Battle of Genoa (1795): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Naval battle fought on 14 March 1795 off the coast of Genoa}} |
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{{Redirect|Battle of Genoa}} |
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{{infobox military conflict |
{{infobox military conflict |
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|conflict |
|conflict=Battle of Genoa |
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|partof |
|partof=the [[Naval campaigns, operations and battles of the French Revolutionary Wars|naval operations]] during the [[War of the First Coalition]] |
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|image |
|image=File:Agamemnon and Ca Ira 1795.jpg |
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|caption="The 'Agamemnon' engaging the Ça Ira', 13 March 1795". [[Nicholas Pocock]], 1810. [[National Maritime Museum|NMM]] |
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|caption = {{ship|French ship|Ça Ira|1781|2}} fighting |
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|date = |
|date =13–14 March 1795 |
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|place =[[Genoa]], |
|place =[[Gulf of Genoa]], [[Ligurian Sea]] |
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|result =Anglo-Neapolitan victory |
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|territory = |
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|result =British-Neapolitan victory |
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|status = |
|status = |
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|combatant1 ={{ |
|combatant1 ={{flagcountry|Kingdom of Great Britain}} <br /> {{flagdeco|Two Sicilies|23px}} [[Kingdom of Naples|Naples]] |
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|combatant2 ={{ |
|combatant2 ={{flagdeco|First French Republic}} [[First French Republic|France]] |
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|commander1 = |
|commander1 ={{flagdeco|Kingdom of Great Britain|naval}} [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|William Hotham]] |
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|commander2 = |
|commander2 ={{flagdeco|First French Republic}} [[Pierre Martin (Admiral)|Pierre Martin]] |
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|commander3 = |
|commander3 = |
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|units1 = |
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|units2 = |
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|strength1 = |
|strength1 =14 ships of the line ([[Order of battle at the Battle of Genoa#Hotham's fleet|OOB]]) |
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|strength2 = |
|strength2 =13 ships of the line ([[Order of battle at the Battle of Genoa#Martin's fleet|OOB]]) |
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|casualties1 = |
|casualties1 =74 killed<br />254 wounded |
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|casualties2 = |
|casualties2 =400–750 killed and wounded {{Cref2|Note A}}<br />2 ships of the line captured |
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|notes = |
|notes = |
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|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox First Coalition}}<br>{{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars Naval Battles}} |
|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox First Coalition}}{{Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign of 1793-1796}}<br />{{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars Naval Battles}} |
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}} |
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The '''Battle of Genoa''' was a naval battle fought on 14 March 1795 |
The '''Battle of Genoa''' (also known as the '''Battle of Cape Noli''' and in [[French language|French]] as ''Bataille de Gênes'') was a naval battle fought between French and allied Anglo-Neapolitan forces on 14 March 1795 in the [[Gulf of Genoa]], a large bay in the [[Ligurian Sea]] off the coast of the [[Republic of Genoa]], during the [[French Revolutionary Wars]]. The French fleet was led by [[Contre-amiral]] [[Pierre Martin (French Navy officer)|Pierre Martin]] and comprised 14 (later 13) [[ships of the line]] while the British [[Royal Navy]] and [[Kingdom of Naples|Neapolitan]] fleet, under Vice-Admiral [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|William Hotham]] mustered 13 ships of the line. The battle ended with a minor British-Neapolitan victory and the capture of two French ships. |
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The battle was part of a naval campaign in the spring of 1795, during which Martin sought to assert French control over the waters off Southern France. These had been effectively ceded to the British 18 months earlier when the British captured the French Mediterranean naval base of [[Toulon]]. Although it was recaptured at an ensuing [[Siege of Toulon|siege]], the main French Mediterranean fleet had been burned in the harbour. Only half the fleet was salvageable and as repairs continued in Toulon, the British used their dominance to [[invasion of Corsica (1794)|invade and capture]] the island of [[Corsica]] during 1794. By the start of 1795 enough French ships were in fighting condition that Martin felt able to make limited cruises in the Ligurian Sea. At the start of March 1795 he sailed for [[Genoa]], [[Action of 7 March 1795|encountering and capturing]] a British ship of the line ''en route''. Off Genoa Martin found himself pursued by Hotham's fleet and, after two days of manoeuvres in calm weather, the French admiral turned back towards the French coast. |
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== Prelude == |
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=== Capture of HMS ''Berwick'' === |
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{{main|Action of 8 March 1795}} |
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In early 1795 Vice-Admiral Hotham, the commander in chief of the [[Mediterranean Fleet]], shifted his fleet from San Fiorenzo Bay, [[Corsica]], to [[Livorno|Leghorn]], news which soon reached the French naval base at [[Toulon]]. A fleet of fifteen [[ships of the line]], six [[frigate]]s and two [[brig]]-[[corvette]]s was prepared, put to sea on 2 March 1795<ref name=troude424>Troude, p. 424</ref> under the command of Rear-Admiral Pierre Martin. Its objective was unclear: a fleet of transports had embarked 5,000 troops to invade Corsica and recapture it from the British,<ref name="WJ254">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=254}}</ref> but these transports never departed Toulon.<ref name=troude425>Troude, p. 425</ref> The report of the [[Committee of Public Safety]] to the [[National Convention]] states that the fleet was at sea to secure shipping lines in the Mediterranean.<ref name=troude425 /> |
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Hotham pursued, and on 13 March his leading ships caught the French rearguard. For two days Martin's rearmost ships fought a series of running engagements with the British fleet in which several ships from both sides were badly damaged. Martin's flagship the 120-gun [[French ship Orient (1791)|''Sans Culotte'']] lost contact with the battle overnight, and after a brief resumption of the battle the following morning he gave orders to withdraw. Two French ships, {{ship|French ship|Ça Ira|1781|2}} and {{ship|French ship|Censeur|1782|2}}, were left behind, overwhelmed, and forced to surrender by the British. Hotham was urged by his subordinate, Captain [[Horatio Nelson]], to continue pursuit, but refused and withdrew his fleet for repairs. One British ship, {{HMS|Illustrious|1789|6}}, was later wrecked on the Italian coast. Martin sent his damaged ships into Toulon for repairs and anchored the rest of the fleet in the [[Îles d'Hyères]] in preparations for further operations; four months later the fleets fought a second engagement, the [[Battle of the Hyères Islands]], which also ended in a minor British victory. |
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Their progress was hampered by a series of north-easterly gales, but they came in sight of the island by early morning on 7 March, when the fleet's advanced figures discovered a British warship sailing under a [[jury rig]].<ref name="WJ255">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=255}}</ref> This was the 74-gun {{HMS|Berwick|1775|6}}, which had been refitting in San Fiorenzo Bay with the rest of the fleet in early 1795, when her lower masts, stripped of rigging, rolled over the side and were lost. A [[court-martial]] found that the proper precautions to secure the masts had not been taken and dismissed ''Berwick''{{'}}s captain, William Smith, her first lieutenant, and her master from the ship.<ref name="WJ254"/> Hotham had then sailed with his fleet, ordering ''Berwick''{{'}}s new captain, Adam Littlejohn, to fit a jury rig and then sail to join him at Leghorn.<ref name="WJ254"/> Littlejohn soon realised that the approaching fleet was a French one, despite their flying Spanish flags, and attempted to escape. With ''Berwick''{{'}}s speed greatly reduced to the jury-rig, the French frigates were able to close on the British ship, and at 11 am {{ship|French frigate|Alceste|1780|2}} passed to [[leeward]] and opened fire within musket-shot on ''Berwick''{{'}}s lee bow. The {{ship|French frigate|Minerve|1794|2}} and {{ship|French ship|Vestale|1756|2}} then hauled within range and took up position on ''Berwick''{{'}}s quarter.<ref name="WJ255"/> By noon, her rigging was cut to pieces and every sail was in ribbons. During the battle four sailors were wounded and a bar-shot decapitated Littlejohn; he was the only man killed. Command then devolved upon Lieutenant Nesbit Palmer, who consulted with the other officers. Palmer decided that as ''Berwick'' was unable to escape in her disabled state and that all further resistance was useless; he then ordered that ''Berwick'' [[striking the colors|strike her colours]].<ref name="WJ255"/> ''Alceste'' had suffered casualties of eight men wounded, including her captain and another officer.<ref name="WJ255"/> Upon surrendering the British officers and crew were dispersed into the French ships.<ref name="WJ255"/> |
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== Background == |
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On 8 March, news reached Hotham that a French fleet had been sighted off [[Île Sainte-Marguerite]] two days earlier. Further intelligence arrived later that day when the [[sloop]] {{HMS|Moselle|1793|6}} approached Hotham's anchorage, flying the signal for a fleet in the north-west.<ref name="WJ256">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=256}}</ref> On reporting to Hotham the fleet was announced to be sailing southward. Hotham immediately unmoored his fleet, putting to sea early on the morning of 9 March heading for Corsica. As yet unaware of the fate of ''Berwick'', he sent the [[brig]] {{HMS|Tarleton|1782|6}} ahead to San Fiorenzo to order ''Berwick'' to join him off [[Cap Corse]].<ref name="WJ256"/> ''Tarleton'' reported back to the fleet that night, giving Hotham news of ''Berwick''{{'}}s capture, and presumably an updated location of the French fleet, as Hotham changed his course, heading north-west. The following morning on 10 March the British came in sight of the French fleet, now beating northwards back to Toulon against a south-west wind.<ref name="WJ256"/> |
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The [[French Revolutionary Wars]] expanded significantly in February 1793 when the [[National Convention]] of the newly-formed [[First French Republic|French Republic]] declared war on the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]].<ref name="RG14">Gardiner, p.14</ref> To defend British commercial interests in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], a [[Royal Navy]] fleet was assembled and sent to [[blockade]] the French Mediterranean Fleet in their main port of [[Toulon]] on the Southern coast of France.<ref name="WJ65">James, p.65</ref> On arrival in August 1793, the British fleet found that Toulon was in a state of upheaval due to the [[Reign of Terror]], and the British commander [[Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood|Lord Hood]] persuaded the citizens to declare for the [[House of Bourbon|French Royalist]] cause and allow British forces to seize the town and the French fleet.<ref name="BI178">Ireland, p.178</ref> Republican forces [[Siege of Toulon|laid siege]] to the city and four months of heavy fighting followed until the Royalists and their allies were expelled on 18 December. During the chaotic evacuation of the city most of the French Mediterranean fleet was set on fire by British and Spanish boarding parties.<ref name="RG105">Gardiner, p.105</ref> |
