On April 15 Elbert received word that the Royal Navy had been spotted off the coast, and detailed around 360 men of the Georgia Continental battalions of Fort Howe to march to Darien; from here they were to embark upon three of the galleys, Washington, Bulloch, and Lee.

Colonel John White was assigned to Lee, Captain George Melvin to Washington, and Lieutenant Barnard Patty to Bulloch.

Some of the men in the scouting party which had been landed escaped by boat, taking word to Galatea to alert Captain Thomas Jordan to the imminent American attack.

Elbert received some intelligence regarding the two British ships; he decided, however, that it was too late in the evening to initiate an attack, and ordered his men to rest for the night.

Consequently, the galleys began by firing a few random shots at the British vessels before anchoring a safe distance away and beginning a heavy cannonade.

Hinchinbrook and Rebecca carried four-pounder guns that were no match for the heavier ordnance on the galleys, so they began dropping downriver, hoping to find a place to maneuver and possibly catch a breeze.

Elbert, for his part, was deeply impressed with the victory, writing to General Robert Howe that ...you must imagine what my feelings were, to see our three little men of war going on to the attack of these three vessels who have spread terror on our coast, and who were drawn up in order of battle; but the weight of our metal soon damped the courage of these heroes, who soon took to their boats: and, as many as could, abandoned the vessels with everything on board, of which we immediately took possession.