Crescent vs Reunion, 19th October 1793

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Crescent vs Reunion

19th October 1793
Part of : The French Revolutionary Wars (1793 - 1802)
Previous action : Thames vs Uranie 4.10.1793
Next action : Operations against San Domingo 4.1.1794 - 4.6.1794
 

Great Britain

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Crescent (36) 1784-1808
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
James SaumarezBritish
Naval Sailor
1 wounded
 

République Française

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Reunion (36) 1786-1793
French 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
 33 killed, 48 wounded Captured
 

Notes on Action


Naval General Service MedalE-WIKI
A Naval General Service Medal Clasp was authorised for this action in 1847
DescriptionTRN4
On October 20th, the Crescent, 36, Captain James Saumarez, sighted the French Reunion, 36, Captain Frangois A. Deniau, and a cutter, at daylight, off Cherbourg. Saumarez had been informed that there was a French frigate at Cherbourg, which left that port at nightfall, cruised during the night, and returned early in the morning. This was in fact the procedure of the Reunion. The Crescent was on her way with dispatches from Portsmouth to the Channel Islands. She had just been docked and sailed very fast. At 10.30 A.M., the Crescent was close enough to the enemy to open fire, both ships being on the larboard tack. The cutter had made off. In three-quarters of an hour the Reunion lost her foreyard and mizen-topmast, and was in consequence exposed to the raking fire of the Crescent, which ship, by a singularly adroit manoeuvre of Saumarez, had wore round on her heel. Keeping under the enemy's stern, the Crescent was able to use her larboard broadside, receiving scarcely a shot from the Reunion. After a brave resistance which had lasted over two hours, the Reunion struck, as the British Circe, 28, was approaching in the distance. She had lost her main top-gallant mast, in addition to her mizen-topmast, and was a good deal damaged. The Crescent's only loss was one man wounded by the recoil of a gun.
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Robert Boon on Thursday 23rd of February 2017 14:00

The following 12 individuals received a clasp to the GSM for the capture of the French frigate Réunion on 20 October 1793:

De Page, John, --
Handford, Thomas, A.B.
Jeune, Richard, Lieutenant
Jones, John, Captain's servant
Kitt, Joseph, Ord.
Madge, William, Quarter-Gunner
Mansell, Thomas, --
Marrett, Joseph, Mid.
Parker, George, Lieutnant
Rye, Peter, Lieutenant
Soames, John, A.B.
Tancock, John, Master's Mate

ADM 171/8

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