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In the aftermath, the British launched an [[Invasion of Corsica (1794)|invasion of Corsica]] while the French set about rebuilding their fleet.<ref name="WJ254"/> Due to failures by Spanish landing parties, many of the naval stores in Toulon had survived the fire as had more than half of the fleet, although many ships were badly damaged.<ref name="WLC212">Clowes, p.212</ref> For most of 1794 the surviving French ships remained in harbour, the new commander [[Contre-amiral]] [[Pierre Martin (French Navy officer)|Pierre Martin]] leading a [[Martin's cruise of 1794|brief sally in June]] with seven [[ships of the line]] which was forced to shelter at [[Golfe-Juan|Gourjean Bay]] to escape an attack by Lord Hood's fleet.<ref name="RG116">Gardiner, p.116</ref> Problems stemming from the [[French Revolution]] several years earlier meant that the French fleet was suffering severe reductions in experience and morale in comparison with the British fleet.<ref name="BI74">Ireland, p.74</ref> |
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=== The fleets circle === |
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The two fleets gradually closed over the next two days, hampered by light winds. Favourable winds on the evening of 12 March caused the British to form a line of battle, but the French bore away.<ref name="WJ257">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=257}}</ref> Heavy squalls blew up during the night of 12 March, causing the 74-gun {{ship|French ship|Mercure|1783|2}} to carry away her maintopmast. She received permission to leave the fleet in company with a frigate, and made for Gourjean roads where she met the captured ''Berwick'', also with a frigate in company, and together they made their way to Toulon, taking no further part in the battle.<ref name="WJ257"/> By dawn on 13 March, and with the French still declining an action, Hotham gave the signal for a general chase. As the British closed on the French, taking advantage of the fresh breeze, the third-most ship in the French rear, the 80-gun {{ship|French ship|Ça Ira|1781|2}}, collided with the ship in front of her, the 80-gun [[French ship Languedoc (1766)|''Victoire'']]. ''Victoire'' was slightly damaged, but ''Ça Ira'' lost her fore and main topmasts as a result, causing her to lag behind.<ref name="WJ257"/> |
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By 1795 the full surviving strength of the French Mediterranean Fleet had been restored, Martin mustering 15 ships of the line and six [[frigates]] for an operation in the [[Ligurian Sea]]. The purpose of this operation is uncertain; the report of the [[Committee of Public Safety]] to the National Convention stated that the fleet was at sea to secure shipping lines in the Mediterranean,<ref name=troude425/> while other sources indicate that an [[amphibious landing]] in Corsica was the intention. Such an operation is mentioned in the correspondence of [[Représentant en mission]] from the National Convention, [[Étienne-François Letourneur]], sent to provide political oversight for the fleet. This plan was also indicated by the numbers of troopships assembling in Toulon,<ref name=troude425>Troude, p.425</ref> although these vessels did not leave harbour during the operation. Historian [[Adolphe Thiers]] has suggested that the objective may have been a demonstration of force against [[Rome]], following the lynching of French ambassador [[Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville|Nicolas Bassville]] there two years earlier.<ref>Thiers, ''Histoire de la Révolution'', vol.7.</ref> |
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=== Fremantle attacks === |
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Captain [[Thomas Fremantle (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Fremantle]], aboard the 36-gun {{HMS|Inconstant|1783|6}} seized the opportunity and ranging up on ''Ça Ira''{{'}}s port quarter, opened fire. The 36-gun ''Vestale'' then ranged up on ''Inconstant'', firing several broadsides as she approached, and then took ''Ça Ira'' in tow.<ref name="WJ257"/> ''Inconstant'' then tacked about, passing under ''Ça Ira''{{'}}s lee, and fired a broadside into her. The crew of ''Ça Ira'' had by now cleared the wreckage of their topmasts and opened fire on the smaller frigate, killing three men and wounding fourteen, while a shot hit her hull between wind and water, forcing her to bear away.<ref name="WJ257"/> |
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==Martin's cruise== |
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=== Nelson engages === |
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{{see also|Order of battle at the Battle of Genoa}} |
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As Fremantle fell away, the 64-gun {{HMS|Agamemnon|1781|6}}, captained by [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]], surged up and by 10.45 am was in range on ''Ça Ira''{{'}}s quarter. HMS ''Agamemnon'' carried fewer and lighter guns, and had some 550 men, compared to nearly 1,060 sailors and soldiers aboard the ''Ça Ira''. She maintained a heavy fire on the crippled French ship, still being towed by ''Vestale'', with {{HMS|Captain|1787|6}}, commanded by Captain Samuel Reeve, moving up to support him for a time. Nelson continued the duel until 2.15 pm when more French ships arrived in range, coming to support ''Ça Ira''.<ref name="WJ257"/> Nelson then dropped back into position in the British line, which was reformed as the French rear came in range, with the 74-gun ships {{HMS|Bedford|1775|6}} and {{HMS|Egmont|1768|6}} exchanging intermittent fire with the rear-most French ships, which included the 120-gun [[French ship Orient (1791)|''Sans-Culotte'']] and the 74-gun [[French ship Commerce de Bordeaux (1785)|''Timoléon'']]. By now Nelson had inflicted heavy casualties and considerable damage on the beleaguered ''Ça Ira''.<ref name="WJ257"/><ref name="Sugden 546">Sugden 2004, p. 546</ref> |
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Martin was reluctant to leave Toulon until he could be certain that the lax British [[blockade]] of the port had been temporarily retired.<ref name="WJ254">James, p.254</ref> Hood had been replaced in late 1794 by his deputy Vice-Admiral [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|William Hotham]], who based his ships in [[Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse|San Fiorenzo Bay]] on the northern coast of Corsica during the winter.<ref name="WLC267">Clowes, p.267</ref> There they had attempted partial refits and one ship, {{HMS|Berwick|1775|6}}, had been badly damaged due to poor handling during a [[gale]]. In late February Hotham sailed for more extensive repairs at [[Livorno|Leghorn]] in the [[Grand Duchy of Tuscany]], leaving ''Berwick'' behind.<ref name="WJ254"/> Martin received news of Hotham's departure at the start of March, and sailed from Toulon on 3 March.<ref name="WLC268">Clowes, p.268</ref> |
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The French fleet faced a series of gales, and it took four days to reach the Corsican coast; two ships were partly dismasted during the passage.<ref name="WJ255">James, p.255</ref> There Martin's scouts discovered the damaged ''Berwick'' limping around [[Cap Corse]] with [[jury masts]]. Recognising his superiority, Martin detached a squadron of frigates and ships of the line to chase ''Berwick'' and [[Action of 7 March 1795|a short battle]] developed in which the fleeing ''Berwick'' fought the frigate [[French frigate Alceste (1780)|''Alceste'']].<ref name=troude426>Troude, p.426</ref> Both ships took damage in the encounter, but as ''Alceste'' dropped back, a [[bar shot]] tore the head off Captain Adam Littlejohn on ''Berwick''.<ref name="WJ255"/> With other ships coming into range, ''Berwick'' unable to escape and their captain dead, the surviving officers decided to surrender. Martin ordered the captured ''Berwick'' and the damaged ''Alceste'' to detach for the protected anchorage at Gourjean Bay, while his fleet continued eastwards into the [[Gulf of Genoa]].<ref name="WJ257">James, p.257</ref> |
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== Battle == |
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=== ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' vs ''Captain'' and ''Bedford'' === |
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The action ended for the day, with Martin transferring from his [[flagship]], the 120-gun ''Sans-Culotte'', to the frigate {{ship|French frigate|Friponne|1780|2}}, in application of the standing order of 12 June 1794 according to which general officers were to transfer their flag on frigates during battle.<ref>Troude, vol., p. 427</ref> During the night, by accident or by mismanagement, ''Sans-Culotte'' lost contact with the fleet and took no further part in the action, depriving the French of their only three-decked warship.<ref name="WJ257"/> During the night, ''Vestale'' was relieved by the 74-gun ''Censeur'' in towing the now dismasted ''Ça Ira''. Daylight revealed the French fleet still on the port tack, with ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' now isolated well behind the main body of the fleet.<ref name="WJ257"/> The British fleet were advantageously placed to windward, and observing the lagging pair, Hotham signalled the 74-gun ships ''Captain'' and ''Bedford'' to close and attack them.<ref name="WJ257"/> Running down from windward they bore up and battered them for 1 hour and 15 minutes, during which time ''Captain'' endured raking fire before she could turn her broadsides to bear, and consequently suffered severe damage to her sails, rigging, and stays. She signalled to be towed out of the action, shortly afterwards followed by ''Bedford'', which had also had her sails and rigging badly cut up.<ref name="WJ257"/> Three men were killed on ''Captain'' and nine wounded, two mortally. ''Bedford'' had seven killed and eighteen wounded.<ref name="WJ257"/> |
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On same day as the capture of ''Berwick'', news of the French departure from Toulon reached Hotham at Leghorn from Genoa, with reports that the French had passed [[Île Sainte-Marguerite]] on 6 March, heading east.<ref name="WLC268"/> This was corroborated by the scouting [[Sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Moselle|1793|6}}, which reported the French to the north-west, heading south. Within a day Hotham's fleet was ready to sail, leaving the harbour in the early morning of 9 March.<ref name="WJ256">James, p.256</ref> Hotham believed that the French target was Corsica, and sent the [[brig]] {{HMS|Tarleton|1782|6}} under Commander [[Charles Brisbane]] to warn Littlejohn and arrange a rendezvous with ''Berwick'' off Cap Corse. On the evening of 9 March ''Tarleton'' returned with the news of the capture of ''Berwick'', causing Hotham to veer north-west in his course.<ref name="WJ256"/> The following day the frigates scouting ahead of the British fleet discovered Martin's fleet off [[Cape Noli]] in the Gulf of Genoa, steering westwards, back towards Toulon.<ref name="WLC269">Clowes, p.269</ref> |
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=== Defence of the rear === |
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By this time ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' had been heavily damaged and were almost defenceless. Martin now came about to go to the aid of his rear, aiming to pass along the isolated ships and defend them against {{HMS|Illustrious|1789|6}} and {{HMS|Courageux|1761|6}}, which were approaching to replace ''Bedford'' and ''Captain''. He intended that the 74-gun {{ship|French ship|Duquesne|1787|2}} would lead the action, but the lack of wind meant that most of the ships were becalmed for long periods, and ''Duquesne'' struggled to come about. As she did so she came within range of the 32-gun {{HMS|Lowestoffe|1761|6}}, similarly becalmed and helpless, and opened fire on her. Captain [[Benjamin Hallowell Carew|Benjamin Hallowell]] ordered his crew below decks, and after a period of time the Neapolitan frigate ''Minerva'' drifted near ''Duquesne'', attracting the attention of the French guns away from ''Lowestoffe'', which did not suffer any casualties, though her sails and rigging were cut up.<ref name="WJ259">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=259}}</ref> ''Duquesne'' finally completed her turn, but then instead of obeying Martin's order to lead the line to leeward, she instead passed to windward.<ref name="WJ259"/> |
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==Chase== |
