My new seven French ships sail toward their first battle. On the port side is a Spanish Squadron.
The view from the deck of my flagship, La Formidable
Our squadrons 'deploy' for battle. The term is not accurate.
Mike's Squadron goes to port while my squadron bears to starboard in an effort to bottle up Admiral Grant. La Madelaine can be seen in the foreground with full sails, making for Glory at great speed.
My French win the race and cross the 'T', pushing the English against the rocks. There would be a flaw in this plan. In the background, the French and Spanish ships are all afoul of one another and their six ships struggle to bring their numbers to bear against the English three.
End game on the right. The Christian is ablaze and the British frigate that was the head of the line has struck its colours. The French ships, in order to continue the battle, though find themselves obliged to skirt too close to the rocks. They are too close for any sailor's liking. It was La Madelaine that obliged the surrender of the English firgate and it was again her cannon that set the other alight.
She has no sails left, her rudder is shattered, her officers are dead, and she is at anchor, surrounded by six enemy ships. It surprised none that she struck her colours. It had to anchor or it would have drifted aground.
