After enemy sails were sighted on 14 February 1804, Dance sent ships forward to identify them and prepared the larger East Indiamen for action. The armed merchantmen formed a fighting line while the smaller country ships gathered on the side away from the French. Ganges helped shepherd those vulnerable ships into position. Volunteers transferred from ships that could spare men reinforced the crews expected to fight, while leaving enough sailors aboard the others to handle them. The extra men helped the leading ships look like fully crewed naval vessels, but close-range fighting and boarding would still expose the convoy's limitations. Blue ensigns raised the next morning added a naval identity to that improvised force.
Notable Point · 1:34:17-1:39:27
Dance formed a fighting line and reinforced its crews
Formation, protection of the country ships, and crew transfers turned a mixed convoy into a more convincing apparent battle line.