 The French ships took shelter at the heavily fortified Iles Saint @-@ Marcouf , sailing the following morning for the anchorage at Saint @-@ Vaast @-@ la @-@ Hougue . For two days the British frigates kept watch , until two ships of the line from the blockade of Cherbourg , HMS Donegal and HMS Revenge , arrived . On 15 November , the British squadron attacked the anchored French ships , which were defended by shore batteries at La Hougue and Tatihou . After four attempts to close with the French the British squadron , under heavy fire , withdrew . During the night , the British commander , Captain Pulteney Malcolm , sent his ship 's boats close inshore to attack the French ships with Congreve rockets , a newly issued weapon . None are recorded as landing on target , but by morning both frigates had been forced to change position , becoming grounded on the shore . The French ships were later refloated , and Malcolm 's squadron maintained the blockade until 27 November when Amazone successfully escaped back to Le Havre . The damaged Elisa remained at anchor until 6 December , when an attack by a British bomb vessel forced the frigate to move further inshore , becoming grounded once more . Elisa remained in this position until 23 December , when the boats of Diana entered the anchorage at night and set the beached ship on fire , destroying her . 
