This was due to his own mismanagement , including appointing an aristocrat without naval experience as commander of the Armada , unfortunate weather , and the opposition of the English and their Dutch allies including the use Using of fire-ships sailed into the anchored Armada . ''

Operating Being_in_operation under secret orders from the Marquis de Castries , France 's marine minister , La Pérouse sailed Motion from Cap-Français in May 1782 , and arrived at Arriving the Prince of Wales Fort in early August .

Men on La Pérouse 's fleet , which had sailed Motion with minimal winter provisioning to maintain secrecy , suffered Bodily_harm hardships Confronting_problem including scurvy and other diseases .

The French force consisted of one ship of the line and one frigate , all that remained of Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois ' squadron that had sailed Self_motion for the Indian Ocean in March 1803 during the Peace of Amiens .

Admiral Graves learned Education_teaching that de Grasse had sailed Self_motion from the West Indies for North America and that French Admiral de Barras had also sailed Self_motion from Newport , Rhode Island .

Admiral Graves learned Education_teaching that de Grasse had sailed Self_motion from the West Indies for North America and that French Admiral de Barras had also sailed Self_motion from Newport , Rhode Island .

He sailed Self_motion south from Sandy Hook , New Jersey , outside New York Harbor , with 19 ships of the line and arrived at Arriving the mouth of the Chesapeake early on 5 September to see Perception_active de Grasse 's fleet already at anchor Temporary_stay in the bay .

De Grasse hastily prepared GetReady most of his fleet for battle—24 ships of the line—and sailed Self_motion out to meet Come_together him .

The two fleets sailed Self_motion within view Perception_active of each other for several days , but de Grasse preferred Choosing to lure Influence the British away from the bay where de Barras was expected to arrive Arriving carrying Carry_goods vital siege Besieging equipment .

The British convoy , escorted Patrolling by ( 74 guns , under Captain Sir John Moutray ) and two frigates - `` Thetis '' ( 36 guns ) and `` Southampton '' ( 36 guns ) , sailed Self_motion from Portsmouth on 27 July .