The French have been menacing the British-held garrison on Minorca, which had come under British control during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708.

On the approach of the Seven Years' War, it had been threatened by a French naval attack from Toulon, and is invaded in 1756.

Great Britain and France had commenced hostilities in the New World colonies earlier in 1754 (the French and Indian War), and at this point the conflict is going poorly for Great Britain.

The government is anxious to protect her presence closer to home, and is concerned that the French might even be planning to invade Great Britain themselves (as France had attempted in previous wars by supporting the Stuart claimants to the throne during the Jacobite Wars).

The long-expected French move on Minorca finally causes the British government to act, albeit too belatedly, and a squadron of ten ships of the line has been dispatched from Gibraltar to its defense, under the command of Vice-Admiral John Byng, who had quickly been promoted to Admiral for the purpose.

Byng, serving in the Channel at the time, had been ordered to the Mediterranean to relieve the British garrison of Fort St Philip, at Port Mahon.

Despite his protests, he had been given insufficient money and time to prepare the expedition properly.

His fleet had been delayed in Portsmouth for five days while additional crew were found.

By April 6, the ships had been sufficiently manned and put to sea, arriving at Gibraltar on May 2.

Byng's marines had been landed to make room for the soldiers who were to reinforce the garrison, and he fears that, if he meets a French squadron, he will be dangerously undermanned.

His correspondence shows that he left prepared for failure, that he did not believe that the garrison could hold out against the French force, and that he was already resolved to come back from Minorca if he found that the task presented any great difficulty.

He writes home to that effect to the Admiralty from Gibraltar, whose governor refuses to provide soldiers to increase the relief force.

Byng sails on May 8, 1756.

The French land fifteen thousand troops under the command of the Duke of Richelieu on the western shore, spreading out to occupy the island before Byng arrives off Minorca.

Despite having considerable intelligence of the strength of the French fleet at Toulon that has been designated for the invasion of Minorca, the ships allocated to Byng are all in a poor state of repair and undermanned.

When Byng and his fleet, now numbering thirteen ships of the line (having been reinforced by ships of the Minorca squadron that had escaped the island), arrive off Minorca on May 19, they find the island already overrun by French troops, with only the garrison of St. Philip's Castle in (Port Mahon) holding out.

Byng's orders are to relieve the garrison, but a French squadron of twelve ships of the line and five frigates, commanded by the Marquis de La Galissonière, intervene as the afternoon is wearing on.

The two fleets position themselves, and ...

...battle is drawn up on the morning of the following day.

Facing twelve French ships of the line, Byng forms his twelve largest ships into a single line of battle and approaches the head of the French line on a parallel course while maintaining the weather gage.

He then orders his ships to go about and come alongside their opposite numbers in the French fleet.

However, the poor signalling capability of the times causes confusion and delay in closing.

Byng's flag captain points out to him that, by standing out of his line, he could bring the center of the enemy to closer action, but he declines because Thomas Mathews had been dismissed for so doing in 1744.

The British van takes a considerable pounding from their more heavily armed French adversaries, while the rear of the line, including Byng's flagship, fails to come within effective cannon range.

During the battle Byng displays considerable caution and an over-reliance on standard fighting procedures, and several of his ships are seriously damaged, while no ships are lost by the French.

Casualties are roughly even, with forty-three British sailors killed and one hundred and sixty-eight wounded, against French losses of thirty-eight killed and one hundred and seventy-five wounded.

Byng remains near Minorca for four days without establishing communication with the fort or sighting the French.

On May 24, he calls a council of his captains at which he suggests that Minorca is effectively lost and that the best course would be to return to Gibraltar to repair the fleet.

The council concurs, and the fleet sets sail for Gibraltar.

The battle can hardly be considered anything other than a French victory in the light of Byng failing to press on to relieve the garrison or pursue the French fleet, which inaction results in severe criticism.

The Admiralty, perhaps concerned to divert attention from its own lack of preparation for the disastrous venture, will charge Byng for breaching the Articles of War by failing to do all he could to fulfill his orders and support the garrison.