15. The British failed to attack the French fleet at Boston following the Newport expedition
When the French fleet abandoned Newport, taking the French troops with them and leaving the Americans besieging the city in a precarious position, it sailed to Boston. Admiral Howe pursued him there, but chose not to attack until reinforced by a British fleet from Gibraltar led by Admiral Byron, who relieved Howe in command on the North American Station, but likewise chose not to attack the French fleet, despite superiority in numbers. Nor could he contain the French in Boston, in September bad weather blew his ships off station and the French fleet got underway, eluded the stronger British force, and sailed to the West Indies.
The first joint operations between the Americans and the French were marked by poor communications, differing objectives, political squabbling among the French officers, and the hesitation of the Royal Navy to attack. It was the best opportunity for the Royal Navy to strike the French and American alliance and deal it a severe blow, and two separate British Admirals hesitated to do so, claiming the French position in Nantasket Roads was too strong to be assaulted, supported by land-based American artillery.