Letter from Rear-Adm. Sir Samuel Hood to General Jacob de Budé describing in detail successful British naval action against the French earlier in the month [presumably the Battle of the Saintes] and his great disappointment that the French fleet was not pursued, enclosing various letters exchanged between himself and Sir George Rodney [0681], and a list of French ships taken.
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Barfleur off Guadaloupe April 13th. 1782 Rejoice my dear General rejoice, and give God thanks His Majesty’s fleet has given such a beating, to [[underline]] that [[/underline]] of France, as no great fleet ever had before On the 9th. my division, had two seperate actions with the Enemy’s van & center, between the Islands of Guadaloupe & Dominique, while the greatest part of our center & all the Rear, were becalmed under the latter Island. About 2 P the Enemy being to windward hauled off, and our fleet joined. The next morning the French ships were far to windward Sir George Rodney carried a stiff sail all day, neared them very much at Sun sett, and intended to have carried a plain sail all night — but by some mistake of Sir Charles Douglas, by making the signal for the leading ship to [[underline]] shorten sail, [[/underline]] which was under her topsails [[underline]] only [[/underline]] with her Mizen Topsail aback, the Fleet unfortunately lay too the whole night, and in the morning at day light we could only see the Leeward most part of the French fleet from the Mast head — We again worked to windward [[catchword]] and [[/catchword]]
