▁French ▁Revolution ary ▁Wars ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁October , ▁small ▁ra iding ▁squad rons , ▁each ▁consisting ▁of ▁two ▁newly ▁built ▁fr ig ates ▁with ▁picked ▁cre ws ▁and ▁command ers ▁depart ed ▁France ▁with ▁instructions ▁to ▁attack ▁British ▁merchant ▁sh ipping ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic . ▁The ▁first ▁squad ron ▁was ▁dispatch ed ▁from ▁Cher bourg ▁and ▁consisted ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 0 - gun ▁ships ▁I ph ig én ie ▁and ▁Al cm ène . ▁The ▁second ▁sa iled ▁from ▁N antes ▁and ▁compr ised ▁the ▁E to ile ▁under ▁Captain ▁Pierre - Hen ri ▁Phili bert ▁and ▁S ult ane ▁under ▁Captain ▁Georges ▁Du - P et it - Th ou ars . ▁While ▁I ph ig én ie ▁and ▁Al cm ène ▁target ed ▁British ▁trade ▁with ▁West ▁Africa , ▁E to ile ▁and ▁S ult ane ▁were ▁directed ▁to ▁the ▁centre ▁Atlantic . ▁I ph ig én ie ▁and ▁Al cm ène ▁captured ▁several ▁valuable ▁British ▁merchant ▁ships ▁before ▁being ▁intercept ed ▁and ▁defeated ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁near ▁the ▁Can ary ▁Islands . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁January ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁E to ile ▁and ▁S ult ane ▁encountered ▁a ▁British ▁merchant ▁con voy ▁at ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁North ▁Atlantic . ▁S ight ing ▁distant ▁s ails ▁at ▁ 0 4 : 0 0 , ▁the ▁French ▁capt ains ▁soon ▁confirmed ▁that ▁the ▁con voy , ▁sail ing ▁north west ▁towards