Duquesne needed to deliver his convoy to Messina and preserve the escort; de Ruyter aimed to prevent its arrival and damage the French fleet. De Ruyter held the weather gauge on 7 January but did not attack, apparently taking time to assess his opponent. An overnight wind shift favored the French, while stronger winds drove the Spanish galleys into shelter and removed their calm-weather boarding threat. Duquesne sent the convoy ahead and attacked with about 1,500 guns against 1,200 Dutch guns. The Dutch van and center gradually gave way, keeping their broadsides bearing as the approaching French ships struggled to bring their greater armament into use. Prudent and Parfait fell out of line, and Duquesne was wounded while restoring order. Collisions prevented the French rear from closing with the Dutch rear; when a gap opened in the Dutch line, weakening wind prevented its exploitation. After about six hours the firing ceased, and Spanish galleys towed three badly damaged Dutch ships to Milazzo. The Dutch lost one ship and about eighty men, while French deaths are given as roughly four hundred.
Chapter · 1:41:06-1:47:46
De Ruyter turns maneuver and broadsides against French gun numbers
The Dutch line yielded gradually, kept its broadsides bearing, and frustrated repeated French attempts to close and break through.