 Taking the bait , the following day Howe attacked again , but his attempt to split the French fleet in half was unsuccessful when his lead ship , HMS Caesar , failed to follow orders . Much damage was done to both fleets but the action was inconclusive , and the two forces again separated without having settled the issue . Howe had however gained an important advantage during the engagement by seizing the weather gage , enabling him to further attack Villaret at a time of his choosing . Three French ships were sent back to port with damage , but these losses were offset by reinforcements gained the following day with the arrival of Nielly 's detached squadron . Battle was postponed during the next two days because of thick fog , but when the haze lifted on 1 June 1794 , the battle lines were only 6 miles ( 10 km ) apart and Howe was prepared to force a decisive action . 
 Taking the bait , the following day Howe attacked again , but his attempt to split the French fleet in half was unsuccessful when his lead ship , HMS Caesar , failed to follow orders . Much damage was done to both fleets but the action was inconclusive , and the two forces again separated without <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>having</mark></a> settled the issue . Howe <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> however gained an important advantage during the engagement by seizing the weather gage , enabling him to further attack Villaret at a time of his choosing . Three French ships <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> sent back to port with damage , but these losses <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> offset by reinforcements gained the following day with the arrival of Nielly <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>detached squadron . Battle was postponed during the next two days because of thick fog , but when the haze lifted on 1 June 1794 , the battle lines <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> only 6 miles ( 10 km ) apart and Howe was prepared to force a decisive action . 
Taking da bait , the following day Howe attacked again , but his attempt to split tdaFrench fleet in half was unsuccessful when his lead ship , HMS Caesar , failed to follow orders . Much damage was done to both fleets but the action was inconclusive , and the two forces again separated w/o done settled the issue . Howe done however gained an important advantage durin the engagement by seizing thdaeather gage , enabling em to further attack Villaret at a time of his choosing . Three French ships was sent bak to port with damage , but these losses was offset by reinforcements gained thedallowing day wit the arrival of Nielly  detached squadron . Battle was postponed during the nxt two dayz b/c of thick fog , but when the haze lifted on 1 June 1794 , the battle lines was only 6 miles ( 10 km ) apart and Howe was prepared to force a decisive action .