The flying squadron removes a French first rate

Pasley's squadron brought several capable seventy-fours against the French rear after an eight-hour chase. Révolutionnaire, a 110-gun first rate, changed places with smaller ships to cover the retreat. Bellerophon, Marlborough, Russell, Thunderer, Leviathan, and Audacious progressively damaged her rigging until she became unmanageable. The fighting also damaged Audacious badly enough to remove a British seventy-four from the decisive battle. More important than the nominal ship count, the running engagement stripped Villaret of powerful hulls and some of the captains he trusted most before 1 June.