The Glorious First of June had ended on a strategic success for the French Navy, but on the tactical level, the fleet had suffered its greatest loss since the Battle of La Hogue.

At the end of the year, the National Convention ordered that a squadron under contre-amiral Jean François Renaudin, recently promoted for his defence of Vengeur du Peuple at the Glorious First of June, ferry ammunition from Brest to Toulon.

The next day, as the weather improved, Vanstabel turned to the North-West with the light squadron, but after a few hours, a deep fog arrived and he lost contact with the fleet.

The Neptune, which had been delayed upon departure by damage to her capstan, also lost the fleet and joined the light squadron on the 31st, along with three frigates and two corvettes.

HMS Diamond, under the command of captain William Sidney Smith, raised a French flag when challenged by the fleet, which allowed her to sail on.

On Jan 25, another leak forced Neptune to tack so as not to expose the affected section of her hull to water, and to send distress signals.

For five days, most of the crew pumped water out of the ship and dropped the guns, ammunition and anchors overboard, until the 28th, at 12:30, when she reached Perros-Guirec and ran aground.

The leakage on Téméraire had become so worrisome that she doubled back to Brest, but lost her way en route and finally arrived in Saint-Malo.

After an attempt to wrap her with cables failed, Captain Huguet requested and obtained permission to return to port, escorted by Trente-et-un-Mai.

Renaudin eventually departed for Toulon on 22 February with Jemmappes, Montagnard, Trente-et-un-Mai, Aquilon, Tyrannicide and Révolution, the frigates Courageuse, Embuscade, Félicité and the corvette Unité.

Overall, the campaign is considered as a naval disaster because of the heavy losses, sustained without the intervention of the Royal Navy, and especially since damaged ships could not easily be repaired with the endemic shortage of material in French arsenals.