Codrington first extracted a verbal halt, but Greek forces continued their campaigns and Ibrahim twice tried to move his squadron. British officers serving Greece did not reliably obey Codrington's attempts to stop them, making the ceasefire appear one-sided. Allied ships could see scorched villages while reports warned that civilians were nearing starvation. With winter threatening the blockade, the three admirals decided to anchor face-to-face with the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet as a coercive show of force.
Chapter · 2:15:25-2:20:28
A failed ceasefire and winter deadline drove entry into the bay
Ibrahim's attempted sorties, Greek operations, scorched-earth violence, and approaching winter made an offshore blockade unsustainable.