In spite of these overwhelming odds, Coventry managed to inflict heavy casualties on Bellone, and most decisively to shoot most of the senior staff.

The French consolidated squadrons from Pondicherry, Isle de France and those escorting the convoys into a force numbering 15 ships of the line and several frigates, first under Estienne d'Orves and, after he died, under Suffren.

Suffren sent his light ships to recon Trincomalee; informed that the British fleet was not in harbour, he decided to sail there himself and land troops and attempt to conquer the city.

Suffren detached Bellone with orders to sail first and Batacalo and then Galle, where French captain Aymar was waiting for him with the 74-gun Illustre, the 64-gun Saint Michel and 8 transports carrying troops and supplies.

[4] On 12 August, as the French squadron had arrived at Batacalo and was anchored in the bay, [5] HMS Coventry sailed in the South-East of the harbour,[5] ferrying troops to Madras.

However, Pierrevert made the mistake of stopping his frigate and letting Coventry approach, allowing Mitchell to close to pistol range and open fire with grapeshot and musketry.

[10] Coventry would eventually be captured on 12 January 1783, when her new captain, William Wolseley, mistook four French ships of the line for British East Indiamen.