Initially, of course, the French had the wind.
Immediately after deploying for battle, of course, the wind changes and gets behind the English squadron.
Initially, the two squadrons line up to exchange fire. The Africa takes some serious sail damage which will later be important.
Warspite makes a run to break up the French line but Africa, her sails damage and the wind not favouring her, comes to a halt, and so to the Union as they are in formation together.
Warspite would not get mauled by fire as one might think as the French cannot well time their fire.
Warspite collides with Terrible and they fight a boarding action.
Africa and Union meanwhile make a very slow turn, leaving Warspite to herself. Dangereux and GLorieux start to try to maneuver back into the fight.
Terrible's crew wins the boarding action and cut the grapple. Then Formidable collides with Warspite but they do not grapple. Warspite collides with Terrible and cannot get a grapple. Finally Warspite collides with Terrible again and gets a secure grip.
Dangereux and Glorieux finally complete their tack but are largely out of the fight. They have not fired a shot since the Warspite made contact with Terrible.
Le Terrible crews have overwhelmed the men of the Warspite and a capture crew is hurriedly sent over to sail her out of the battle
Formidable catches fire. She and Warspite head limping for Ajaccio harbour. Le Terrible is in fine shape and she, Glorieux and Dangereux begin to close down on the crippled Africa. The English Squadron opts to disengage and retreat to the Western Med. It is a French victory.
