The early months of the war , which had begun Process_start in February , had seen Perception_active a number of French frigates raiding Attack British merchant shipping in the Channel , and HMS `` Crescent '' under Captain James Saumarez was deployed Arranging to watch Perception_active the port of Cherbourg with the aim Aiming of disrupting Hindering the operations Military_operation of the French frigates `` Réunion '' and `` Sémillante '' that were based in the harbour .

During the previous month , `` Cléopâtre '' and another frigate , `` Sémillante '' , had been successfully raiding Attack British merchant shipping in the English Channel and Eastern Atlantic from their base at Cherbourg .