Ville de Milan defeated and captured her opponent, but suffered so much damage that she was forced to surrender without a fight several days later when both ships encountered HMS Leander, a British fourth rate.

[2] She was assigned to the West Indies and sailed from Martinique on 28 January under Captain Jean-Marie Renaud, bound for France with important despatches.

[3] On 16 February Ville de Milan was spotted off Bermuda by the 32-gun HMS Cleopatra, under Captain Sir Robert Laurie.

[4] Ville de Milan approached from windward and ran aboard Cleopatra, jamming her bowsprit over the quarterdeck of the British ship and raked her decks with musket fire.

[7] Laurie's engagement with the superior opponent had initially cost him his ship, but had rendered her easy prey to any other Royal Navy frigate in the vicinity.

[7] Had he not brought her to battle, Ville de Milan could have easily outsailed Leander or even engaged her on fairly equal terms.