The French artillery batteries were well positioned on higher ground commanding the beach and the bay. They exchanged shots with the ships of the fleet, and sank three landing boats[23] full of soldiers; other landing boats were damaged on the beach.[24][25] When the British troops remaining ashore were some 3,000, the French closed in. Under fire from the British fleet, the French advanced against the final British position led by a battalion of 300 men of combined grenadier companies[26] in a bayonet charge commanded by the Marquis de Cussi and Comte de Montaigu.