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Action Of 4 January 1781
The action of 4 January 1781 was a minor battle of the American Revolutionary War. A French frigate division, departing Brest, met two British 74-gun ships of the line. The frigates tried to flee their stronger opponents, which gave chase. One of the frigates sacrificed herself to allow the others to escape. Background The War of American Independence had started in 1775, increasing tension between Britain and France. French support for the American insurgents finally triggered the Anglo-French War in 1778. French fleet sailed to America under Orvilliers and Estaing. In 1781, another expedition was preparing under Grasse. Frigates served as reconnaissance screens for the squadrons, but between major movements, they would often cruise independently to engage in commerce raiding. Battle On 3 January 1781, a frigate division departed Brest to cruise at the entrance of the English Channel. It comprised the 32-gun frigates ''Fine'' under Louis-Marie de la Tanouarn and ''Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which American Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot forces organized as the Continental Army and commanded by George Washington defeated the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, British Army. The conflict was fought in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The war's outcome seemed uncertain for most of the war. However, Washington and the Continental Army's decisive victory in the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 led King George III and the Kingdom of Great Britain to negotiate an end to the war in the Treaty of Paris (1783), Treaty of Paris two years later, in 1783, in which the British monarchy acknowledged the independence of the Thirteen Colonies, leading to the establishment of the United States as an independent and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
François Joseph Paul De Grasse
François Joseph Paul, Comte de Grasse, Marquis of Grasse-Tilly, KM (13 September 1722 – 11 January 1788) was a French Navy officer. He is best known for his crucial victory over the Royal Navy at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The battle directly led to the Franco-American victory at the siege of Yorktown and helped secure the independence of the United States. After the battle, de Grasse returned with his fleet to the Caribbean. In 1782, a British fleet under Admiral George Rodney defeated and captured de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes. De Grasse was widely criticised for his defeat in the battle. On his return to France in 1784, he blamed his captains for the defeat. A court-martial exonerated all of his captains, effectively ending his naval career. Early life François-Joseph de Grasse was born and raised at Bar-sur-Loup in south-eastern France, the last child of Francois de Grasse Rouville, Marquis de Grasse. He earned ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naval Battles Of The Anglo-French War (1778–1783)
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includes anything conducted by surface ships, amphibious ships, submarines, and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields. The strategic offensive role of a navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, deter or confront piracy, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of a navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Naval operations can be broadly divided between riverine and littoral applications (brown-water nav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica, depending on the definition in use. The Indian Ocean has large marginal or regional seas, including the Andaman Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Laccadive Sea. Geologically, the Indian Ocean is the youngest of the oceans, and it has distinct features such as narrow continental shelf, continental shelves. Its average depth is 3,741 m. It is the warmest ocean, with a significant impact on global climate due to its interaction with the atmosphere. Its waters are affected by the Indian Ocean Walker circulation, resulting in unique oceanic currents and upwelling patterns. The Indian Ocean is ecologically diverse, with important ecosystems such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Striking The Colors
Striking the colors—meaning lowering the flag (the " colors") that signifies a ship's or garrison's allegiance—is a universally recognized indication of surrender, particularly for ships at sea. For a ship, surrender is dated from the time the ensign is struck. In international law "Colours. A national flag (or a battle ensign). The colours... are hauled down as a token of submission." International law absolutely requires a warship, ship of war to fly its ensign at the commencement of any hostile acts, i.e., before firing on the enemy. During battle there is no purpose in striking the colors other than to indicate surrender. It was and is an offense to continue to fight after striking one's colors, and an offense to continue to fire on an enemy after she has struck her colors, unless she indicates by some other action, such as continuing to fire or seeking to escape, that she has not truly surrendered. For this reason, striking the colors is conclusive evidence of a su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Ship Courageux (1753)
''Courageux'' was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, launched in 1753. She was captured by the Royal Navy in 1761 and taken into service as HMS ''Courageux''. In 1778 she joined the Channel Fleet, and she was later part of the squadron commanded by Commodore Charles Fielding that controversially captured a Dutch convoy on 31 December 1779, in what became known as the Affair of Fielding and Bylandt. On 4 January 1781, ''Courageux'' recaptured in a close-range action west of Ushant that lasted more than an hour. That April, ''Courageux'' joined the convoy under George Darby which successfully relieved the Great Siege of Gibraltar. At the start of the French Revolutionary Wars, ''Courageux'' took part in the blockade and subsequent occupation of Toulon in 1793. That September, she was sent with a squadron under Robert Linzee to support an insurrection in Corsica and took part in an unsuccessful attack on San Fiorenzo. When Toulon was evacuated, ''Courageux'' was in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Frigate Aigrette (1756)
''Aigrette'' was a 30-gun frigate of the French Navy. She took part in the Seven Year War and in the War of American Independence. Career ''Aigrette'' took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759 under Longueville, and escaped into Vilaine River. On 27 July 1778, she took part in the Battle of Ushant. She was then part in the Armada of 1779. In 1779, ''Aigrette'' was under Lieutenant Mortemart. On 18 March, she was fought HMS ''Arethusa'', under captain Charles Holmes Everitt. ''Arethusa'' sustained damage and was wrecked the next day off Ushant, at a point . In 1781, she was under Traversay, part of the squadron under Grasse. She took part in the action of 4 January 1781. ''Aigrette'' took part in the Battle of Fort Royal on 29 April and 30 April 1781. In July 1781, she sailed to Havana to ferry 500,000 piasters that the Spanish government was providing to fund the French squadron. She returned to Bahamas with the funds in August. She took part in the Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Frigate Diligente (1761)
''Diligente'' was a 26-gun frigate of the French Navy. Originally built for the French East India Company, she was purchased by the Navy and took part in the War of American Independence. Career ''Diligente'' was built at Lorient as an East Indiaman for the French East India Company, and was completed in December 1756. She departed for her first journey on 31. On 26 March 1761, she arrived in Brest, returning from her second journey to India. The next month, the Navy purchased her and commissioned her as a frigate. In 1776, she was under Lieutenant Amblimont, part on the escadre d'évolution under Duchaffault. In September 1778, she took part in the Invasion of Dominica, along with the frigates ''Tourterelle'' and ''Amphitrite'', and the corvette French corvette Étourdie (1762). She later took part in the French invasion of Saint Martin on 29 February 1779 under Du Chilleau. In late September and October 1780 the French frigates (26 guns) and ''Diligente'', were esc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HMS Minerva (1759)
HMS ''Minerva'' was one of the four 32-gun fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1759 and served through the Seven Years' War, but was captured in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War and served as the French ''Minerve'' until being recaptured in 1781 and renamed HMS ''Recovery''. She was broken up in 1784. Service history British career The frigate was built at Rotherhithe between 1756 and 1759 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS ''Minerva'' during the Seven Years' War. Under the command of Captain Alexander Hood, she took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759. In mid-1761 prize money was paid to the crews of ships taking part in the battle, and also to the crews of and ''Minerva'', for the capture of ''St. Simon''. At daybreak on 24 January 1761 ''Minerva'', still under the command of Captain Hood, encountered a large two-decker ship about north-west of Cabo de Peñas in northern Spain. ''Minerva'' gave chase and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
