IN regard that the Bravery and Gallantness of the last Actions of Captain Hamilton and Captain Brown's Lives are so Remar­kable, and not frequently paralell'd, I think it not amiss to give you a particular and distinct Account of them, as it was deli­vered to some Members of the Privy-Council here, by one of the Lieutenants of those Frigats that had the good Fortune to come off after he had been taken Prisoner, and by other persons now in Town, who were present, and Witnesses of what past, which was thus. On Wednesday the 10th. of July, Captain Ha­milton Commanding the Pelican carrying 18 Guns and 120 Men, and Captain Brown in the Jennet Frigate carrying 12 Guns and 80 Men, as they were Cruising between the Mull of Kintire in Scot­land and Carrichsergus Lough in Ireland, happened to discover at Sea to the Southward three Sail of Ships, to whom they immedi­ately ply'd up, and when they came within such a distance as to be able to discern them; they observed them to look like En­glish built Ships, carrying the English Flag and Colours, which led them into the mistake of believing them to be English and Friends: This obliged them to make up close to them to Salute them; but they did not sooner perceive their Errour, than they [Page] found it impossible to Retreat; they being three French Men of War, having on Aboard a Battalion of 400 Men of Collonel Por­sils Regiment of Foot, that was going to joyn Dundee; the big­gest of them carrying 36 Guns, the Second 30, and the third 24 Guns: And so to Action they fell immediately, and fought it with all the Gallantry and Resolution imaginable with their Guns above an hour; the two lesser Frigats fell to Captain Brown's share to engage with, and when his Main Mast was shot down, they came and lay aboard him, in which Action his Right Arm was shot off with a Canon Bullet, yet notwithstanding he maintained the Fight Resolutely, and continued giving directions and Orders to his Men, untill he received seven Musket Bullets in his Body, the last of which killed him dead, one Cambell his Lieutenant maintain'd the Fight with the same Gallantry, until be­ing over power'd by the Enemies men, who after great slaughters coming on board found the Lieutenant lying on the Deck, Shot throught the right Thigh, the right Shoulder, and left Arm, hav­ing only 14 Men alive, whereof 8 were wounded and disabled. Captain Brown's Ship being thus taken, these two Frigats Joyn the great one, and all three fall on Captain Hamilton, who made his part good against the French Man alone, and when his Ship had been much batter'd and torn, the two biggest Ships came and en­deavoured to board him; and with them he fought a considerable time, his Ship being better provided for a close Fight then Cap­tain Brown's was, he had the misfortune to be thrice boarded by the Enemy, and the Courage to clear his Deck as often of them. At last his Forecastle and Steerage being torn open by the violence and frequency of the Enemies Shot, and the hand gra­nadoes doing much mischief to his Men, the Enemy boarded him the fourth time in great Numbers, so that looking upon himself and his Ship for lost, as his last affort, gave orders to his Gunner to go down to the hold and blow up the Ship; and he no sooner gave the word of Command for Executing what he had purposed to do, but a Cannon Bullet at random Shot from the third Ship, came and dispatcht him, and hindred his last orders from being obey'd. And so his Ship fell into the Enemies hands, and of the 120 Men he had on board, only 30 Men were found alive, whereof the greatest part were wounded and much disabled. In this Action there were killed of our People, the two Captains, one hundred and fifty Six Men; and of the Enemies one French Captain, two Lieutenants, two hundred and Eighteen Men, and many wounded.

This Account we have from some that were taken and now have made their Escape, and from those that have been aboard the French Ship since the Action, as also from some of those Irish that were taken prisoners since that time, all their Relations agreeing as above is mentioned.