 Over the following year , the French continued to attack British trade convoys , achieving important victories at the Action of 18 November 1809 and the Action of 3 July 1810 , where they captured another five East Indiamen as well as numerous smaller merchant ships and a large Portuguese frigate . Rowley too was active , commanding the successful Invasion of Île Bonaparte in July and renaming the island Île Bourbon , basing his squadron at Saint Paul on the island 's eastern shore . From this base , Rowley 's ships were ideally positioned to begin a close blockade of Isle de France , led initially by Captain Samuel Pym in HMS Sirius . Pym sought to reduce French movement by seizing a number of fortified offshore islands , starting with Île de la Passe off Grand Port . The island was captured , but when a French squadron broke through the British blockade and took shelter in Grand Port , Pym resolved to attack them . The ensuing Battle of Grand Port was a disaster for Rowley 's squadron , as Pym led four of Rowley 's five frigates into the bay without adequately assessing the channel through the coral reefs that sheltered the harbour . As a result , two frigates grounded out of range of the enemy and the remaining two were outnumbered in confined waters . In a complicated battle lasting several days , two of Pym 's frigates were captured and two more had to be scuttled , with their entire crews made prisoner . Rowley 's reinforcements arrived too late , and the British commodore was chased back to Saint Denis by Hamelin 's flagship . 
 Over the following year , the French continued to attack British trade convoys , achieving important victories at the Action of 18 November 1809 and the Action of 3 July 1810 , where they captured another five East Indiamen as well as numerous smaller merchant ships and a large Portuguese frigate . Rowley too was active , commanding the successful Invasion of Île Bonaparte in July and renaming the island Île Bourbon , basing his squadron at Saint Paul on the island <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>eastern shore . From this base , Rowley <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>ships <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> ideally positioned to begin a close blockade of Isle de France , led initially by Captain Samuel Pym in HMS Sirius . Pym sought to reduce French movement by seizing a number of fortified offshore islands , starting with Île de la Passe off Grand Port . The island was captured , but when a French squadron broke through the British blockade and took shelter in Grand Port , Pym resolved to attack them . The ensuing Battle of Grand Port was a disaster for Rowley <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>squadron , as Pym led four of Rowley <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>five frigates into the bay without adequately assessing the channel through the coral reefs <a href='null_relcl' title='6'><mark>that</mark></a>sheltered the harbour . As a result , two frigates grounded out of range of the enemy and the remaining two <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> outnumbered in confined waters . In a complicated battle lasting several days , two of Pym <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>frigates <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> captured and two more had to be scuttled , with their entire crews made prisoner . Rowley <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>reinforcements arrived too late , and the British commodore was chased back to Saint Denis by Hamelin <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>flagship . 
Over da following year , tdaFrench continued to attack British trade convoys , achieving important victories at the Action of 18 November 1809 and thdaction of 3 July 1810 , where they captured anotha five East Indiamen as well as numerous smaller merchant ships and a large Portuguese frigate . Rowley too was active , commanding thedaccessful Invasion of Île Bonaparte in July and renaming the island Île Bourbon , basing his squadron at Saint Paul on the daand  eastern shore . From this base , Rowley  ships was ideally positioned to begin a close blockade of Isle de France , led initially by Captain Samuel Pym in HMS Sirius . Pym sought to reduce French movement by seizing a number of fortified offshore islands , starting w/ Île de la Passe off Grand Port . The island was captured , but when a French squadron broke through the Bdaish blockade and took shelter in Grand Port , Pym resolved to attack em . The ensuing Battle of Grand Port was a disaster for Rowley  squadron , as Pym led four of Rowley  five frigates into the bay w/o adequately assessing the channel thru the coda reefs sheltered the hardar . As a result , two frigates grounded outt of range of the enemy and the remadang two was outnumbered in confined waters . In a complicated battle lasting several dayz , two of Pym  frigates was captured and 2 more had to b scuttled , wiwheir entire crews made prisoner . Rowley  reinforcements arrived too late , and the British commodore was chased bk to Saint Denis by Hamelin  flagship .