Action of 20 March 1759, 20th March 1759

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Action of 20 March 1759

20th March 1759
Part of : Seven Years' War (1756/05/17 - 1763/02/10)
Previous action : Action of 19 March 1759 19.3.1759
Next action : Achilles v Le Comte de Saint-Florentine 4.4.1759
 

Great Britain

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Melampe (36) 1757-1764
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
William HothamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1754-1805
Southampton (32) 1757-1812
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
James GilchristBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1726-1759
 

Royaume de France

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
La Danae (40) 1756-1759
French 40 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Pierre Jean BartFrench
Naval Sailor
Privateer
Service 1744-1746
†		Fleet Flagship Captured 30+ killed, many wounded
L'Harmonie (34) 1757-1760
French 34 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Antoine LefebvreFrench
Naval Sailor
Privateer
Service 1759
 escape to Ostend
 

Notes on Action


Description of the ActionFWIKI

The 2 french frigates were not at full strenght : armed in "flutes" to go to Quebec

The Danae have only her upper deck armed .

The father Pierre Jean Bart promoted his son Benjamin Nicolas Bart as captain before his death .


Description of the ActionTRN3
The Southampton, 32, Captain James Gilchrist, and Melampe, 24, Captain William Hotham, cruising in the North Sea, fell in with and engaged two French frigates. The Mélampe fought them both for three-quarters of an hour before the Southampton could come up; and she suffered so much aloft that she dropped astern. One of the French ships made sail away while the Southampton was engaging the other, and while the Mélampe was refitting. When Hotham drew up again, the French ship struck. She proved to be the Danaé, 40; and she had lost her captain, second captain, and about thirty men killed, besides a great number wounded. She was added to the Royal Navy as the Danae. Gilchrist was himself severely wounded by a grape shot, and lost the use of an arm. He was given a pension of £300 a year for life, and could not be employed again.
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