, and M. la Touche not choosing to approach nearer the land, he sailed for Newport. The ship M. la Touche engaged mounted 30 guns, 18 and 12 pounders on her gun deck; on her quarter-deck and forecastle, she had 9 pounders, the number not certain. The Hermione mounts only twenty 6 pounders on her gun-deck, and ten 6 pounders on her quarter-deck and forecastle. There is no reason to comment on this action, the superiority of force of the British frigate could not prevent them from flying from the gallant Frenchman, M. la Touche is slightly wounded in the left arm; Mons. Duquesne second in command, is also wounded in the left arm and thigh, but neither dangerous: Mons. la Ville Marais, a brave officer had the bone of his left thigh broke by a ball, and it is feared his wound will prove mortal; Mons. de Charderac, a volunteer on board the frigate has lost his right hand; 10 privates were killed and 37 wounded, three of which are since dead. There is great reason to suppose the enemy's loss is much greater, as the cannon of the Hermione were entirely pointed at the hull of the enemy's ship, who directed their shot chiefly at the sails and rigging.