Following the defeat of the French fleet in Aboukir Bay in August 1798 the French garrison at Malta came under siege. An attempt in February by the French to run a small convoy into Valletta was thwarted by the British. One of the three French ships that had escaped from Aboukir Bay was the ‘Guillaume Tell’ which was by now lying in Valletta Harbour. In late March she attempted to run the gauntlet of the British blockade to try to reach Marseilles to alert the French to their plight. As soon as she headed for open water she was spotted by the frigate ‘Penelope’ who gave chase. She soon caught up with her and for over five hours harried the ‘Guillaume Tell’ and eventually brought down her main and mizzen topmasts and main yard. The British ship ‘Lion’ also joined in and further disabled the ‘Guillaume Tell’. The ‘Foudroyant’ also arrived and by day light the ‘Guillaume Tell’ had lost all her masts. She surrendered soon afterwards following a most gallant defence and was captured. The ‘Penelope’, which had engaged the ‘Guillaume Tell’ throughout the eight hour action, had only one sailor killed and three wounded.