Although the campaign was decided by a final major action, May 1794 saw both fleets at sea with several subordinate squadrons, both admirals conducting a complicated series of convoy, commerce raiding and fleet manouvere operations. Numerous merchant ships and small warships were taken or destroyed during the month long campaign by both sides and there were also two partial fleet engagements as Howe and Villaret made first contact. Both admirals suffered from wilful disobedience by a number of their officers during the battle, as well as confusion in reading signals which caused an uneven series of melees to break out rather than the unified battleline Howe had envisaged when planning the action. Nevertheless, both commanders were highly praised on their return to their home ports and the