General Sancho took command of the shore defences, Admiral Gonzalo Mendez de Cauzo commanded the forts, while Tello defended the harbour with his frigates. The Spanish decided to sink two vessels at the harbour entrance, with Tello's frigates just behind, to prevent the English from entering the harbour. The Spanish defence consisted of 1500 men, 800 of whom manned the 5 frigates, with 70 land-based cannon in addition to those on the frigates. Hawkins had died on 12 November from a fever, while Drake arrived offshore Puerto Rico on 22 November, anchoring off the Boquerón Inlet. The Spanish artillery and scored hits upon Drake's ship, Defiance, killing Sir Nicholas Clifford and Browne. Drake moved his fleet to the vicinity of Isla de Cabras on 23 November.[2][1][3]
"The same Thursday, 23rd, San Clement's Day, at ten o'clock at night, when it was quite dark, the enemy commenced an attack on the port with twenty-five boats, each carrying fifty or sixty men well armed, with the view of burning the frigates, as was afterwards seen, and they all entered up close to the platform of the Rock (battery), ranging themselves under the fire of the artillery...Most of the boats attacked the Capitana, the Texeda frigate, setting fire to her at the bow, and throwing into her a quantity of fire-pots and shells while ours succeeded in extinguishing the flames before they had done any damage, the fight being carried on by cannon, musquetry and stones.
"At the same time they set fire to the Sta. Ysabel and Magdalena frigates, and to the Sancta Clara, which was extinguished; but the third time that the Magdalena frigate, of which Domingo de Ynsaurraga was captain, took fire, it was impossible to extinguish the flames, as the ship took fire at the stern and burned furiously; and all that could be done to maintain a footing on board, was done by the aforesaid captain and the people with him, until the ship was just burnt down and twelve men were killed by the enemy's musquetry, besides as many more burnt...The battle lasted for an hour, the most obstinately contested that was ever seen, and the whole port was illumined by the burning frigate in a manner favourable for the rest, who could thus see to point our artillery and that of the forts, with which, and with the musquetry and stones thrown frown the frigate, they did such effect, that the enemy, after about an hour, during which the combat lasted, as I have said, retreated with the loss of nine or ten boats and more than four hundred men, besides many more wounded; while on our side, the only loss was that of the frigate and forty men killed or burnt, besides a few wounded by the musquetry."