The French force under famed commander François Thurot were brought to battle in the Irish Sea between the Isle of Man and the coast of Ireland at 9 am.

[4] Between 21 and 26 February 1760, under the command of the Privateer François Thurot, a force consisting of the ships Maréchal de Belle-Isle, Terpsichore and Blonde arrived off the coast of Ireland.

The port of Liverpool, which had improved its defences when news of Thurot's likely intentions emerged the previous autumn, called in reinforcements, and more Royal Navy ships were dispatched from Portsmouth and Plymouth.

[6] On the night of 27–28 February the Royal Navy squadron, having perhaps heard local claims that the next target of the raiders was to be Whitehaven in Cumberland, headed south-east to round the Mull of Galloway in southern Scotland.

[2] Elliot in Æolus, the leader of the British squadron, caught up with the Maréchal de Belle-Isle around sunrise and battle began, within sight of the Mull of Galloway and Jurby Head on Isle of Man.

[2] Lieutenant Forbes of the Æolus, perceiving the Bellisle's deck to have been adequately thinned of men, as most remaining were below in great confusion, jumped into her with about twenty five sailors and marines and struck the colors with his own hand.

[6] Thurot was buried with full honours in the churchyard of Kirkmaiden, at the expense of the local lord, Sir William Maxwell, who also served as chief mourner.

Ballads were written about the battle, and a biography of Thurot by the Reverend John Francis Durand was in the shops by June,[9] in two editions priced at 1s or 6½d.