Troubled waters were against the British, who amounted to 700 in the boats, supported by 180 in the cutter Fox and 80 in a Canary sloop taken earlier. In addition to San Cristóbal castle, General Gutiérrez split his force over four strategic points: Pila square, Santos stream, Carnicerías beach and Santo Domingo monastery.
At around 23:00 a rain of cannonballs and musket bullets from the batteries of Paso Alto, San Miguel, San Antonio and San Pedro fell on the approaching British whose own ammunition was damp with seawater. Several shots reached the cutter's hull. Some of the boats reached the beaches and marines managed to spike a couple of cannons, yet others drifted away. Spanish mortars and cannons focused on the successful sailors and swept them away. Many British casualties were left scattered on the beach. An immense line of fire, ranged from Paso Alto to San Telmo castle, targeted the small vessels. Before midnight the cutter Fox was hit by crossfire from the heights and sunk, with Lieutenant John Gibson and 17 of his men being drowned. This diorama is presented at the Regional Military Museum of the Canaries (Museo Histórico Militar de Canarias), Santa Cruz (Tenerife,Spain).
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