American forces landed about a hundred troops and sailors from USS Sally in Puerto Plata and boarded the French corvette Sandwich anchored there, which surrendered after a brief firefight.

U.S. Marines then assaulted the Spanish Army's Fortaleza San Felipe; after another brief firefight, the fort was overrun and its cannons were spiked.

Having captured the small French sloops Sally and Ester, USS Constitution arrived outside Puerto Plata.

Talbot offloaded from USS Constitution a landing force of about 100 marines and sailors, onto the prize sloop Sally under the command of Lt. Isaac Hull.

Then the Americans turned their attention on Fortaleza San Felipe, a Spanish Army fort whose guns covered the two ships.