41:
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1023:"the populace insulted the prisoners as they marched to their place of confinement: officers and men shared the same lot; they were denied the commonest rations of provisions, and reduced to starvation. A wretched dog that crept into the cells was killed, and his head alone sold for a dollar, to satisfy the cravings of nature: a prisoner, in a state of delirium, threw himself in the well within the prison walls, and his dead body, after lying some time, was taken out, but no other water was allowed to the people to drink."
171:
137:
841:(0.93 km; 0.58 mi) away, ordering their crews to set more sail, ready to attempt to escape should the squadron be revealed to be French. At 05:00, lookouts on the British ships discovered that the squadron, which had favourable wind, was approaching fast and this convinced Bligh and Hamilton that the unidentified ships were hostile. Bligh ordered Hamilton to separate in the hope that he could escape without the slower
703:, the most powerful of the Royal Navy's fleets and the force assigned to restrict French movements from Brest. The French suffered a serious defeat, losing seven ships, but managed to retire in good order and saved the grain convoy. Later in June 1794 the British Fleet again put to sea, but was caught in a storm and many ships were badly damaged. Its commander
996:, although French accounts give 28 killed and 30 wounded. British histories reported French casualties in the engagement as the enormous figure of 450 men killed and wounded, although as French historian Charles Rouvier noted in 1868, this is an absurdly inflated total: Rouvier gave French losses as 10 wounded, all on
1070:
has been summed up by the historian Robert
Gardiner, who wrote in 1996 that "The capture of a British 74 was a rare event during these wars – only five were lost . . . However, the one sided nature of the conflict was not apparent in 1794 and what has been called the Royal Navy's 'habit of victory'
991:
was in a sinking condition, and it was only with difficulty that the ship was brought back to port afloat. The captured crew were distributed among the French squadron and as a result Bligh was unable to make a full casualty list. He later estimated losses of approximately 40 men killed or wounded
687:
to
Britain from all over the world, and it was therefore imperative that the French fleet was not permitted to put to sea without being challenged. For the French, Brest was a vital port for the receipt of grain supplies from the Americas and so French fleets regularly sailed on missions to escort
802:
on board. Nielly had information concerning these movements, and was cruising in a pattern that was intended to cover the
Western approaches to the English Channel. The French force cruised in the Celtic Sea for several days, until on 6 November at 02:30 two unidentified ships were spotted on the
986:
Consolidating his battered prize, Nielly ordered his squadron to return to Brest without waiting for the
British convoys that had been his intended targets: unknown to the French, both the Lisbon and Mediterranean convoys were less than 180 nautical miles (330 km; 210 mi) away from the
602:
in search of an inward bound
British convoy in October, but instead encountered the two British ships returning from escorting an outward-bound convoy. There had been no warning of the French approach as the British force assigned to watch Brest was absent at
951:
could not pull directly alongside Bligh's ship, but was still able to attack the
British ship with heavy fire, receiving a battering in turn that shot away the French ship's main and mizen topmasts and inflicted severe damage to its rigging.
1053:
commended Nielly on his victory and the captured ship was repaired and taken into the French Navy, joining the
Atlantic Fleet. It was however a poor sailor and in June 1795 was with the French fleet that participated in
1010:
at the
Glorious First of June until his ship was sunk. Bligh, who had, unknown to him, been promoted to rear-admiral whilst at sea, later commended Renaudin for his conduct while Bligh was a prisoner and wrote to the
1433:
631:
was slower and was caught by several French ships in succession. The first two opponents were driven off, but the third succeeded in coming alongside and, in a fierce and close fought duel, compelled
Captain
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for an hour, taking damage in its turn. At 13:00, with his rigging and sails tattered, his masts shot through, hull shattered and several fires raging on board, Bligh surrendered
900:
to fire on the
Hamilton's ship, the shot flying over the vessel and harmlessly into the sea. Hamilton responded with fire from his own stern-chasers and Bligh issued signals for
711:
and thus there was no British fleet at sea in late October when a powerful French squadron sailed from Brest with the intention of attacking a large merchant convoy sailing from
919:
began to move however, and interposed his division so that they blocked Hamilton's manoeuvre, both ships of the division now firing on Hamilton's ship. Bligh was thus isolated,
861:
at 07:30, to which the British ships replied at 08:15 by raising their own, having shifted their direction of flight to the eastwards to make better use of the available wind.
