six in the evening
The result was that the _ Bellerophon _ was overpowered , 200 of her men were killed or wounded , all her masts and cables were shot away , and she drifted out of the line . Her place , however , was taken by the _ Swiftsure _ , which not only assailed the _ L'Orient _ on the bow , but at the same time opened a steady fire on the quarter of the _ Franklin _ . Before this time , however , the shades of night had fallen on the scene . The battle began at half-past six in the evening -- half-an-hour afterwards daylight was gone , and the deadly fight was lighted only by the lurid and fitful flashing of the guns . Those vessels of the English squadron which happened to be in rear were some leagues astern when the fight began , and it was so dark when they entered that extreme difficulty was experienced in getting in . One of these -- the _ Culloden _ -LRB- Captain Trowbridge -RRB- -- sounded carefully as she went , but got aground , where she remained helpless during the action , despite the efforts of the _ Leander _ and _ La Mutine _ brig to get her off . She served , however , as a beacon to the _ Alexander _ and _ Swiftsure _ .