Ship of the Line (Hornblower Saga, #6)

Book #6 in the Hornblower Saga: When Hornblower encounters a squadron of four French ships of the line that have broken through the English blockade of Toulon, he attacks them despite the odds of four to one, and manages to disable or heavily damage all of them. However, with many of his men killed or wounded, and his ship dismasted, he is then forced to strike his colours and surrender.