On the night of 11–12 December 1782, the British ship ‘Mediator’, commanded by Captain the Honourable James Luttrell, was waiting off Ferrol to intercept an American frigate lying there. He found a squadron of five of the enemy's vessels, store ships and privateers, heavily armed and with an aggregate of over 600 men heading for Port au Prince. These formed a line of battle and presented a formidable appearance as the ‘Mediator’ faced them. Undaunted, Luttrell bore down on them, and in a close action cut off one of the largest, the ‘Alexander’, compelling her to surrender. She was an American privateer, laden with stores. The ‘Mediator’ subsequently captured the French ‘Eugène’ and ‘Ménagère’. The following day a desperate but unsuccessful attempt was made by his prisoner to set fire to the ‘Mediator’. The prizes were brought safely to England.