[5] Throughout 1810 and 1811, the Algerian admiral and pirate, Hamidou ben Ali, better known as Raïs Hamidou captured several Tunisian merchant ships, and an English one which was carrying Tunisian goods.

While Hamidou's and Mourali's flagships met each other directly, the other ships of the fleet mostly abstained from fighting and only occasionally skirmished with each other.

[7] The battle saw heavy use of maneuvers and more complex tactics, as both flagships attempted to outsmart each other.

After about 6 hours of this fighting, the Tunisian warship was severely weakened, and its captain wounded badly.

The other ships in the Tunisian fleets, seeing their leader capitulate attempted to liberate him, but after a few broadsides they retreated all the way to Monastir.