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The French line, led by ''Duquesne'' and followed by the 80-gun ships ''Victoire'' and {{HMS|Tonnant|1798|2}}, came within range of ''Illustrious'' and ''Courageux'' at 8 am and the two sides commenced a heavy cannonade. After over an hour of fighting ''Illustrious'' had been hit a number of times in her hull, and had lost her foretopmast, mainmast and mizzenmast, and with her bowsprit and foremast wounded.<ref name="WJ260">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=260}}</ref> ''Courageux'' had also lost her main and mizzenmasts.<ref name="WJ260"/> The three French ships eventually passed by, and were not followed by the rest of the fleet. ''Duquesne'', ''Victoire'' and ''Tonnant'' fired a few shots at the British ships astern of ''Illustrious'' and ''Courageux'', and then sailed away, abandoning ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur''. Martin made no further attempt to come to their aid, taking advantage of a strengthening and favourable wind to resume heading northwards, while Hotham decided his van was too badly damaged to pursue, and contented himself with securing the two French ships, which surrendered promptly once it became clear the fleet had abandoned them.<ref name="WJ260"/> Hotham then made for [[Gulf of Spezia|Spezia Bay]].<ref name="Sugden 550">Sugden 2004, p. 550</ref> |
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The weather was calm, and it was not until 11 March that ships from the main body of the British fleet sighted the French, now south and to [[windward]] of the British. The lead ship in Hotham's fleet at this time was {{HMS|Princess Royal|1773|6}}, leading a vanguard some 5 or {{convert|6|nmi|km}} ahead of the main body of the fleet.<ref name="WJ257"/> Contact was lost for a time, but re-established on 12 March when Martin brought his fleet about. Martin advanced to within {{convert|3|nmi|km}} of ''Princess Royal'' before [[tacking (sailing)|tacking]] away to [[larboard]].<ref name="WLC269"/> The weather remained calm with choppy seas which made manoeuvring very difficult and prevented either fleet from closing for battle; when presented with the opportunity to attack, Martin declined.<ref name="CF73">Forester, p.73</ref> |
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A breeze from the south in the evening gave Hotham the opportunity to form up his fleet into a [[line of battle]] with the van to the west, the French to the southwest.<ref name="WJ257"/> The night was characterised by heavy [[squalls]], and the French ship [[French ship Mercure (1783)|''Mercure'']] lost a topmast; the damaged ship detached to join ''Berwick'' at Gourjean Bay, accompanied by a frigate, while continuing to steer his fleet to the west away from the British.<ref name="WLC270">Clowes, p.270</ref> At 08:00 the following morning another of Martin's ships, the large 80-gun {{ship|French ship|Ça Ira|1781|2}} from the rearguard of the French fleet, collided with the neighbouring [[French ship Languedoc (1766)|''Victoire'']] and its fore and main topmasts collapsed overboard.<ref name="RG116"/> |
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== The loss of ''Illustrious'' == |
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''Illustrious'' was being towed back to port by the frigate {{HMS|Meleager|1785|6}}, when a strong gale blew up on the night of 17 March, causing the tow rope to part. Leaking and shipping water through broken gunports, ''Illustrious'' lost her jury-rigged mizzenmast and had her sails ripped to shreds.<ref name="WJ264">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=264}}</ref> Sighting land ahead at daylight on 18 March, the two ships headed east. ''Meleager'' parted company at noon, and 1.30 pm ''Illustrious''{{'}}s situation worsened when a cannon accidentally went off, destroying the gunport lid and causing water to flood in. ''Illustrious'' wore round until the port could be secured, and attempted to head north, but made land to the east of the bay. Running into shoal water at 7.30pm that evening ''Illustrious''{{'}}s captain, Thomas Frederick, attempted to anchor, but the cables parted and she ran onshore.<ref name="WJ264"/> The wind increasing and changing direction, her rudder carried away.<ref name="WJ265">{{cite book |last=James|title=The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1|page=265}}</ref> Attempts were made the following day to run a cable to shore, but without success, and in the evening ''Tarleton'' arrived, but no boats could be launched because of the heavy sea.<ref name="WJ265"/> ''Lowestoffe'' and ''Romulus'' arrived the following day, as did the launches from the main fleet, and the crew and most of the stores were taken off, after which the hull was burnt.<ref name="WJ265"/> |
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By the morning of 13 March it had become clear to Hotham that Martin had no intention of engaging the British fleet, and the British admiral decided to authorise a general chase, permitting his captains to break from the line and pursue the French to the best of their ships' ability.<ref name="LG1">{{London Gazette|issue=13766|pages=305|date=7 April 1795}}</ref> The leading ship of the chase was a frigate, the 36-gun [[HMS Inconstant (1783)|HMS ''Inconstant'']] under Captain [[Thomas Fremantle (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Fremantle]], which reached the damaged ''Ça Ira'' within an hour of the collision and opened fire at close range on the larboard quarter.<ref name="WLC270"/> |
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== Order of battle == |
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{| class="wikitable" width=100% |
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Seeing that ''Ça Ira'' was under threat, the French frigate [[French ship Vestale (1756)|''Vestale'']] attacked ''Inconstant'' from a distance, pulled past the British ship and attached a tow line to the limping ship of the line.<ref name="WJ257"/> Fremantle brought his ship around and fired into ''Ça Ira'' again, but on this occasion was exposed to the main [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]] of the French ship and was subject to cannon-fire which caused casualties of three killed and 14 wounded, as well as significant damage. Unable to continue the action, Fremantle pulled back for repairs.<ref name="WJ258">James, p.258</ref> The attack by ''Inconstant'' had allowed other British ships to join the action, so that at 10:45 the 64-gun [[HMS Agamemnon (1781)|HMS ''Agamemnon'']] under Captain [[Horatio Nelson]] was able to open fire on the French ship.<ref name="WLC270"/> |
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|-valign="top" |
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!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|British-Neapolitan fleet (in order of sailing) |
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''Agamemnon'', supported briefly by [[HMS Captain (1787)|HMS ''Captain'']] under Captain [[Samuel Reeve (Royal Navy officer)|Samuel Reeve]], retained contact with ''Ça Ira'', firing on the French ship at long range for three and a half hours.<ref name="WJ258"/> Nelson had been able to position his ship off the stern of ''Ça Ira'' and weave back and forth behind the French ship, unleashing a devastating [[raking fire]].<ref name="GB89">Bennett, p.89</ref> The attack killed or wounded 110 crew on the French ship, and shattered the masts and rigging. Nelson had just seven men wounded in the encounter.<ref name="CF74">Forester, p.74</ref> Efforts by ''Sans Culotte'' and [[HMS Donegal (1798)|''Barra'']] to intervene were driven off and ''Ça Ira'' was severely damaged by ''Agamemnon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s fire. Eventually parts of the French centre dropped back in support and Hotham ordered Nelson to fall back rather than risk being overwhelmed.<ref name="GB42">Bennett, p.42</ref> While this combat continued other British ships had come up, [[HMS Bedford (1775)|HMS ''Bedford'']] and [[HMS Egmont (1768)|HMS ''Egmont'']] engaging three French ships, including {{ship|French ship|Timoléon||2}} and Martin's flagship the 120-gun [[French ship Orient (1791)|''Sans Culotte'']].<ref name="WJ258"/> ''Egmont'' was hampered during the engagement by an explosion of a bursting cannon on the lower deck, which caused nearly 30 casualties among the gun crews.<ref name="WJ260"/> Hotham's fleet was unable to fully engage with the retreating French throughout the day however, and when night fell both fleets continued westwards, the French withdrawing with the British line in pursuit.<ref name="LG1"/> |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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! width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Ship </small> |
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==Battle rejoined== |
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! width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Rate </small> |
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During the night Martin and Letourneur transferred from ''Sans Culotte'' to the frigate [[French frigate Friponne (1780)|''Friponne'']], which allowed them to move through the fleet more easily and direct operations more effectively, and was part of French standing orders when in a fleet battle.<ref>Troude, vol., p. 427</ref> Orders were given for the French fleet, now in full retreat towards Toulon, to sail close to the wind on the larboard tack away from the British.<ref name="WJ258"/> For unexplained reasons ''Sans Culotte'' did not follow these orders and dropped out of the fleet during the night,<ref name="WLC270"/> while ''Ça Ira'' dropped further and further behind the main body of the French force. To better protect the damaged ship, ''Vestale'' was withdrawn and replaced with the ship of the line {{ship|French ship|Censeur|1782|2}}, towing ''Ça Ira'' back towards Toulon.<ref name="WJ258"/> |
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! width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Guns </small> |
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! width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Navy </small> |
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In the morning the fleets were manoeuvring {{convert|21|nmi|km}} southwest of Genoa, the British closing on the French line to the west. ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' had fallen a long way back from the French fleet, and Hotham sent his fastest ships in pursuit, propelled by a northwesterly breeze. By 06:30 ''Bedford'' and ''Captain'' had caught up with the French stragglers, ''Captain'' in the lead fighting both for 15 minutes before ''Bedford'' reached the engagement.<ref name="WJ258"/> ''Captain'' suffered severe damage to its rigging, sails and masts and by 07:50 was unmanageable and drifting out of the action, and was towed to safety.<ref name="WLC271">Clowes, p.271</ref> Shortly afterwards ''Bedford'' too was forced to withdraw with extensive damage to the sailing rig. Both French ships had also been badly damaged, and were left drifting out of control, unable to unite with Martin's main fleet.<ref name="LG1"/> |
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! width=25%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Commander </small> |
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! width=15%; align= center colspan=3 | <small>Casualties</small> |
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Martin sought to defend his beleaguered rearmost ships, and gave orders for his line to [[jibe|wear in succession]] so as to cut between the British fleet and the badly damaged ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'', which were now threatened by the recently arrived [[HMS Illustrious (1789)|HMS ''Illustrious'']] and [[HMS Courageux (1761)|HMS ''Courageux'']].<ref name="WJ259">James, p.259</ref> Both fleets were by this point beset by a period of calm weather which made manoeuvres difficult, and the French turn caught [[HMS Lowestoft (1761)|HMS ''Lowestoft'']] by surprise, the frigate suddenly under the guns of the leading French ship [[French ship Duquesne (1788)|''Duquesne'']] under Captain [[Zacharie Allemand]].<ref name="WJ259"/> Allemand fired on the frigate, and Captain [[Benjamin Hallowell Carew|Benjamin Hallowell]], aware that he could not effectively respond, sent his entire crew below decks to protect them from the French gunfire. ''Lowestoft'' was badly damaged in sails and rigging, but was saved from further loss by the arrival of the Neapolitan frigate [[Neapolitan ship Minerva|''Minerva'']] which interceded with ''Duquesne''.<ref name="WLC271"/> |
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! width=30%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small>Notes</small> |
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|-valign="top" |
