ade signal at half-past eight to wear _together_ and
take the same tack as the English. This, however, was impossible; the
two fleets were too close together to admit the evolution. He then
signalled to haul close to the wind and wear _in succession_, which
also failed to be done, and at five minutes past nine the dreaded
contingency arose; the wind hauled to the southward, knocking off all
the French ships that had not yet kept away; that is, all who had
English ships close under their lee (Plate XXI. C). Rodney, in the
"Formidable," was at this time just drawing up with the fourth ship
astern of De Grasse's flag. Luffing to the new wind, he passed through
the French line, followed by the five ships next astern of him (C,
a), while nearly at the same moment, and from the same causes, his
sixth astern (C, b) led through the interval abreast him, followed by
the whole English rear. The French line-of-battle was thus broken in
two places by columns of enemies' ships in such close order as to
force its vessels aside, even if the wind had not conspired to
embarrass their action. Every principle upon which a line-of-battle
was constituted, for mutual support and for the clear field of fire of
each ship, was thus overthrown for the French, and preserved for the
English divisions which filed through; and the French were forced off
to leeward by the interposition of the enemy's columns, besides being
broken up. Compelled thus to forsake the line upon which they had been
ranged, it was necessary to re-form upon another, and unite the three
groups into which they were divided,--a difficult piece of tactics
under any circumstances, but doubly so under the moral impression of
disaster, and in presence of a superior enemy, who, though himself
disordered, was in better shape, and already felt the glow of victory.

[Illustration: Pl. XXI. RODNEY & DE GRASSE. APRIL 12, 1782.]

It does not appear that any substantial attempt to re-form was made by
the French. To reunite, yes; but only as a flying, disordered mass.
The various shifts of wind and movements of the divisions left their
fleet, at midday (Plate XXI. D), with the centre (c) two miles
northwest of and to leeward of the van (v), the rear (r) yet farther
from the centre and to leeward of it. Calms and short puffs of wind
prevailed now through both fleets. At half-past one P.M. a light
breeze from the east sprang up, and De Grasse made signal to form the
line again on the port