 The action was the culmination of a campaign that had criss @-@ crossed the Bay of Biscay over the previous month in which both sides had captured numerous merchant ships and minor warships and had engaged in two partial , but inconclusive , fleet actions . The British Channel Fleet under Admiral Lord Howe attempted to prevent the passage of a vital French grain convoy from the United States , which was protected by the French Atlantic Fleet , commanded by Rear @-@ Admiral Villaret @-@ Joyeuse . The two forces clashed in the Atlantic Ocean , some 400 nautical miles ( 700 km ) west of the French island of Ushant on 1 June 1794 . 
 The action was the culmination of a campaign <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> criss @-@ crossed the Bay of Biscay over the previous month in which both sides <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> captured numerous merchant ships and minor warships and <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> engaged in two partial , but inconclusive , fleet actions . The British Channel Fleet under Admiral Lord Howe attempted to prevent the passage of a vital French grain convoy from the United States , which was protected by the French Atlantic Fleet , commanded by Rear @-@ Admiral Villaret @-@ Joyeuse . The two forces<a href='been_done' title='5'><mark></mark></a> clashed in the Atlantic Ocean , some 400 nautical miles ( 700 km ) west of the French island of Ushant on 1 June 1794 . 
The action was the culmination of a campaign done criss @-@ crossed da Bay of Biscay over the previous month in which both sides done captured numerous merchant ships and minor warships and done engaged in two partial , but inconclusive , fleet actions . The British Channel Fleet under Admiral Lord Howe attempted to prevent tdapassage of a vital French grain convoy from the United States , which was protected by thdarench Atlantic Fleet , commanded by Rear @-@ Admiral Villaret @-@ Joyeuse . Thedao forces done clashed in the Atlantic Ocean , sum 400 nautical miles ( 700 km ) west of the French island of Ushant on 1 June 1794 .