the following day hotham learned that martin was at sea and sailed in search. on 13 march he caught the french off cape noli and as martin fled back towards toulon, hotham's ships attacked the french rearguard in a series of running engagements known as the battle of genoa. two french ships were overhauled and defeated with heavy casualties, but three days after the battle the damaged british ship hms "illustrious" was driven ashore in a storm and wrecked. martin withdrew to the îles d'hyères, sending his most damaged ships and "berwick" back to toulon for repairs, while hotham anchored at san fiorenzo to refit his own fleet.