[3] Cannon fire from the British fleet was ineffective against the fortress at Fort-Royal due to its location high on the cliffs, and there were no suitable landing places nearby.

Unknown to the British commanders, French governor Francis de Beauharnais had not been resupplied for some months, and even a brief siege would have led to the fort's capitulation.

After a desultory naval bombardment on 19 January that again had little effect on the port's defences, they withdrew, and decided instead to attack Guadeloupe, home to a significant body of French privateers.

[6][7] French possessions in the Caribbean were thought to be poorly defended and late in 1758, a decision was made to attempt to capture the French-held islands and a force of nearly 5,000 men under Major-General Peregrine Hopson was assembled for this purpose.

The convoy arrived in Carlisle Bay on the island of Barbados the following January where it was later joined by a battalion of Royal Highlanders from Scotland, accompanied by the fifth-rate HMS Ludlow Castle of 40 guns.

[10] During the afternoon on 15 January, the fleet rounded Diamond Rock and entered Fort-Royal Bay, where it encountered two French warships anchored off Point Negro.

[11][10][9] The battery at Cas des Navieres was silenced when the magazine exploded, but the ships continued to direct their fire at the shore to prevent the enemy forming up and opposing a landing.

Moore could not comply with either request because contrary winds and currents prevented the ships getting within range of the town, and the boats landing the cannon would be exposed to an unacceptable level of fire.