781:
In addition to the Lisbon convoy, a number of other vulnerable British targets were in the region, including a second convoy from the Mediterranean Sea under Rear-Admiral
247:
849:
in an effort to lure the British close enough that he could catch and overwhelm them, the trap springing successfully as three ships of the line pursued
636:
to surrender his ship in the face of overwhelming odds. The battle was a rare French victory, lying between the significant British victories at the
1423:
695:
In May 1794, a large French fleet put to sea to ensure the safety of an American grain convoy and was intercepted far out in the Atlantic at the
974:
had been able to pull ahead of Nielly and escape, most of the French shot flying over the British ship: so ineffectual had been the attack on
40:
85:
833:
On sighting the French force, the British captains first sought to establish the identity of the strange ships, shortening sail and
825:, returning northeastwards to rejoin the Channel Fleet after escorting a Lisbon and Mediterranean bound convoy to a safe latitude.
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was a clear indicator to Nielly that the British were aware of his identity, and he instead ordered his squadron to hoist the
970:
in the face of overwhelming French odds as Nielly's division pulled within range and began to fire on his ship. Hamilton in
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sheered away from the engagement, assisted by a French frigate, and its place was taken by the next French ship in line,
415:
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one of the most immediate concerns was to contain the French Atlantic Fleet based in the massively fortified harbour at
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was overrun by the British fleet and recaptured, rejoining the Royal Navy. The historical assessment of the capture of
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429:
1045:, standard practice when a Royal Navy ship was lost in action, and was honourably acquitted of blame in the loss of
1328:
880:
that his ships were British. During the preceding three hours, the division of the French squadron in pursuit of
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at the British vessel, the two ships engaging in a fierce duel for 30 minutes, both suffering damage. At 11:30
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at the pursuers. The French ships responded by firing their bow-chasers at the British vessel. At 09:00
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HMS Alexander . . . Shortly before Striking Her Colours to the French Squadron, 6 November 1794
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too turned away at about 12:00 and was again replaced by the third ship in the French line,
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while two ships of the line, including Nielly's flagship, and two frigates followed
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shortly after the action and returned to Britain. On 27 May 1795 he sat before a
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that he had been treated with "great Kindness and Humanity". However, historian
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to port so that they could close with the squadron. At 04:00 they were about 0.5
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northeastern horizon. These vessels were the British 74-gun ships of the line
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The British ships separated and attempted to escape, but the French commander
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in the lead, so that the British vessels might mutually support one another.
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these convoys into the harbour and to disrupt British convoys entering the
845:, Hamilton adjusting his course to a more northerly direction. Nielly had
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Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving Great Britain
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The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume IV
857:. To continue the deception, Nielly ordered his ships to raise the
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1028:"the officers who were present", quoted in Edward Pelham Brenton,
644:, in the Royal Navy campaign against the French fleet at Brest.
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by a large French squadron. The French squadron had sailed from
269:
1429:
Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving France
1353:
Histoire des marins français sous la République, de 1789 à 1803
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962:, which pulled alongside and battered the already damaged
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deliberately sought to disguise his squadron's nationality
1368:
Tracy, Nicholas, ed. (1998). "Capture of the Alexander".
652:
In February 1793, following years of rising tension, the
1000:. Bligh was returned to Brest in the custody of Captain
594:
were intercepted while returning to Britain through the
1333:
The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1, 1793–1796
978:
that Hamilton reported no damage or casualties at all.
1356:. Paris: Librairie Maritime at Scientifique. p.
16:
Naval engagement during the French Revolutionary Wars
623:simply split his forces in response, and although
1410:
1308:
915:Nielly recognised Bligh's intentions as soon as
896:too came in range, Nielly ordering his flagship
1350:Rouvier, Charles (1868). "Crosière en Manche".
884:had steadily closed the gap between the ships,
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715:to Britain. The force, under the command of
707:retired with his fleet to the anchorage in
1276:The Naval History of Great Britain, Vol. I
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1370:The Naval Chronicle, Volume 1, 1793–1798
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627:was eventually able to outrun pursuit,
1424:Military history of the Atlantic Ocean
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1030:The Naval History of Great Britain
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1335:. London: Conway Maritime Press.
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1019:reported in 1825 that at Brest:
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1309:Gardiner, Robert, ed. (2001) .
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1191:. 31 January 1795. p. 113.
1294:. London: Chatham Publishing.
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927:. At 11:00, the French ship
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1071:was not yet established."
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1394:. Constable Publishers.
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560:(Known in French as the
366:Croisière du Grand Hiver
1062:: at the latter action
923:falling further behind
823:Charles Powell Hamilton
1372:. Chatham Publishing.
1281:edward pelham brenton.
