''Mars'', was a French privateer. Mars was involved in a naval battle in

Loch nan Uamh The Sound of Arisaig Lochaber, Scotland, separates the Arisaig peninsula to the north from the Moidart peninsula to the south. At the eastern, landward end, the sound is divided by Ardnish into two sea lochs. Loch nan Uamh lies to the north of Ar ...

during the

Jacobite rising Jacobitism was a political ideology advocating the restoration of the senior line of the House of Stuart to the British throne. When James II of England chose exile after the November 1688 Glorious Revolution, the Parliament of England ruled ...

. captured her off Cape Clear in 1747.

History

Following the Jacobite defeat at the

Battle of Culloden The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, thereby endi ...

on 16 April 1746, ''Mars'' and ''Bellone'' anchored at Loch nan Uamh on 30 April 1746.McKerracher, Mairead. (2012).
Jacobite Dictionary
'. (no page numbers). Neil Wilson Publishing. ''Mars'' carried the

Loch Arkaig treasure The treasure of Loch Arkaig, sometimes known as the Jacobite gold, was a large amount of specie provided by Spain to finance the Jacobite rising in Scotland in 1745, and rumoured still to be hidden at Loch Arkaig in Lochaber. Background In 1745 ...

and as the Royal Navy was approaching she took on board some escaping Jacobites, including

James Drummond, 3rd Duke of Perth James Drummond, 6th Earl and 3rd titular Duke of Perth (11 May 171313 May 1746) was a Scotland, Scottish landowner and head of Clan Drummond best known for his participation in the Jacobite rising of 1745, during which Charles Edward Stuart atte ...

and Sir Thomas Sheridan. Captain Rouillee, of ''Mars'', decided to stay at anchor, upon the approach of the Royal Navy vessels , and , but Captain Lorry of ''Bellone'' set sail. ''Greyhound '' came alongside ''Mars'' and fired a broadside at close quarters which caused great loss of life: ''Mars'' was able to set sail during the engagement between ''Greyhound'' and ''Bellone''. ''Terror'' tried to stop ''Mars'' but a volley from ''Bellone'' disabled her. ''Bellone'' then led ''Mars'' out to a bay at the head of Loch nan Uamh, where ''Mars'' started her repairs, and ''Bellone'' engaged the British ships. Spectators lined the shores watching the battle; ''Greyhound'' fired on the spectators to prevent the carrying away of the gold and cargo that had been unloaded by the French ships. ''Baltimore'', along with ''Greyhound'' and ''Terror'', tried to board the French ships, which however repelled the attack. ''Baltimore''s captain sustained a head wound, her rigging was shattered, and she lost her anchor and two of her masts. ''Baltimore'' headed for

The Minch The Minch () is a strait in north-west Scotland that separates the mainland from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. It was known as ("Scotland's firth") in Old Norse. The Minch's southern extension, which separates Skye from the midd ...

for help. ''Mars'' had suffered damage, having been hit six times above the water line and seven times below the water line, and had three feet of water in her hold. ''Mars'' suffered 29 men killed and 85 men wounded. HMS ''Dreadnought'' captured ''Mars'' off Cape Clear, Ireland on 4 April 1747.

History

References

Further reading