 While the landing force drove off the defenders and captured the fortifications , the naval squadron entered the harbour and opened up an overwhelming fire on the outnumbered Caroline . Shot was also fired at the captured East Indiamen , various other vessels in the harbour and any small batteries or shore positions that remained in French hands . Feretier and the other French naval officers , recognising that their position was hopeless , cut the anchor cables of their ships and allowed them to drift ashore , where they abandoned ship to escape capture . The British squadron then anchored in the harbour as their crews set about refloating the grounded French ships on the beach . In addition to Caroline and the East Indiamen , Rowley 's squadron successfully captured a 14 @-@ gun privateer brig named Grappler and five or six smaller ships . With the harbour and fortifications in British hands , Keating and Willoughby entered the town of Saint @-@ Paul without further combat . 