1271:Brenton, Edward Pelham
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1002:Jean François Renaudin
935:to discharge its main
697:Glorious First of June
638:Glorious First of June
163:Commanders and leaders
1288:Clowes, William Laird
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1017:Edward Pelham Brenton
888:responding by firing
222:Casualties and losses
1056:Cornwallis's Retreat
812:Richard Rodney Bligh
660:declared war on the
634:Richard Rodney Bligh
386:Cornwallis's Retreat
210:5 ships of the line
101:48.41667°N 7.88333°W
1313:. Caxton Editions.
1279:. London: C. Rice.
1051:National Convention
788:to Britain and the
720:Joseph-Marie Nielly
621:Joseph-Marie Nielly
217:2 ships of the line
176:Joseph-Marie Nielly
97: /
1188:The London Gazette
1032:, Volume 1, 1825,
755:with the frigates
565:16 Brumaire an III
496:Croisière de Bruix
461:Îles Saint-Marcouf
279:Revolutionary Wars
106:48.41667; -7.88333
64:16 Brumaire an III
1419:Conflicts in 1794
1049:. In France, the
1007:Vengeur du Peuple
740:Droits de l'Homme
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616:
613:
590:
583:
562:
561:
557:
555:
501:Malta Convoy
454:
450:
421:
411:Newfoundland
406:Saldanha Bay
354:
353:
332:
328:
311:
307:
300:
296:
129:Belligerents
45:
31:Part of the
18:
1183:"No. 13748"
486:Tory Island
471:Dives River
232:30 wounded
212:3 frigates
104: /
1413:Categories
1075:References
1037:Bligh was
859:Union Flag
790:first-rate
764:Fraternité
678:Celtic Sea
666:Royal Navy
664:. For the
648:Background
596:Celtic Sea
563:Combat du
516:Copenhagen
445:Camperdown
440:Santa Cruz
435:Jean-Rabel
381:April 1795
361:Den Helder
230:28 killed
227:10 wounded
214:1 corvette
92:07°53′00″W
89:48°25′00″N
76:Celtic Sea
1331:(2002) .
1290:(1997) .
1273:(1837) .
1068:Alexander
1064:Alexandre
1047:Alexander
1039:exchanged
1013:Admiralty
994:Alexander
989:Alexander
982:Aftermath
968:Alexander
964:Alexander
941:Jean Bart
937:broadside
933:Alexander
929:Jean Bart
921:Alexander
902:Alexander
886:Alexander
882:Alexander
866:Alexander
851:Alexander
843:Alexander
807:Alexander
800:Lord Hood
752:Jean Bart
746:Pelletier
705:Lord Howe
629:Alexander
584:Alexander
521:Algeciras
376:2nd Genoa
355:Alexander
323:1st Genoa
308:Embuscade
301:Cléopâtre
1390:(2001).
1058:and the
1026:—
987:action.
786:en route
776:Papillon
773:corvette
771:and the
769:Gentille
758:Charente
685:en route
680:and the
674:Brittany
640:and the
609:blockade
605:Plymouth
538:Boulogne
344:May 1794
339:Guernsey
329:Crescent
291:Sardinia
205:Strength
71:Location
992:aboard
835:tacking
795:Victory
575:British
506:Dunkirk
455:Hercule
416:Ireland
333:Réunion
275:of the
1398:
1376:
1339:
1317:
1298:
976:Canada
972:Canada
925:Canada
917:Canada
910:Canada
906:Canada
894:Canada
870:Canada
855:Canada
818:Canada
713:Lisbon
709:Torbay
625:Canada
591:Canada
573:. Two
466:Ostend
396:Hyères
349:Ushant
318:Toulon
312:Boston
297:Nymphe
277:French
153:
142:France
117:Result
998:Marat
960:Marat
956:Tigre
949:Tigre
945:Tigre
898:Marat
829:Chase
734:Tigre
728:Marat
670:Brest
600:Brest
511:Malta
491:Texel
391:Groix
1396:ISBN
1374:ISBN
1337:ISBN
1315:ISBN
1296:ISBN
904:and
878:ruse
868:and
816:HMS
814:and
805:HMS
793:HMS
749:and
589:HMS
587:and
582:HMS
556:The
543:Mahé
476:Nile
453:vs.
451:Mars
331:vs.
310:vs.
299:vs.
57:Date
1358:205
672:in
531:2nd
526:1st
1415::
1360:.
1239:^
1225:^
1209:^
1197:^
1185:.
1168:^
1156:^
1144:^
1130:^
1118:^
947:.
778:.
767:,
761:,
743:,
737:,
731:,
692:.
611:.
580:,
78:,
1404:.
1382:.
1345:.
1323:.
1304:.
263:e
256:t
249:v
66:)
62:(
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