eleven
o’clock
The enemy were so appalled by the explosion that , believing the fire-ships were equally formidable , they not only made no attempt to divert their course , but with one exception all the French ships cut their cables ; and when morning dawned , the whole of their fleet except two ships were helplessly ashore . The tide had ebbed , and they all lay over on their side , with their bottoms exposed to fire , and had Lord Gambier sent but two or three ships in to complete the work of destruction not one of the powerful French squadron would have escaped . `` The forts had begun to open upon us , therefore we sailed away towards the fleet that was lying ten miles off , and on getting within signalling distance , Cochrane signalled that all the enemy 's ships except two were on shore , and that the frigates alone could destroy them . Beyond acknowledging the signals no notice was taken , and it was not until eleven o'clock that the fleet got up anchor , and then , sailing in to within three miles and a half of the road , anchored again . By this time the tide had risen , and most of the enemy 's ships were already afloat . Furious at seeing the result of this attack absolutely thrown away , Cochrane ordered the anchor to be weighed , and allowed his vessel to drift towards the enemy . He could not get up sail , as he knew that he should be at once recalled if he did so , he therefore drifted until but a short distance from the enemy .