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In turning, Allemand failed to follow orders effectively, meaning that instead of passing to leeward of the British ships, between the enemy and ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'', he passed to windward, sailing down the other side of the British vanguard.<ref name="WJ260">James, p.260</ref> Hotham had succeeded in interposing his ships between the shattered French ships and Martin's main fleet, and it seemed that a close general action was inevitable.<ref name="CF75">Forester, p.75</ref> At 08:00 Allemand engaged ''Illustrious'' and then ''Courageux'', ''Duquesne'' joined in the attack by ''Victoire'' and [[HMS Tonnant (1798)|''Tonnant'']],<ref name="WJ260"/> and the British ships supported more distantly by ''Agamemnon'' and ''Princess Royal''.<ref name="GB43">Bennett, p.43</ref> For an hour the French and British vanguards exchanged heavy fire, with ''Illustrious'' taking the worst of the exchange, drifting out of the battle heavily damaged; the mainmast had collapsed onto the mizzen mast and both had fallen over the side, while the ship's crew had suffered 90 casualties.<ref name="WJ261">James, p.261</ref> ''Courageux'' was the next to suffer, similarly losing two masts and with the hull shattered by French shot.<ref name="WLC271"/> Captain [[Augustus Montgomery (Royal Navy officer)|Augustus Montgomery]]'s crew had lost nearly 50 sailors killed and wounded.<ref name="WJ261"/> The French ships in this exchange were reported as firing [[heated shot]], although it had little effect on the battle.<ref name="RG116"/> Allemand's van squadron then pulled away from the drifting British ships, which were unsupported by the becalmed British fleet.<ref name="WLC271"/> |
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! width=5%; align= center | <small> Killed </small> |
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! width=5%; align= center | <small> Wounded </small> |
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The rest of the French fleet had not followed Allemand, and turned away, the van following. This left the battered ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' trapped on the far side of the British fleet, Martin abandoning them to their fate. Isolated, these ships surrendered at 10:05.<ref name="GB43"/> Without British pursuit, concerted long range firing finally ceased at 14:00; Hotham had decided that addressing the severe damage to his van ships and securing the prizes was more important than continuing the action and tacked his fleet away from Martin's rapidly disappearing ships. Nelson believed that by abandoning the prizes and disabled ships and closely following the French, Hotham could force an action which might destroy the entire French fleet. So convinced was the British captain that he took a boat to Hotham's flagship [[HMS Britannia (1762)|HMS ''Britannia'']] to try to persuade the admiral. Hotham refused, replying that "We must be contented, we have done very well".<ref name="GB43"/> No amount of appeals by Nelson or Rear-Admiral [[Samuel Goodall]] on ''Princess Royal'' could move Hotham to continue the action, and soon the French were out of sight.<ref name="CF75"/> |
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! width=5%; align= center | <small> Total</small> |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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==Aftermath== |
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!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Van (Vice-Admiral Goodall) |
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Hotham gathered his prizes and dismasted ships and turned eastwards for the anchorage in the [[Gulf of La Spezia]].<ref name="WJ264">James, p.264</ref> All of his battle line had been in action and taken casualties, with the heaviest losses aboard the badly damaged and partially dismasted ''Illustrious'' and ''Courageux''. ''Captain'', ''Bedford'', ''Egmont'' and [[HMS Windsor Castle|HMS ''Windsor Castle'']] were also damaged, all suffering more than 20 casualties.<ref name="WJ261"/> British and Neapolitan total losses amounted to 74 killed in action and 284 wounded. French losses were not fully accounted in the aftermath of the battle, although the cumulative total on the shattered ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' was listed in British accounts as approximately 400 casualties. {{Cref2|Note A}} Among the surviving French ships casualties are not known with precision, but ''Duquesne'', ''Victoire'', ''Tonnant'' and ''Timoléon'' were all recorded as being badly damaged.<ref name="WJ261"/> |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Captain|1787|6}} |
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Hotham's ships anchored in the Gulf of La Spezia after the action, and on 17 March were struck by a heavy gale, in which the damaged ''Illustrious'' broke its tow rope to the frigate {{HMS|Meleager|1785|6}} and began to drift towards the coast.<ref name="WLC273">Clowes, p.273</ref> The ship's jury masts were lost overboard and the many holes in the hull allowed water to pour into the ship. At 13:30 the ship's situation was worsened when a loaded cannon fired accidentally, blowing off the gunport and blasting a large hole in the ship from the inside. This rendered ''Illustrious'' unmanageable, and by 14:00 the Italian coast was clearly visible to the east. His ship drifting dangerously inshore, at 14:30 Captain [[Thomas Frederick (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Frederick]] gave control to a sailor on board who claimed to have navigated the region and knew a safe anchorage.<ref name="WJ264"/> For five hours ''Illustrious'' struggled to avoid disaster, but at 19:30 the ship [[Ship grounding|grounded]] near [[Avenza]]. Frederick attempted to anchor in an effort to save the ship, but this failed due to battle damage and strong winds and waves tore the rudder off at 22:30.<ref name="WJ265">James, p.265</ref> |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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The following morning ''Tarleton'' came alongside the irreparably damaged ''Illustrious'', although it was not until 20 March that the weather had abated sufficiently to permit the evacuation to begin. ''Tarleton'', ''Lowestoft'', [[HMS Romulus (1785)|HMS ''Romulus'']], and teams of [[ship's boat]]s, successfully removed all of the crew and most of the ship's stores without casualties. Once the wreck had been cleared, it was set on fire and abandoned.<ref name="TG11">Grocott, p.11</ref> The surviving fleet remained at La Spezia for a week effecting basic repairs, before sailing for San Fiorenzo on 25 March. Refits lasted until 18 April, at which point Hotham returned to Leghorn.<ref name="WLC273"/> Both prizes were commissioned into the Royal Navy at San Fiorenzo under their original names, although neither had long careers; ''Censeur'' was sent to escort a convoy to Britain in the late summer of 1795, still in a damaged state, and was attacked, isolated and recaptured by a French squadron off [[Cape St. Vincent]] at the [[action of 7 October 1795]].<ref name="WJ274">James, p.274</ref> ''Ça Ira'' survived only a little longer, catching fire accidentally while at anchor off San Fiorenzo on 11 April 1796 and being completely destroyed, although only four of the 600 crew were killed.<ref name="TG33">Grocott, p.33</ref> |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[Samuel Reeve (Royal Navy officer)|Samuel Reeve]] |
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Martin retreated to Hyères after the battle, joined shortly afterwards by the damaged ships from Gourjean Bay and the flagship from Genoa.<ref name="WJ265"/> After separating during the night of 13 March, ''Sans Culotte'' had sought to rejoin the French fleet but been sighted and chased by a Spanish squadron, sheltering in the neutral port until the route back to France was clear.<ref name="WJ265"/> Martin sent the most damaged ships back to Toulon for refit, remaining at anchor off Hyères with 11 ships of the line until April, when he too returned to port, joined by reinforcements from the French Atlantic Fleet.<ref name="WJ266">James, p.266</ref> The captains of ''Sans Culottes'', ''Mercure'' and ''Duquesne'' were reprimanded by Martin for failing to follow his orders, but subsequently cleared of misconduct by a jury, which also highly commended the captains of ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur''.<ref name=troude431>Troude, p.431</ref> He did not sail again until June, and was caught by Hotham once more in early July. Retreating towards Hyères, the French fleet was pursued by the British, and the rearmost ship [[French ship Alcide (1782)|''Alcide'']] was overrun and destroyed at the [[Battle of the Hyères Islands]].<ref name="NM163">Mostert, p.163</ref> |
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| align= right | 3 |
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| align= right | 17 |
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Although the battle was a British victory, Nelson was privately scathing of Hotham's refusal to renew the action, writing that "I could never have called it well ''done''".<ref name="GB43"/> [[William Hamilton (diplomat)|Sir William Hamilton]], British ambassador to the [[Kingdom of Naples]], shared Nelson's opinion, writing that "I can, ''entre nous'', perceive that my old friend Hotham is not quite awake enough for such a command as that of the King's fleet in the Mediterranean."<ref name="GB44">Bennett, p.44</ref> Hotham believed his actions vindicated by the prevention of possible French landings on Corsica and was preoccupied by events on land, where a peace treaty between France and Tuscany placed access to the harbour at Leghorn in jeopardy.<ref name="NM162">Mostert, p.162</ref> Historians have criticised Hotham's timidity, [[William Laird Clowes]] writing in 1900 stated that "it was an unsatisfactory victory. Hotham took two ships of the line but gained little credit, seeing that he might have, and should have, done much more."<ref name="WLC272">Clowes, p.272</ref> More than five decades after the battle the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] recognised the action with a clasp attached to the [[Naval General Service Medal (1847)|Naval General Service Medal]], awarded upon application to all British participants still living in 1847.<ref name="LG4">{{London Gazette|issue=20939|pages=236–245|date=26 January 1849}}</ref> |
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| align= right | 20 |
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| align= left | |
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==Notes== |
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|- valign="top" |
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{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=upper-alpha}} |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Bedford|1775|6}} |
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{{Cnote2|Note A|'''Note A:''' French casualties in the battle are uncertain. [[William James (naval historian)|William James]] records a figure of 400 killed and wounded on ''Ça Ira'' and ''Censeur'' alone, and notes that further losses on the French ships were inevitable but unknowable.<ref name="WJ261"/> His figures are supported by [[William Laird Clowes]].<ref name="WLC272"/> In his biography of Nelson, [[Geoffrey Bennett (historian)|Geoffrey Bennett]] records a total of 750 casualties on the captured ships,<ref name="GB44"/> a figure presumably drawn from [[Ernle Bradford]]'s estimate of 400 on ''Ça Ira'' and 350 on ''Censeur''.<ref name="EB116">Bradford, p.116</ref> Digby Smith's book on Napoleonic statistics, apparently drawing on James and Clowes, lists much higher figures of 600 killed and 1,000 wounded.<ref name="DS102">Smith, p.102</ref> This may come from French histories; [[Onésime-Joachim Troude]] reports 600 French sailors as killed in the battle.<ref name=troude431/>}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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{{Cnote2 End}} |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[Davidge Gould]] |
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| align= right | 7 |
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| align= right | 17 |
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| align= right | 24 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | ''Tancredi'' |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:Flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1738).svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain Chev. [[Francesco Caracciolo]] |
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| align= right | 1 |
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| align= right | 5 |
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| align= right | 6 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Princess Royal|1773|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Second rate]] |
