Action of 5 November 1813 The Action of 5 November 1813 was a brief naval clash during the Napoleonic Wars , between part of the British Mediterranean Fleet led by Vice - Admiral Sir Edward Pellew , and a French force under Rear - Admiral Julien Cosmao - Kerjulien . The engagement took place outside the French port of Toulon . The clash occurred when a French fleet under Vice - Admiral Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger took advantage of a favourable wind and the temporary absence of the British blockading force , to leave port to carry out exercises . Émeriau abandoned the exercises when the wind changed , but while returning to port his rear came under attack from the recently returned British inshore squadron . The British attack was reinforced by newly arrived ships from the main fleet , but the French were able to escape into Toulon after exchanging cannon fire with the British . Casualties on both sides were light . Background . The French Mediterranean Fleet had been blockaded in their principal base at Toulon for several years . Their commander from early 1811 , Vice - Admiral Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger made occasional sorties from the port in order to exercise his fleet , but preferred to avoid any chance of action with the patrolling British fleet under Vice - Admiral Sir Edward Pellew . Émeriau instead preferred to make brief sorties when the wind was in his favour and the British were absent , undertake exercises , and then return to Toulon when Pellew ' s fleet appeared . Pellew in turn hoped to tempt the French out and then cut them off from their homeport , forcing a decisive battle upon them . To this end he kept the main part of his fleet , including his largest ships , some distance from Toulon , and relied on a small inshore squadron composed of 74 - gun ships to maintain the blockade . Strong gales in late October 1813 had forced both the inshore squadron and the main battlefleet off their stations , and Émeriau decided to make a sortie to exercise his fleet off Cape Sicié . The French fleet , consisting of between twelve and fourteen ships of the line , six frigates and a schooner duly put to sea at 9 : 30 am on the morning of 5 November . Émeriau , flying his flag aboard the " Impérial " , was assisted in his manoeuvres by a strong east - north - east wind and made for the usual exercise area . The British inshore squadron , commanded by Captain Henry Heathcote , had only arrived back on their station the night before , and the main British fleet under Sir Edward Pellew was some distance to the south . Heathcote , commanding four 74 - gun ships , was observing the French movements , when at 11 : 30 am , the wind suddenly changed direction , shifting to the north - west . Concerned about the sudden arrival of the British and unfavourable winds , Émeriau abandoned the exercises and ordered the fleet to make for Toulon . The advanced squadron of the French fleet , commanded by Rear - Admiral Julien Cosmao - Kerjulien and consisting of five ships of the line and four heavy frigates , now found itself to leeward , beating back to port . Heathcote immediately saw a chance to cut off the French rear , and ordered his squadron to attack . Engagement . Heathcote , commanding , took his ship in and at 12 : 34 pm passed the French rear , firing on them with her port guns , as the French stood in for Toulon on the starboard tack . The rest of the squadron , joined by the 74 - gun from Pellew ' s fleet , followed in succession . The British ships then turned about and tacked across in the opposite direction , cannonading the fleeing French with their starboard batteries . At 1 : 00 pm the advance ships of Pellew ' s fleet , , and arrived and opened fire on the rear - most French ship , the " Wagram " . The British ships tacked and wore , exchanging fire with the French until the wind carried Cosmao - Kerjulien ' s squadron under the safety of the shore batteries covering the approach to Toulon . Casualties and damage on both sides were light . On the British side , twelve men were wounded by French fire , while one man was killed and another two wounded in accidents , bringing total British casualties to 15 . " Caledonia " sustained a shot to her mainmast and three or four in her hull , as well as some damage to her shrouds and backstay s . Her launch and barge were also destroyed . The French had a total of 17 men wounded to varying degrees , mostly aboard the " Agamemnon " , which suffered damage to her masts , hull and rigging , and had nine men wounded . The " Borée " had her wheel shot away , and the frigates " Pénélope " and " Melpomène " were damaged in their sails , masts and rigging . Pellew sailed for Minorca soon afterwards , reducing the inshore squadron to a minimum , but Émeriau declined to come out . Notes . a . French accounts list the fleet strength as twelve ships of the line , Pellew in his report stated that there were fourteen .