Hood intended to lead his fleet into the bay and bring Martin to battle, issuing detailed plans of attack to his captains, but the calm forestalled this effort and gave Martin time to remove cannon from his ships and erect batteries on the shore, significantly strengthening his position. Hood ordered fireships to be readied but these weapons were driven back on approaching the bay by the French forts and batteries. Hood then withdrew with part of his fleet to the ongoing Siege of Calvi, leaving a force under Vice-Admiral William Hotham to blockade the French. Hotham trapped Martin's division in the bay for five months, and it was not until 2 November that it returned to Toulon, after a storm drove off Hotham's squadron.