Battle of Hudson ' s Bay The Battle of Hudson ' s Bay , also known as the Battle of York Factory , was a naval battle fought during the War of the Grand Alliance ( known in England ' s North American colonies as " King William ' s War " ) . The battle took place on 5 September 1697 , when a French warship commanded by Captain Pierre Le Moyne d ' Iberville defeated an English squadron commanded by Captain John Fletcher . As a result of this battle , the French took York Factory , a trading post of the Hudson ' s Bay Company . For other fighting in the region see Anglo - French conflicts on Hudson Bay . Prelude . D ' Iberville ' s flagship , " Pélican " ( 44 - guns ) , was part of a larger French squadron dispatched to contest English control of Hudson Bay . D ' Iberville commanded " Le Pélican " ( 50 [ 44 ] cannons , captain Pierre Le Moyne d ’ Iberville ) , a 3rd rate man - of - war cut for fifty guns , and with one hundred and fifty men ship ' s company . Serigny commanded the " Le Profond " ( frigate / ‘ storeship ’ ) ( 460 t , flûte de 32 canons [ + 2 from Le Pélican ] , commanded by Pierre Du Gué , Sieur de Boisbriand . ) . Boisbriant commanded " Le Vesp / Weesph " ( frigate ) ( Capt . Chatrie ( chevalier de Chastrier ) a vessel of about 300 t with about 20 - 26 guns ) . " Le Palmier " ( frigate ) ( 5th rate man - of - war , 300t , captain Joseph Le Moyne de Serigny ) a vessel of about 20 - 26 guns , and originally the “ Violent ” renamed " L ' Esquimau / Esquimaux " ( the Eskimo ) , a supply ship ( 150 ton brigantine ) Jean Outelas , Capt . , capable of carrying from 10 - 12 guns ; one report says the last was crushed by the ice pack either during or immediately after the battle . Before the battle , " Pélican " became separated from the rest of the French squadron in heavy fog , but D ' Iberville elected to forge ahead . This set the stage for a little - known but spectacular single - ship action against heavy odds . As " Pélican " sailed south into clearer weather , she approached the trading post of York Factory , and a group of soldiers went ashore to scout out the fort . Captain D ' Iberville remained on board " Pélican " . While the shore party was scouting the fort , D ' Iberville saw the sails and masts of approaching ships . Thinking the rest of his squadron had arrived , he set off to meet them . D ' Iberville realized that the ships were not French , but were , instead , an English squadron when one fired a shot across the bow of " Le Pélican " . The English squadron comprised the warship under Captain Fletcher , mounting only 50 guns , " HBC Royal Hudson ’ s Bay " ( 200 t ) commanded by Capt . Nicholas Smithsend and mounting 32 guns , and " HBC Dering " ( a 3rd of this name owned by the HBC ) ( 260 t ) ( Capt . Michael Grimington ) mounting 36 guns . Fireship " HMS Owner ’ s Love " ( 217 t ) ( Capt . Lloyd ) , which also joined the expedition , was crushed by ice earlier in the passage of the Hudson Bay Strait . The battle . D ' Iberville , his shore party out of reach , elected to give battle . The battle began as a running fight , but after two and a half hours , D ' Iberville closed with the English and a brutal broadside - to - broadside engagement took place between " Pélican " and " Hampshire " . The English seemed to be gaining the upper hand with blood running from the scuppers of " Pélican " into the water . Captain Fletcher demanded that D ' Iberville surrender , but D ' Iberville refused . Fletcher is reported to have raised a glass of wine to toast D ' Iberville ' s bravery when the next broadside from " Pélican " detonated " Hampshire ' s " powder magazine . " Hampshire " exploded and sank . Aftermath . " Hudson ' s Bay " and " Dering " seem to have played only a limited supporting role in the final stage of the engagement . " Hudson ' s Bay " was damaged and struck her colors to " Pélican " after " Hampshire " blew up . " Dering " broke off the engagement and fled , but " Pélican " was too badly damaged to pursue . " Pélican " was also fatally damaged in the battle . Holed below the waterline , " Pélican " had to be abandoned , but the arrival of the remainder of the French squadron shortly thereafter led to the surrender of York Factory on September 13 , 1697 , and the continuation of D ' Iberville ' s remarkable career .