 Within an hour of their opening <unk> the British and French lines were <unk> confused , with three separate engagements being fought within sight of one another . In the van , Caesar had finally attempted to join the fight , only to have a vital spar shot away by Trajan which caused her to slip down the two embattled fleets without contributing significantly to the battle . Bellerophon and Leviathan were in the thick of the action , the outnumbered Bellerophon taking serious damage to her rigging . This left her unable to manoeuvre and in danger from her opponents , of which Eole also suffered severely . Captain William Johnstone Hope sought to extract his ship from her perilous position and called up support ; the frigate HMS <unk> under Captain Edward <unk> arrived to provide assistance . <unk> brought his small ship between the ships of the French battleline and opened fire on Eole , helping to drive off three ships of the line and then <unk> Bellerophon to safety . Leviathan , under Lord Hugh Seymour , had been more successful than Bellerophon , her gunnery <unk> America despite receiving fire from Eole and Trajan in passing . Leviathan only left America after a two @-@ hour duel , sailing at 11 : 50 to join Queen Charlotte in the centre . 
