The attack commenced at 7am on the 23rd January 1759 and "at 10 the Rippon began to engage the Morne Rouge (a 6 gun battery), but having run in too close, on letting go her anchor, she tailed the shore and stuck fast. At 11 cut the cable howser and kept engaging the 7 gun battery taking her on the starboard bow". Most of the batteries were silenced by noon, but "on the North side remained unsilenced the seven gun battery, and the Fort at the Morne Rouge, where the Rippon lay aground, engaging both of them and at 2 in the afternoon had actually silenced the guns at the Morne; but the enemy observing the ship to be on shore, assembled in great numbers on the brow of the hill and lined the trenches from which they kept up a brisk fire of small arms, and raked her fore and aft, killing and wounding many men. At 3 the Militia brought up a cannon, an 18-pounder, and played it in the way of Batterie en Barbe for two hours, and being mounted so high above the ship, it was not silenced but with difficulty; they likewise planted their colours upon the parapet of the trenches, which were soon afterwards shot down and never appeared any more. Lieutenant Chaundy of the Marines, after behaving with great spirit, received a violent contusion in his left leg, which was cut off immediately, and Mr. Grey, a midshipman, was wounded in the thigh by a musket ball, of which he died."

"Of 28 Marines quartered on the poop, 8 were killed or wounded, and the seamen so enfiladed on the fore-castle, that 10 out of the 20 remaining were obliged to be sent forwards to assist in returning the fire there; the rest of the Marines were employed at the Great Guns, there being upwards of 90 men sick in the hold. A large box containing 900 cartridges blew up on the poop, and set fire to the ship. All the grape shot on board was now expended, and the wadding; the Marines and seamen making wadding of their jackets and shirts, and firing them away at the trenches. Flung out a signal of distress to the squadron; extinguished the fire on the poop. At this time Captain Leslie of the Bristol observing the situation of the Rippon came from sea, and ran in between the ship and the 7-gun battery which had played upon her from the beginning of the engagement, pouring in a whole broadside upon the enemy; the Marines in the Bristol at the same time Ranked the Militia in the lines, so that the fire upon the Rippon slackened.

At 5 the Commodore made the signal to prepare to land the troops, which was afterwards countermanded, it being too late and growing dark. At seven the four bombs stood in for the shore, and threw shells and carcases into the town. The houses and churches were everywhere soon in flames, the magazines of powder blown about the enemy's ears, and the whole at ten o'clock blazed out in one general conflagration. In this engagement which continued without ceasing from 9 in the morning till night, the squadron sustained but little loss of men. Of the officers were killed Lieutenant Roberts, of the Marines of the Norfolk; wounded, Captain Trelawney (R.N.), of the Lyon, Lieutenant Curle of the Marines of the Lyon, and Lieutenant Chaundy of the Marines in the Rippon. All night the bombs continued to play on the town and citadel."

"At 9 in the evening the Rippon, which still remained aground, run her lar- board guns over to the starboard side, started 30 tun of water in the forehold to lighten her forward, and employed all her boats in endeavouring to tow off, then having carried out hawsers, all hands were turned to the capstern, but the anchors came home, and she never moved till near 12, when, contrary to the expectation of almost everybody on board, she gave a sudden start, and was got oS to the great joy of the officers and men, who were not without their appre- hensions of her being burnt by the enemy in the night or beat to pieces by the sea and the surf before the morning. Upon examining the Gunner's report the ship had fired 1,300 great shot and upwards, and the Marines 2,000 cartridges. The foremast was shot through, the mizzen yard cut almost away, and the braces and rigging greatly damaged" The next day the troops landed and occupied the Town and Citadel which had been abandoned by the enemy, who under the leadership of the Governor had fallen back to a position known as the Dos D'Asne, up among the hills about six miles inland.

Quoted from the 1760 comprehensive account by Captain Richard Gardiner, who commanded the Marines on board the Rippon.

The following inscription comes from New Church, Exeter, England

Underneath are deposited the remains of Bartholomew Chaundy Esq, Captain in the Marine Service, a brave officer, an affectionate husband, a tender parent and a sincere friend. He deceased the 30th day of November 1777 aged 50.