▁approached ▁the ▁islands ▁during ▁the ▁evening . ▁The ▁sixth ▁rate ▁HMS ▁E ury d ice ▁under ▁Captain ▁John ▁Tal bot ▁and ▁the ▁brig ▁HMS ▁Or est es ▁under ▁Commander ▁William ▁H agg itt , ▁had ▁joined ▁Adam ant , ▁which ▁was ▁str and ed ▁ ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁islands ▁by ▁the ▁calm . ▁Despite ▁str enu ous ▁efforts , ▁the ▁three ▁vessels ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁action . ▁ ▁At ▁mid night , ▁the ▁island ' s ▁boat ▁sign aled ▁the ▁approach ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Lieutenant ▁Price ▁read ied ▁the ▁def ences . ▁Mus ke in ' s ▁force ▁must ered ▁ 5 2   v ess els , ▁including ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁brig s ▁that ▁mounted ▁several ▁large ▁can non ▁and ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁provide ▁covering ▁fire ▁for ▁the ▁landing ▁b arg es . ▁The ▁main ▁body ▁of ▁the ▁attack ing ▁troops ▁number ed ▁between ▁ 5 , 0 0 0   and ▁ 6 , 0 0 0   F rench ▁soldiers ▁drawn ▁largely ▁from ▁coast al ▁defence ▁units ▁based ▁around ▁Bou log ne . ▁Un w illing ▁to ▁risk ▁a ▁night ▁attack , ▁Mus ke in ▁waited ▁until ▁dawn , ▁using ▁the ▁remaining ▁cover ▁of ▁night ▁to ▁draw ▁his ▁craft ▁in ▁formation ▁facing ▁the ▁western ▁def ences ▁of ▁the ▁southern ▁island . ▁The ▁gun br igs ▁lay ▁ ▁off sh ore , ▁behind ▁the ▁landing ▁b arg es ▁whose ▁approach ▁they ▁would ▁cover ▁during ▁the ▁attack . ▁As