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| align= center | 98 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Vice-Admiral [[Samuel Goodall]]<br>Captain John Purvis |
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| align= right | 4 |
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| align= right | 8 |
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| align= right | 12 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Agamemnon|1781|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 64 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Horatio Nelson]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 13 |
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| align= right | 13 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | ''Minerva'' |
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| align= center | [[Fifth rate]] |
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| align= center | 32 |
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| align= center | [[File:Flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1738).svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 4 |
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| align= right | 4 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | ''Pilade'' |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:Flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1738).svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Lowestoffe|1761|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Fifth rate]] |
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| align= center | 32 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain [[Benjamin Hallowell Carew|Benjamin Hallowell]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | [[French corvette Poulette (1781)|HMS ''Poulette'']] |
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| align= center | [[Sixth rate]] |
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| align= center | 28 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Commander [[Ralph Willett Miller]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | [[Tarleton (1780 Glasgow ship)|HMS ''Tarleton'']] |
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| align= center | [[Brig]] |
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| align= center | 14 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain [[Charles Brisbane]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Centre (Vice-Admiral Hotham) |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Illustrious|1789|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain [[Thomas Frederick (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Frederick]] |
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| align= right | 20 |
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| align= right | 69 |
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| align= right | 89 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Courageux|1761|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain Augustus Montgomery |
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| align= right | 8 |
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| align= right | 32 |
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| align= right | 40 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Britannia|1762|6}} |
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| align= center | [[First rate]] |
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| align= center | 100 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Vice Admiral [[William Hotham, 1st Baron Hotham|William Hotham]]<br>Captain [[John Holloway (Royal Navy officer)|John Holloway]] |
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| align= right | 1 |
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| align= right | 18 |
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| align= right | 19 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Egmont|1768|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left |Captain John Sutton |
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| align= right | 7 |
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| align= right | 21 |
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| align= right | 28 |
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| align= left | |
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|- |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Windsor Castle|1790|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Second rate]] |
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| align= center | 98 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Rear-Admiral [[Robert Linzee]]<br>Captain [[John Gore (Royal Navy admiral)|John Gore]] |
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| align= right | 6 |
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| align= right | 30 |
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| align= right | 36 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Inconstant|1783|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Fifth rate]] |
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| align= center | 36 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[Thomas Fremantle (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Fremantle]] |
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| align= right | 3 |
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| align= right | 14 |
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| align= right | 17 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Meleager|1785|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Fifth rate]] |
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| align= center | 32 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[George Cockburn]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Rear (Vice-Admiral Parker) |
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|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Diadem|1782|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 64 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[Charles Tyler]] |
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| align= right | 4 |
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| align= right | 13 |
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| align= right | 17 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|St George|1785|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Second rate]] |
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| align= center | 98 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Vice-Admiral [[Hyde Parker (admiral)|Sir Hyde Parker]]<br>Captain [[Thomas Foley (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Foley]] |
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| align= right | 4 |
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| align= right | 13 |
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| align= right | 17 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
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| align= left | {{HMS|Terrible|1785|6}} |
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| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
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| align= center | 74 |
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| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
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| align= left | Captain [[George Campbell (Royal Navy officer)|George Campbell]] |
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| align= right | 0 |
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| align= right | 6 |
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| align= right | 6 |
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| align= left | |
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|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | {{HMS|Fortitude|1780|6}} |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[William Young (1751–1821)|William Young]] |
|||
| align= right | 1 |
|||
| align= right | 4 |
|||
| align= right | 5 |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[HMS Romulus|HMS ''Romulus'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Fifth rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 36 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[George Johnstone Hope]] |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | {{HMS|Moselle|1793|6}}<ref>{{cite web|title=HMS Moselle|url=http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/M/03126.html|website=www.pbenyon.plus.com|accessdate=31 May 2017}}</ref> <!-- no idea how reliable that page is --> |
|||
| align= center | [[Sloop]] |
|||
| align= center | 18 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Charles Pater |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[HMS Fox|HMS ''Fox'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[cutter (ship)|cutter]] |
|||
| align= center | 14 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:British-White-Ensign-1707.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Lieutenant John Gibson |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= right | 0 |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
|- |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Casualties: 74 Killed, 284 Wounded, 358 Total |
|||
|-valign="top" |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
{| class="wikitable" width=100% |
|||
|-valign="top" |
|||
!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|French fleet |
|||
|- valign="top"|- valign="top" |
|||
! width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Ship </small> |
|||
! width=10%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Rate </small> |
|||
! width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Guns </small> |
|||
! width=5%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Navy </small> |
|||
! width=25%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small> Commander </small> |
|||
! width=15%; align= center colspan=3 | <small>Casualties</small> |
|||
! width=30%; align= center rowspan=2 | <small>Notes</small> |
|||
|-valign="top" |
|||
! width=5%; align= center | <small> Killed </small> |
|||
! width=5%; align= center | <small> Wounded </small> |
|||
! width=5%; align= center | <small> Total</small> |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"| |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Duquesne (1787)|''Duquesne'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Zacharie Allemand|Allemand]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Languedoc (1766)|''Victoire'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 80 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Daniel Savary|Savary]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[HMS Tonnant (1792)|''Tonnant'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 80 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Julien Cosmao|Cosmao-Kerjulien]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Ça Ira (1781)|''Ça Ira'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 80 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Louis-Marie Coudé|Coudé]]<ref name=troude424/> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | Captured |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Mercure (1783)|''Mercure'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Catteford<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | Left fleet on night of 12/13 March |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Censeur (1782)|''Censeur'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Pierre François Nicolas Benoît|Benoît]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | Captured |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Orient (1791)|''Sans Culotte'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[First rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 120 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Rear-Admiral [[Pierre Martin (French Navy officer)|Martin]] (before 13 March)<br />Captain [[Pierre-Félix de Lapalisse|Lapalisse]] |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | Lost contact with the fleet on the night of 13/14 March |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Alcide (1782)|''Alcide'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Leblond Saint-Hylaire<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[HMS Donegal (1798)|''Barra'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[André Maureau|Maureau]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Conquérant (1747)|''Conquérant'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Lemancq<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Généreux (1785)|''Généreux'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Louis<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Guerrier (1754)|''Guerrier'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Louis-Antoine-Cyprien Infernet|Infernet]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Heureux (1783)|''Heureux'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Charles Nicolas Lacaille|Lacaille]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Souverain (1757)|''Peuple Souverain'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain Charbonnier<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Commerce de Bordeaux (1785)|''Timoléon'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Third rate]] |
