When French ships collided during maneuvering in March 1795, Nelson attacked the 84-gun Ça Ira with his smaller 64-gun Agamemnon. He kept up the unequal fight for about two and a half hours until French reinforcements forced him away. Ça Ira remained so damaged that it had to be towed, leaving both it and the 74-gun Censeur vulnerable when battle resumed on 14 March. Nelson then took possession of the more serviceable Censeur as a prize, joining aggressive combat with the financial calculations expected of a successful naval officer.
Chapter · 29:18-31:39
Ça Ira and Nelson's advantage at Genoa
Agamemnon's long fight with the much larger Ça Ira damaged the French line before the Battle of Genoa and helped expose two ships to capture.