The English fleet was commanded by Admiral Sir Edward Hawke in the 'Royal George' and the French by Admiral Hubert Brienne de Conflans, Marshal of France, in the 'Soleil Royal'. The battle was conducted amidst heavy squalls and deteriorating weather, and at the fall of night. Two French ships, 'Thésée' and 'Superbe', sank in action, and when dawn came after a wild night the British 'Resolution' and 'Essex' were seen to be wrecked beyond help on the Four. The 'Soleil Royal' had been driven well into the bay close to anchored British ships and Conflans first ran her aground off Le Croisic and then burnt her to prevent capture. The 'Héros', also deliberately grounded nearby after pursuit by the wrecked 'Essex', was taken by British boats and also burnt. Some French ships escaped south to Rochefort by weathering the Four. Others took refuge deep in Quiberon Bay, in the Vilaine estuary, where the 'Inflexible' was wrecked and from which the rest only escaped over several months.

The painting is highly stylised and includes symbols of wreckage such as pieces of rope, cleats and a barrel. It also necessarily selects incidents and compresses the huge area across which they occurred into a single, evocative image.