De Bacan made his preparations silently, covered by the town.  He had men in abundance ready to act where he should direct.  On the third day, the 20th of September, at noon, the Minion’s crew had gone to dinner, when they saw a large hulk of 900 tons slowly towing up alongside of them.  Not liking such a neighbour, they had their cable ready to slip and began to set their canvas.  On a sudden shots and cries were heard from the town.  Parties of English who were on land were set upon; many were killed; the rest were seen flinging themselves into the water and swimming off to the ships.  At the same instant the guns of the galleons and of the shore batteries opened fire on the Jesus and her consorts, and in the smoke and confusion 300 Spaniards swarmed out of the hulk and sprang on the Minion’s decks.  The Minion’s men instantly cut them down or drove them overboard, hoisted sail, and forced their way out of the harbour, followed by the Judith.  The Jesus was left alone, unable to stir.  She defended herself desperately.  In the many actions which were fought afterwards between the English and the Spaniards, there was never any more gallant or more severe.  De Bacan’s own ship was sunk and the vice-admiral’s was set on fire.  The Spanish, having an enormous advantage in numbers, were able to land a force on the island, seize the English battery there, cut down the gunners, and turn the guns close at hand on the devoted Jesus.  Still she fought on, defeating every attempt to board, till at length De Bacan sent down fire-ships on her, and then the end came.  All that Hawkins had made by his voyage, money, bullion, the ship herself, had to be left to their fate.  Hawkins himself with the survivors of the crew took to their boats, dashed through the enemy, who vainly tried to take them, and struggled out after the Minion and the Judith.  It speaks ill for De Bacan that with so large a force at his command, and in such a position, a single Englishman escaped to tell the story.

Even when outside Hawkins’s situation was still critical and might well be called desperate.  The Judith was but fifty tons; the Minion not above a hundred.  They were now crowded up with men.  They had little water on board, and there had been no time to refill their store-chests, or fit themselves for sea.  Happily the weather was moderate.  If the wind had risen, nothing could have saved them.  They anchored two miles off to put themselves in some sort of order.  The Spanish fleet did not venture to molest further so desperate a foe.  On Saturday the 25th they set sail, scarcely knowing whither to turn.  To attempt an ocean voyage as they were would be certain destruction, yet they could not trust longer to De Bacan’s cowardice or forbearance.  There was supposed to be a shelter of some kind somewhere on the east side of the Gulf of Mexico, where it was hoped they might obtain provisions.  They reached