Action of 28 June 1803

Spotting two strange sails in-shore, the British escort detached to investigate^[1] and Willaumez soon identified the three 74s as British.^[5] Unaware of the outbreak of the war^[3][12] but suspicious of the intentions of the British, Willaumez prepared a defence in case of attack.^[5] At eight, the 74-gun HMS Hercule came in range; after signaling the other ships in her division, she hoisted the British flag, prompting Poursuivante to hoist the French colours.^[9] Meanwhile, Goliath chased Mignonne and taking advantage of the sea wind whereas the corvette was becalmed, quickly overhauled her; after a few token shots, Mignonne struck her colours to her overwhelming opponent.^[1]

At nine, Hercule fired a ball shot at Poursuivante, initiating the battle.^[9] As Hercule closed to the shore to engage, she had less and less water under her keel and came into lighter and erratic winds;^[1] although these advantaged the shallower and more maneuverable frigate, Poursuivante lacked the ammunition to energetically answer Hercule's fire,^[9] and her diminished crew could not simultaneously man her batteries and handle her sails.^[13] On the other hand, because she had to ration her fire, Poursuivante aimed careful shots that soon caused significant damage to Hercule's rigging.^[14][15]

After two hours of mutual cannonade, at eleven,^[9] the wind fell and both ships almost came to a sudden halt,^[9] their main sailing resource now the gusts of wind from the shore.^[14] Taking advantage of this change in the weather, Willaumez ordered his gunners to cease fire and help manoeuver his frigate,^[13] quickly coming in position to rake Hercule, only then firing a devastating broadside at her stern.^[9][13] Hercule, in order to avoid running aground,^[2][16] disengaged,^[9] allowing Poursuivante to reach the safety of Môle-Saint-Nicolas,^[15] cheered by the crowd and saluted by the artillery of the forts.^[13]

Hercule's rigging had suffered considerably, but she only had a few wounded.^[15] Hills was forced to retire with his ship to Jamaica for repairs; HMS Vanguard replaced Hercule in Bayntun's squadron.^[15] Though Mignonne served briefly in the Royal Navy, there is no record of her actually being commissioned; she grounded and was condemned in 1804. Poursuivante had ten men killed and fifteen wounded,^[9] her hull had sustained several shots and her rigging was much damaged.^[9] As Cap‑Français lacked the resources to repair the frigate, Willaumez had to sail her back to France.^[17]

After Willaumez departed and sailed around the south of Cuba, a violent gust of wind dismasted Poursuivante, forcing Willaumez to make a port call in Baltimore to repair his frigate.^[17] When ready, he departed the Chesapeake, avoided the British blockade of Saint-Domingue and crossed the Atlantic, reaching Rochefort on 28 May 1804.^[17] There, he was intercepted by a British ship of the line, which he battled for 30 minutes before breaking off and finding shelter at Île-d'Aix.^[17] Poursuivante hardly sailed again, and became a hulk in June 1806.^[8] Willaumez had been made a Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour in February. He was promoted to Officer in June, and congratulated by Navy minister Decrès.^[17] A large painting by Louis-Philippe Crépin was commissioned in 1819 to commemorate the event;^[18] it long decorated the office of the Minister of the Navy,^[18] and is now in display at the Musée national de la Marine in Paris.^[19]

• Guérin, Léon (1857). Histoire maritime de France (in French). Vol. 6. Dufour et Mulat.
• Hennequin, Joseph François Gabriel (1835). Biographie maritime ou notices historiques sur la vie et les campagnes des marins célèbres français et étrangers (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: Regnault éditeur.
• James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 3, 1800–1805. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-907-7.
• Levot, Prosper (1866). Les gloires maritimes de la France: notices biographiques sur les plus célèbres marins (in French). Bertrand.
• Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 3. Challamel ainé.