|||
| align= center | 74 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Joseph Hyacinthe Isidore Khrom|Khrom]]<ref name=troude424 /> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French ship Vestale (1756)|''Vestale'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | 36 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Lieutenant Foucaud<ref>Fonds Marin, p.136</ref> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French frigate Minerve (1794)|''Minerve'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | 40 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Lieutenant Delorme<ref>Fonds Marin, p.133</ref> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French frigate Alceste (1780)|''Alceste'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | 32 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French frigate Artémise (1794)|''Artémise'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | 32 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Lieutenant Decasse<ref>Fonds Marine, p.131</ref> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French frigate Courageuse (1778)|''Courageuse'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- valign="top" |
|||
| align= left | [[French frigate Friponne (1780)|''Friponne'']] |
|||
| align= center | [[Frigate]] |
|||
| align= center | |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px]] |
|||
| align= left | Captain [[Louis-Léonce Trullet|Trullet]]<ref>Fonds Marin, p.134</ref><br />Rear-Admiral [[Pierre Martin (French Navy officer)|Pierre Martin]] (after 13 March) |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
|||
| align= left | [[French brig Alerte (1787)|''Alerte'']] |
|||
| align= left | Brig |
|||
| align= center | 10 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px|link=|alt=]] |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
|||
| align= left | [[French brig Hazard (1787)|''Hazard'']] |
|||
| align= left | Brig |
|||
| align= center | 18 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px|link=|alt=]] |
|||
| align= left | Lieutenant [[Amand Leduc|Leduc]]<ref>Roche, p.238</ref> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
|||
| align= left | [[HMS Scout (1780)|''Scout'']] |
|||
| align= left | Brig |
|||
| align= center | 18 |
|||
| align= center | [[File:Flag of France.svg|22px|link=|alt=]] |
|||
| align= left | Ensign Charabot<ref>Roche, p.408</ref> |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= right | - |
|||
| align= left | |
|||
|- style="vertical-align:top;" |
|||
!colspan="11" bgcolor="white"|Casualties: c. 600 killed and 1,000 wounded |
|||
|-valign="top" |
|||
|colspan="9" align="left"|Sources: James, p. 261; Fremont-Barnes, p. 78 |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
== References == |
== References == |
||
{{reflist| |
{{reflist|22em}} |
||
== Bibliography == |
== Bibliography == |
||
* {{cite book |
|||
* {{citebook |last =Adkin|first= Mark|title=The Trafalgar Companion: A Guide to History's Most Famous Sea Battle and the Life of Admiral Lord Nelson|location=London|publisher=Aurum Press|year=2007|isbn=1-84513-018-9}} |
|||
| last = Bennett |
|||
* {{citebook|last=Fremont-Barnes|first=Gregory|title=The Royal Navy: 1793-1815|location=Oxford|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84603-138-0}} |
|||
| first = Geoffrey |
|||
* {{cite book|title=Histoire maritime de France|last=Guérin|first=Léon|authorlink=Léon Guérin|year=1857|publisher=Dufour et Mulat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=guFcnon3mZ4C|language=French|volume=6|pages=77-79}} |
|||
| author-link = Geoffrey Bennett (historian) |
|||
* {{cite book| last = James| first = William| authorlink = William James (naval historian)| year = 2002| origyear = 1827| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1, 1488–1796| publisher = Conway Maritime Press| isbn = 0-85177-906-9| oclc = 255340498}} |
|||
| year = 2002 |
|||
* Smith, D. ''The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book''. [[Greenhill Books]], 1998. |
|||
| orig-year= 1972 |
|||
* {{cite book|last=Sugden|first=John|title=Nelson: A Dream of Glory|location=London|publisher=Jonathan Cape|year=2004|isbn=0-224-06097-X}} |
|||
| title = Nelson the Commander |
|||
* {{Cite book|first=Onésime-Joachim|last=Troude|authorlink=Onésime-Joachim Troude|year=1867|publisher=Challamel ainé|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TwZv6FX-RpsC|title=Batailles navales de la France|language=French|volume=2|pages=424-431}} |
|||
| publisher = Penguin |
|||
| location = London |
|||
| isbn = 0-141391-29-4 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Bradford |
|||
| first = Ernle |
|||
| author-link = Ernle Bradford |
|||
| year = 1999 |
|||
| orig-year= 1977 |
|||
| title = Nelson: The Essential Hero |
|||
| publisher = Wordsworth Military Library |
|||
| location = Ware |
|||
| isbn = 1-84022-202-6 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Clowes |
|||
| first = William Laird |
|||
| author-link = William Laird Clowes |
|||
| year = 1997 |
|||
| orig-year= 1900 |
|||
| title = The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume III |
|||
| publisher = Chatham Publishing |
|||
| location = London |
|||
| isbn = 1-86176-012-4 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Forester |
|||
| first = C. S. |
|||
| author-link = C. S. Forester |
|||
| year = 2001 |
|||
| orig-year= 1929 |
|||
| title = Nelson |
|||
| publisher = Chatham Publishing |
|||
| location = London |
|||
| isbn = 1-86176-178-3 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| editor = Gardiner, Robert |
|||
| year = 2001 |
|||
| orig-year= 1996 |
|||
| title = Fleet Battle and Blockade |
|||
| publisher = Caxton Editions |
|||
| location = London |
|||
| isbn = 1-84067-363-X |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Grocott |
|||
| first = Terence |
|||
| year = 2002 |
|||
| orig-year= 1997 |
|||
| title = Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary & Napoleonic Era |
|||
| publisher = Caxton Editions |
|||
| isbn = 1-84067-164-5 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Ireland |
|||
| first = Bernard |
|||
| author-link = Bernard Ireland |
|||
| year = 2005 |
|||
| title = The Fall of Toulon: The Last Opportunity the Defeat the French Revolution |
|||
| publisher = Cassell |
|||
| isbn = 0-3043-6726-5 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = James |
|||
| first = William |
|||
| author-link = William James (naval historian) |
|||
| year = 2002 |
|||
| orig-year= 1827 |
|||
| title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1, 1793–1796 |
|||
| publisher = Conway Maritime Press |
|||
| location = London |
|||
| isbn = 0-85177-905-0 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Mostert |
|||
| first = Noel |
|||
| year = 2007 |
|||
| title = The Line upon a Wind: The Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail 1793 – 1815 |
|||
| publisher = Vintage Books |
|||
| isbn = 9-78071-260-9272 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{cite book |
|||
| last = Smith |
|||
| first = Digby |
|||
| year = 1998 |
|||
| title = The Napoleonic Wars Data Book |
|||
| publisher = Greenhill Books |
|||
| isbn = 1-85367-276-9 |
|||
| oclc = 231766509 |
|||
}} |
|||
* {{Cite book|first=Onésime-Joachim|last=Troude|author-link=Onésime-Joachim Troude|year=1867|publisher=Challamel ainé|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TwZv6FX-RpsC|title=Batailles navales de la France|language=fr|volume=2|pages=424–431}} |
|||
==External links== |
|||
* {{Commons category-inline|Naval Battle of Genoa (1795)}} |
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{{coord|44 |
{{coord|44|02|N|08|28|E|display=title|type:event}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Genoa Naval Battle}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genoa Naval Battle}} |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:1795 in the Republic of Genoa]] |
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[[Category:Battles of the War of the First Coalition]] |
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[[Category:Conflicts in 1795]] |
[[Category:Conflicts in 1795]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Military history of Genoa]] |
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[[Category:Naval battles |
[[Category:Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving France]] |
||
[[Category:Naval battles involving |
[[Category:Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving Great Britain]] |
||
[[Category:Naval battles involving the Kingdom of Naples]] |
[[Category:Naval battles involving the Kingdom of Naples]] |
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[[Category:1795 in Italy]] |
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[[Category:1795 in France]] |
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[[Category:Battles of the War of the First Coalition]] |
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[[Category:1795 events]] |
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[[Category:1795 in the Republic of Genoa]] |
Latest revision as of 18:21, 20 July 2024
Battle of Genoa | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the naval operations during the War of the First Coalition | |||||||
"The 'Agamemnon' engaging the Ça Ira', 13 March 1795". Nicholas Pocock, 1810. NMM | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Great Britain Naples | France | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Hotham | Pierre Martin | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
14 ships of the line (OOB) | 13 ships of the line (OOB) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
74 killed 254 wounded |
400–750 killed and wounded [Note A] 2 ships of the line captured |
The Battle of Genoa (also known as the Battle of Cape Noli and in French as Bataille de Gênes) was a naval battle fought between French and allied Anglo-Neapolitan forces on 14 March 1795 in the Gulf of Genoa, a large bay in the Ligurian Sea off the coast of the Republic of Genoa, during the French Revolutionary Wars. The French fleet was led by Contre-amiral Pierre Martin and comprised 14 (later 13) ships of the line while the British Royal Navy and Neapolitan fleet, under Vice-Admiral William Hotham mustered 13 ships of the line. The battle ended with a minor British-Neapolitan victory and the capture of two French ships.
The battle was part of a naval campaign in the spring of 1795, during which Martin sought to assert French control over the waters off Southern France. These had been effectively ceded to the British 18 months earlier when the British captured the French Mediterranean naval base of Toulon. Although it was recaptured at an ensuing siege, the main French Mediterranean fleet had been burned in the harbour. Only half the fleet was salvageable and as repairs continued in Toulon, the British used their dominance to invade and capture the island of Corsica during 1794. By the start of 1795 enough French ships were in fighting condition that Martin felt able to make limited cruises in the Ligurian Sea. At the start of March 1795 he sailed for Genoa, encountering and capturing a British ship of the line en route. Off Genoa Martin found himself pursued by Hotham's fleet and, after two days of manoeuvres in calm weather, the French admiral turned back towards the French coast.
Hotham pursued, and on 13 March his leading ships caught the French rearguard. For two days Martin's rearmost ships fought a series of running engagements with the British fleet in which several ships from both sides were badly damaged. Martin's flagship the 120-gun Sans Culotte lost contact with the battle overnight, and after a brief resumption of the battle the following morning he gave orders to withdraw. Two French ships, Ça Ira and Censeur, were left behind, overwhelmed, and forced to surrender by the British. Hotham was urged by his subordinate, Captain Horatio Nelson, to continue pursuit, but refused and withdrew his fleet for repairs. One British ship, HMS Illustrious, was later wrecked on the Italian coast. Martin sent his damaged ships into Toulon for repairs and anchored the rest of the fleet in the Îles d'Hyères in preparations for further operations; four months later the fleets fought a second engagement, the Battle of the Hyères Islands, which also ended in a minor British victory.
