 More disturbing to Lord Howe were the actions of HMS Russell and HMS Caesar . Russell 's captain John <unk> Payne was criticised at the time for failing to get to <unk> with the enemy more closely and allowing her opponent <unk> to badly damage her rigging in the early stages , although later commentators blamed damage received on 29 May for her poor start to the action . There were no such <unk> , however , for Captain Anthony Molloy of Caesar , who totally failed in his duty to engage the enemy . Molloy completely ignored Howe 's signal and continued ahead as if the British battleline was following him rather than engaging the French fleet directly . Caesar did participate in a <unk> exchange of fire with the leading French ship Trajan but her fire had little effect , while Trajan inflicted much damage to Caesar 's rigging and was subsequently able to attack Bellerophon as well , <unk> unchecked through the melee developing at the head of the line . 
