Retaining just eleven of the ships with him, mostly the smaller 3rd and 4th Rates, he dispatched the rest, a further sixteen, to join Russell in pursuit of Tourville and the main body of the French fleet.

The French had made serious efforts to protect the ships; they were beached with their masts seaward, to create an obstacle for the attackers, their guns were manned, and they were overlooked by shore batteries, Soleil Royal under the battery at Fosse du Galet, the other two further east under the guns of two coastal towers Sending ships ahead to take soundings Delaval moved in on the morning of the 21st with St Albans and Ruby 50 to bombard the ships and the fort, but the French return fire was so fierce that after an hour and a half he was forced to retreat.

At one o'clock that afternoon, at high water, Delaval made a third attempt, this time using his fireships with boarding parties in boats.

However, the third fireship, Hound, was set alight by gunfire and burned before she reached Admirable, so Delaval led his boats in and boarded her.

Delaval had achieved a clear success with few casualties, and at later that afternoon set off to rejoin the fleet at La Hogue.