Action of 1803/09/02, 2nd September 1803

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Action of 1803-09-02

2nd September 1803
Part of : The French Revolutionary Wars (1793 - 1802)
Previous action : Capture of the Duquesne 25.7.1803
Next action : Bombardment of Calais 27.9.1803
 

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Tonnant (80) 1798-1821
British 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Sir Edward PellewBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1776-1814
 no casualties
Culloden (74) 1783-1813
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Barrington DacresBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1796-1807
 4 Wounded
 

République Française

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Le Duguay Trouin (74) 1800-1805
French 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
  no casualties
La Guerrière (38) 1799-1806
French 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
  6 killed, 17 Wounded
 

Notes on Action


DescriptionTRN5
On September 2nd, at 4 A.M., Calder, in the Prince of Wales, 98, whilst running in for Cape Ortegal, sighted the Duguay Trouin and the Guerriere. They immediately headed for Corunna; and Sir Edward Pellew's squadron, which was watching Ferrol, got under full sail and endeavoured to cut them off. The wind, however, was so strong in favour of the French that they escaped, after a hot chase by the Culloden, 74, Captain Barrington Dacres, and the Tonnant, 80, Captain Sir Edward Pellew. The Culloden alone got close enough to open fire. At about 11.50 A.M. she attacked the Duguay Trouin, and, a little later, the Guerriere. The Tonnant's main topgallant tie carried away and her jib split, which kept her behind the Culloden. The Duguay Trouin was the first to reach Corunna. The Culloden maintained her pursuit of the Guerriere, firing steadily the while, till, at 12.10 P.M., Calder made the signal to discontinue action, the British ships being at that time close to the neutral Spanish waters. The Tonnant, indeed, appears to have actually entered Spanish waters, as a Spanish fort fired at her. The Culloden's casualties were four men wounded. The Duguay Trouin seems to have come out of this second encounter with the British without loss or injury; but the Guerriere, according to information received by a British officer visiting Corunna, had 5 or 6 men killed, about 17 wounded, and her masts and yards crippled. Troude adds that her fore mast and mizen mast were so damaged as to be rendered unserviceable, and that amongst the wounded was Captain Baudoin.
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Cy on Friday 11th of December 2020 12:20

Thanks, corrected

Posted by Niek van Diepen on Friday 11th of December 2020 10:41

The Guerriere in this action is the French 38 gun frigate, not the ex-French 74 gun SOL, in British service since 1798.

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