The French flagship Montagne, under Rear-Admiral Louis Villaret-Joyeuse, shown in starboard bow quarter view, to the right of centre of this image, is being pursued by a British naval vessel. Cannon smoke is blasting from the port bow guns of the British ship. The scene in the background is the massive fleet action of the Battle of the Glorious First of June 1794 which took place off Ushant. The numerous ships are crowed together, smoke billows between the vessels and rises in huge clouds into the sky.
This battle was the first fleet action in the French Revolutionary Wars. The British Channel Fleet under Admiral Lord Howe, in his flagship Queen Charlotte (shown left of the centre of the picture), was attempting to prevent a French convoy, carrying grain from America, reaching the French coast. The convoy was protected by the French Atlantic Fleet under Rear-Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse. Both sides claimed a glorious victory, but both fleets were badly damaged. Although the grain convoy did reach the French coast, the French fleet was so damaged that it was out of action for some time.