Franklin and Tonnant continue resistance into the night, and firing intensifies again at 4 a.m. British ships surround damaged vessels that drift or run aground. The frigate Artémise strikes its flag as Theseus turns toward it, then its crew abandons and burns the ship. The suggestion that its captain intended to lure in a boarding party remains an inference; an intentional surrender deception of that kind is condemned here by later standards as a war crime. Villeneuve uses the resistance of the remaining ships to extract Généreux, Guillaume Tell, and two frigates from the anchorage. The rear ships had contributed little to the main action. British crews then concentrate on recovering Culloden and securing damaged prizes. Tonnant holds about 1,600 French survivors when its surrender is secured on 3 August, while Timoléon is burned.
Chapter · 1:50:41-1:58:12
The battle continues overnight and only four ships escape
Fighting resumes after Orient's explosion, and Villeneuve ultimately extracts only two ships of the line and two frigates.