Background
[edit]The French Revolutionary Wars expanded significantly in February 1793 when the National Convention of the newly-formed French Republic declared war on the Kingdom of Great Britain.[1] To defend British commercial interests in the Mediterranean Sea, a Royal Navy fleet was assembled and sent to blockade the French Mediterranean Fleet in their main port of Toulon on the Southern coast of France.[2] On arrival in August 1793, the British fleet found that Toulon was in a state of upheaval due to the Reign of Terror, and the British commander Lord Hood persuaded the citizens to declare for the French Royalist cause and allow British forces to seize the town and the French fleet.[3] Republican forces laid siege to the city and four months of heavy fighting followed until the Royalists and their allies were expelled on 18 December. During the chaotic evacuation of the city most of the French Mediterranean fleet was set on fire by British and Spanish boarding parties.[4]
In the aftermath, the British launched an invasion of Corsica while the French set about rebuilding their fleet.[5] Due to failures by Spanish landing parties, many of the naval stores in Toulon had survived the fire as had more than half of the fleet, although many ships were badly damaged.[6] For most of 1794 the surviving French ships remained in harbour, the new commander Contre-amiral Pierre Martin leading a brief sally in June with seven ships of the line which was forced to shelter at Gourjean Bay to escape an attack by Lord Hood's fleet.[7] Problems stemming from the French Revolution several years earlier meant that the French fleet was suffering severe reductions in experience and morale in comparison with the British fleet.[8]
By 1795 the full surviving strength of the French Mediterranean Fleet had been restored, Martin mustering 15 ships of the line and six frigates for an operation in the Ligurian Sea. The purpose of this operation is uncertain; the report of the Committee of Public Safety to the National Convention stated that the fleet was at sea to secure shipping lines in the Mediterranean,[9] while other sources indicate that an amphibious landing in Corsica was the intention. Such an operation is mentioned in the correspondence of Représentant en mission from the National Convention, Étienne-François Letourneur, sent to provide political oversight for the fleet. This plan was also indicated by the numbers of troopships assembling in Toulon,[9] although these vessels did not leave harbour during the operation. Historian Adolphe Thiers has suggested that the objective may have been a demonstration of force against Rome, following the lynching of French ambassador Nicolas Bassville there two years earlier.[10]
Martin's cruise
[edit]Martin was reluctant to leave Toulon until he could be certain that the lax British blockade of the port had been temporarily retired.[5] Hood had been replaced in late 1794 by his deputy Vice-Admiral William Hotham, who based his ships in San Fiorenzo Bay on the northern coast of Corsica during the winter.[11] There they had attempted partial refits and one ship, HMS Berwick, had been badly damaged due to poor handling during a gale. In late February Hotham sailed for more extensive repairs at Leghorn in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, leaving Berwick behind.[5] Martin received news of Hotham's departure at the start of March, and sailed from Toulon on 3 March.[12]
The French fleet faced a series of gales, and it took four days to reach the Corsican coast; two ships were partly dismasted during the passage.[13] There Martin's scouts discovered the damaged Berwick limping around Cap Corse with jury masts. Recognising his superiority, Martin detached a squadron of frigates and ships of the line to chase Berwick and a short battle developed in which the fleeing Berwick fought the frigate Alceste.[14] Both ships took damage in the encounter, but as Alceste dropped back, a bar shot tore the head off Captain Adam Littlejohn on Berwick.[13] With other ships coming into range, Berwick unable to escape and their captain dead, the surviving officers decided to surrender. Martin ordered the captured Berwick and the damaged Alceste to detach for the protected anchorage at Gourjean Bay, while his fleet continued eastwards into the Gulf of Genoa.[15]
On same day as the capture of Berwick, news of the French departure from Toulon reached Hotham at Leghorn from Genoa, with reports that the French had passed Île Sainte-Marguerite on 6 March, heading east.[12] This was corroborated by the scouting sloop HMS Moselle, which reported the French to the north-west, heading south. Within a day Hotham's fleet was ready to sail, leaving the harbour in the early morning of 9 March.[16] Hotham believed that the French target was Corsica, and sent the brig HMS Tarleton under Commander Charles Brisbane to warn Littlejohn and arrange a rendezvous with Berwick off Cap Corse. On the evening of 9 March Tarleton returned with the news of the capture of Berwick, causing Hotham to veer north-west in his course.[16] The following day the frigates scouting ahead of the British fleet discovered Martin's fleet off Cape Noli in the Gulf of Genoa, steering westwards, back towards Toulon.[17]
Chase
[edit]The weather was calm, and it was not until 11 March that ships from the main body of the British fleet sighted the French, now south and to windward of the British. The lead ship in Hotham's fleet at this time was HMS Princess Royal, leading a vanguard some 5 or 6 nautical miles (11 km) ahead of the main body of the fleet.[15] Contact was lost for a time, but re-established on 12 March when Martin brought his fleet about. Martin advanced to within 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) of Princess Royal before tacking away to larboard.[17] The weather remained calm with choppy seas which made manoeuvring very difficult and prevented either fleet from closing for battle; when presented with the opportunity to attack, Martin declined.[18]
A breeze from the south in the evening gave Hotham the opportunity to form up his fleet into a line of battle with the van to the west, the French to the southwest.[15] The night was characterised by heavy squalls, and the French ship Mercure lost a topmast; the damaged ship detached to join Berwick at Gourjean Bay, accompanied by a frigate, while continuing to steer his fleet to the west away from the British.[19] At 08:00 the following morning another of Martin's ships, the large 80-gun Ça Ira from the rearguard of the French fleet, collided with the neighbouring Victoire and its fore and main topmasts collapsed overboard.[7]
By the morning of 13 March it had become clear to Hotham that Martin had no intention of engaging the British fleet, and the British admiral decided to authorise a general chase, permitting his captains to break from the line and pursue the French to the best of their ships' ability.[20] The leading ship of the chase was a frigate, the 36-gun HMS Inconstant under Captain Thomas Fremantle, which reached the damaged Ça Ira within an hour of the collision and opened fire at close range on the larboard quarter.[19]
Seeing that Ça Ira was under threat, the French frigate Vestale attacked Inconstant from a distance, pulled past the British ship and attached a tow line to the limping ship of the line.[15] Fremantle brought his ship around and fired into Ça Ira again, but on this occasion was exposed to the main broadside of the French ship and was subject to cannon-fire which caused casualties of three killed and 14 wounded, as well as significant damage. Unable to continue the action, Fremantle pulled back for repairs.[21] The attack by Inconstant had allowed other British ships to join the action, so that at 10:45 the 64-gun HMS Agamemnon under Captain Horatio Nelson was able to open fire on the French ship.[19]
Agamemnon, supported briefly by HMS Captain under Captain Samuel Reeve, retained contact with Ça Ira, firing on the French ship at long range for three and a half hours.[21] Nelson had been able to position his ship off the stern of Ça Ira and weave back and forth behind the French ship, unleashing a devastating raking fire.[22] The attack killed or wounded 110 crew on the French ship, and shattered the masts and rigging. Nelson had just seven men wounded in the encounter.[23] Efforts by Sans Culotte and Barra to intervene were driven off and Ça Ira was severely damaged by Agamemnon's fire. Eventually parts of the French centre dropped back in support and Hotham ordered Nelson to fall back rather than risk being overwhelmed.[24] While this combat continued other British ships had come up, HMS Bedford and HMS Egmont engaging three French ships, including Timoléon and Martin's flagship the 120-gun Sans Culotte.[21] Egmont was hampered during the engagement by an explosion of a bursting cannon on the lower deck, which caused nearly 30 casualties among the gun crews.[25] Hotham's fleet was unable to fully engage with the retreating French throughout the day however, and when night fell both fleets continued westwards, the French withdrawing with the British line in pursuit.[20]
Battle rejoined
[edit]During the night Martin and Letourneur transferred from Sans Culotte to the frigate Friponne, which allowed them to move through the fleet more easily and direct operations more effectively, and was part of French standing orders when in a fleet battle.[26] Orders were given for the French fleet, now in full retreat towards Toulon, to sail close to the wind on the larboard tack away from the British.[21] For unexplained reasons Sans Culotte did not follow these orders and dropped out of the fleet during the night,[19] while Ça Ira dropped further and further behind the main body of the French force. To better protect the damaged ship, Vestale was withdrawn and replaced with the ship of the line Censeur, towing Ça Ira back towards Toulon.[21]
In the morning the fleets were manoeuvring 21 nautical miles (39 km) southwest of Genoa, the British closing on the French line to the west. Ça Ira and Censeur had fallen a long way back from the French fleet, and Hotham sent his fastest ships in pursuit, propelled by a northwesterly breeze. By 06:30 Bedford and Captain had caught up with the French stragglers, Captain in the lead fighting both for 15 minutes before Bedford reached the engagement.[21] Captain suffered severe damage to its rigging, sails and masts and by 07:50 was unmanageable and drifting out of the action, and was towed to safety.[27] Shortly afterwards Bedford too was forced to withdraw with extensive damage to the sailing rig. Both French ships had also been badly damaged, and were left drifting out of control, unable to unite with Martin's main fleet.[20]
Martin sought to defend his beleaguered rearmost ships, and gave orders for his line to wear in succession so as to cut between the British fleet and the badly damaged Ça Ira and Censeur, which were now threatened by the recently arrived HMS Illustrious and HMS Courageux.[28] Both fleets were by this point beset by a period of calm weather which made manoeuvres difficult, and the French turn caught HMS Lowestoft by surprise, the frigate suddenly under the guns of the leading French ship Duquesne under Captain Zacharie Allemand.[28] Allemand fired on the frigate, and Captain Benjamin Hallowell, aware that he could not effectively respond, sent his entire crew below decks to protect them from the French gunfire. Lowestoft was badly damaged in sails and rigging, but was saved from further loss by the arrival of the Neapolitan frigate Minerva which interceded with Duquesne.[27]
