M arc ou f ▁was ▁an ▁eng agement ▁fought ▁off ▁the ▁Î les ▁Saint - M arc ou f ▁near ▁the ▁Cot entin ▁pen ins ula ▁on ▁the ▁Norm andy ▁coast ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁during ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution ary ▁Wars . ▁▁ ▁Dis l od ging ▁a ▁British ▁g arrison ▁on ▁the ▁islands ▁was ▁the ▁main ▁objective ▁for ▁French ▁forces . ▁The ▁g arrison ▁( which ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁place ▁since ▁ 1 7 9 5 ) ▁allowed ▁the ▁islands ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁res upp ly ▁base ▁for ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁ships ▁pat rolling ▁northern ▁French ▁waters . ▁▁ ▁A part ▁from ▁exp elling ▁the ▁British , ▁the ▁French ▁sought ▁to ▁test ▁new ▁equipment ▁and ▁tact ics , ▁which ▁had ▁alleg edly ▁been ▁developed ▁with ▁an ▁intention ▁of ▁inv ading ▁Britain . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁May , ▁French ▁forces ▁launched ▁a ▁mass ed ▁am ph ib ious ▁assault ▁on ▁the ▁southern ▁island , ▁using ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁landing ▁ships ▁and ▁hundreds ▁of ▁troops . ▁The ▁island ' s ▁ 5 0 0 - strong ▁g arrison ▁was ▁comp elled ▁to ▁resist ▁the ▁attack ▁alone ; ▁although ▁significant ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁forces ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁wind ▁and ▁t ides ▁prevent ed ▁them ▁from ▁interven ing . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁superior ▁numbers ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁attack ers , ▁the ▁operation ▁was ▁a ▁complete ▁failure . ▁The ▁landing ▁ships ▁were ▁exposed ▁to ▁heavy ▁fire , ▁from ▁both ▁British ▁shore ▁batter ies ▁and ▁Royal ▁Marine