ement: but at length,
being dismasted and destroyed, some struck, and others left the
action. The Trinidad was attacked the whole afternoon by a
three-decker, and three ships of 74 guns, that raked her fore and aft
at pistol-shot; and notwithstanding her having upwards of two hundred
men killed and wounded, she still continued the action for a full hour
longer. Such was the dreadful situation of the Trinidad at six
o'clock, after an uninterrupted engagement, when the San Pablo and
Pelayo, that in the morning had been detached by my orders, and
crowded every sail from the moment of observing the action, now
reached the squadron.

"The reinforcement of these two ships happened at the opportune
junction of the Conde-de-Regla; the Principe arrived shortly after,
and the enemy, observing our van standing towards them, immediately
retired together, covering the captured ships San Josef, Salvador, San
Yisidro, and San Nicholas.

"No one will be surprised at the ultimate consequences of the action,
when the series of misfortunes and unforeseen events from the moment
of our seeing the enemy is considered; and further, that when
cruising, they should sail in a readier condition to form the line of
battle than could be performed by our squadron, in the order of
sailing with convoy, with the wind on our quarter. For the above
reason, scarcely were they discovered, than they formed in regular
order of battle, and so near as to oblige my forming the line hastily,
without attention to posts, or the consequences that might result from
this bad position of the ships and commanders; to which must be added,
that the Pelayo and San Pablo were ahead by order,--that the Firmin
and Oriente remained to leeward of both lines,--that notwithstanding
the exertions made by the Principe, Regla, and Firmin, they did not
enter into the line till the afternoon, the latter wanting a
foretop-mast. So that of all the ships of my squadron, only seventeen
formed in the line of battle, the St. Domingo included in the number,
loaded with quicksilver, and of very inconsiderable force. Of the
seventeen above mentioned, some were in action only at intervals, and
many did not fire a gun; resulting from the circumstance of the
enemy's line being entirely engaged against six Spanish ships, and
their defence is the more praiseworthy, as they were all in want of
men. The Trinidad remaining entirely dismasted, without the power of
making signals with flags or light