In turning, Allemand failed to follow orders effectively, meaning that instead of passing to leeward of the British ships, between the enemy and Ça Ira and Censeur, he passed to windward, sailing down the other side of the British vanguard.[25] Hotham had succeeded in interposing his ships between the shattered French ships and Martin's main fleet, and it seemed that a close general action was inevitable.[29] At 08:00 Allemand engaged Illustrious and then Courageux, Duquesne joined in the attack by Victoire and Tonnant,[25] and the British ships supported more distantly by Agamemnon and Princess Royal.[30] For an hour the French and British vanguards exchanged heavy fire, with Illustrious taking the worst of the exchange, drifting out of the battle heavily damaged; the mainmast had collapsed onto the mizzen mast and both had fallen over the side, while the ship's crew had suffered 90 casualties.[31] Courageux was the next to suffer, similarly losing two masts and with the hull shattered by French shot.[27] Captain Augustus Montgomery's crew had lost nearly 50 sailors killed and wounded.[31] The French ships in this exchange were reported as firing heated shot, although it had little effect on the battle.[7] Allemand's van squadron then pulled away from the drifting British ships, which were unsupported by the becalmed British fleet.[27]
The rest of the French fleet had not followed Allemand, and turned away, the van following. This left the battered Ça Ira and Censeur trapped on the far side of the British fleet, Martin abandoning them to their fate. Isolated, these ships surrendered at 10:05.[30] Without British pursuit, concerted long range firing finally ceased at 14:00; Hotham had decided that addressing the severe damage to his van ships and securing the prizes was more important than continuing the action and tacked his fleet away from Martin's rapidly disappearing ships. Nelson believed that by abandoning the prizes and disabled ships and closely following the French, Hotham could force an action which might destroy the entire French fleet. So convinced was the British captain that he took a boat to Hotham's flagship HMS Britannia to try to persuade the admiral. Hotham refused, replying that "We must be contented, we have done very well".[30] No amount of appeals by Nelson or Rear-Admiral Samuel Goodall on Princess Royal could move Hotham to continue the action, and soon the French were out of sight.[29]
Aftermath
[edit]Hotham gathered his prizes and dismasted ships and turned eastwards for the anchorage in the Gulf of La Spezia.[32] All of his battle line had been in action and taken casualties, with the heaviest losses aboard the badly damaged and partially dismasted Illustrious and Courageux. Captain, Bedford, Egmont and HMS Windsor Castle were also damaged, all suffering more than 20 casualties.[31] British and Neapolitan total losses amounted to 74 killed in action and 284 wounded. French losses were not fully accounted in the aftermath of the battle, although the cumulative total on the shattered Ça Ira and Censeur was listed in British accounts as approximately 400 casualties. [Note A] Among the surviving French ships casualties are not known with precision, but Duquesne, Victoire, Tonnant and Timoléon were all recorded as being badly damaged.[31]
Hotham's ships anchored in the Gulf of La Spezia after the action, and on 17 March were struck by a heavy gale, in which the damaged Illustrious broke its tow rope to the frigate HMS Meleager and began to drift towards the coast.[33] The ship's jury masts were lost overboard and the many holes in the hull allowed water to pour into the ship. At 13:30 the ship's situation was worsened when a loaded cannon fired accidentally, blowing off the gunport and blasting a large hole in the ship from the inside. This rendered Illustrious unmanageable, and by 14:00 the Italian coast was clearly visible to the east. His ship drifting dangerously inshore, at 14:30 Captain Thomas Frederick gave control to a sailor on board who claimed to have navigated the region and knew a safe anchorage.[32] For five hours Illustrious struggled to avoid disaster, but at 19:30 the ship grounded near Avenza. Frederick attempted to anchor in an effort to save the ship, but this failed due to battle damage and strong winds and waves tore the rudder off at 22:30.[34]
The following morning Tarleton came alongside the irreparably damaged Illustrious, although it was not until 20 March that the weather had abated sufficiently to permit the evacuation to begin. Tarleton, Lowestoft, HMS Romulus, and teams of ship's boats, successfully removed all of the crew and most of the ship's stores without casualties. Once the wreck had been cleared, it was set on fire and abandoned.[35] The surviving fleet remained at La Spezia for a week effecting basic repairs, before sailing for San Fiorenzo on 25 March. Refits lasted until 18 April, at which point Hotham returned to Leghorn.[33] Both prizes were commissioned into the Royal Navy at San Fiorenzo under their original names, although neither had long careers; Censeur was sent to escort a convoy to Britain in the late summer of 1795, still in a damaged state, and was attacked, isolated and recaptured by a French squadron off Cape St. Vincent at the action of 7 October 1795.[36] Ça Ira survived only a little longer, catching fire accidentally while at anchor off San Fiorenzo on 11 April 1796 and being completely destroyed, although only four of the 600 crew were killed.[37]
Martin retreated to Hyères after the battle, joined shortly afterwards by the damaged ships from Gourjean Bay and the flagship from Genoa.[34] After separating during the night of 13 March, Sans Culotte had sought to rejoin the French fleet but been sighted and chased by a Spanish squadron, sheltering in the neutral port until the route back to France was clear.[34] Martin sent the most damaged ships back to Toulon for refit, remaining at anchor off Hyères with 11 ships of the line until April, when he too returned to port, joined by reinforcements from the French Atlantic Fleet.[38] The captains of Sans Culottes, Mercure and Duquesne were reprimanded by Martin for failing to follow his orders, but subsequently cleared of misconduct by a jury, which also highly commended the captains of Ça Ira and Censeur.[39] He did not sail again until June, and was caught by Hotham once more in early July. Retreating towards Hyères, the French fleet was pursued by the British, and the rearmost ship Alcide was overrun and destroyed at the Battle of the Hyères Islands.[40]
Although the battle was a British victory, Nelson was privately scathing of Hotham's refusal to renew the action, writing that "I could never have called it well done".[30] Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples, shared Nelson's opinion, writing that "I can, entre nous, perceive that my old friend Hotham is not quite awake enough for such a command as that of the King's fleet in the Mediterranean."[41] Hotham believed his actions vindicated by the prevention of possible French landings on Corsica and was preoccupied by events on land, where a peace treaty between France and Tuscany placed access to the harbour at Leghorn in jeopardy.[42] Historians have criticised Hotham's timidity, William Laird Clowes writing in 1900 stated that "it was an unsatisfactory victory. Hotham took two ships of the line but gained little credit, seeing that he might have, and should have, done much more."[43] More than five decades after the battle the Admiralty recognised the action with a clasp attached to the Naval General Service Medal, awarded upon application to all British participants still living in 1847.[44]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Note A: French casualties in the battle are uncertain. William James records a figure of 400 killed and wounded on Ça Ira and Censeur alone, and notes that further losses on the French ships were inevitable but unknowable.[31] His figures are supported by William Laird Clowes.[43] In his biography of Nelson, Geoffrey Bennett records a total of 750 casualties on the captured ships,[41] a figure presumably drawn from Ernle Bradford's estimate of 400 on Ça Ira and 350 on Censeur.[45] Digby Smith's book on Napoleonic statistics, apparently drawing on James and Clowes, lists much higher figures of 600 killed and 1,000 wounded.[46] This may come from French histories; Onésime-Joachim Troude reports 600 French sailors as killed in the battle.[39]
References
[edit]- ^ Gardiner, p.14
- ^ James, p.65
- ^ Ireland, p.178
- ^ Gardiner, p.105
- ^ a b c James, p.254
- ^ Clowes, p.212
- ^ a b c Gardiner, p.116
- ^ Ireland, p.74
- ^ a b Troude, p.425
- ^ Thiers, Histoire de la Révolution, vol.7.
- ^ Clowes, p.267
- ^ a b Clowes, p.268
- ^ a b James, p.255
- ^ Troude, p.426
- ^ a b c d James, p.257
- ^ a b James, p.256
- ^ a b Clowes, p.269
- ^ Forester, p.73
- ^ a b c d Clowes, p.270
- ^ a b c "No. 13766". The London Gazette. 7 April 1795. p. 305.
- ^ a b c d e f James, p.258
- ^ Bennett, p.89
- ^ Forester, p.74
- ^ Bennett, p.42
- ^ a b c James, p.260
- ^ Troude, vol., p. 427
- ^ a b c d Clowes, p.271
- ^ a b James, p.259
- ^ a b Forester, p.75
- ^ a b c d Bennett, p.43
- ^ a b c d e James, p.261
- ^ a b James, p.264
- ^ a b Clowes, p.273
- ^ a b c James, p.265
- ^ Grocott, p.11
- ^ James, p.274
- ^ Grocott, p.33
- ^ James, p.266
- ^ a b Troude, p.431
- ^ Mostert, p.163
- ^ a b Bennett, p.44
- ^ Mostert, p.162
- ^ a b Clowes, p.272
- ^ "No. 20939". The London Gazette. 26 January 1849. pp. 236–245.
- ^ Bradford, p.116
- ^ Smith, p.102
Bibliography
[edit]- Bennett, Geoffrey (2002) [1972]. Nelson the Commander. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-141391-29-4.
- Bradford, Ernle (1999) [1977]. Nelson: The Essential Hero. Ware: Wordsworth Military Library. ISBN 1-84022-202-6.
- Clowes, William Laird (1997) [1900]. The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume III. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-012-4.
- Forester, C. S. (2001) [1929]. Nelson. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-178-3.
- Gardiner, Robert, ed. (2001) [1996]. Fleet Battle and Blockade. London: Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-363-X.
- Grocott, Terence (2002) [1997]. Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary & Napoleonic Era. Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-164-5.
- Ireland, Bernard (2005). The Fall of Toulon: The Last Opportunity the Defeat the French Revolution. Cassell. ISBN 0-3043-6726-5.
- James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 1, 1793–1796. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-905-0.
- Mostert, Noel (2007). The Line upon a Wind: The Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail 1793 – 1815. Vintage Books. ISBN 9-78071-260-9272.
- Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-276-9. OCLC 231766509.
- Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 2. Challamel ainé. pp. 424–431.
External links
[edit]- Media related to Naval Battle of Genoa (1795) at Wikimedia Commons