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Capture of the Pallas

5th February 1800 - 6th February 1800
Part of : The French Revolutionary Wars (1793 - 1802)
Previous action : Action of 1799-12-17 17.12.1799
Next action : Capture of the Généreux 18.2.1800

 

Great Britain

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Loire (40) 1798-1818
British 40 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
James NewmanBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1795
Danae (20) 1798-1800
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Post Ship
William Allen ProbyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1796-1804
Harpy (16) 1796-1817
British 16 Gun
Unrated Sloop
Henry BazelyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1816
Fairy (14) 1778-1811
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
Joshua Sydney HortonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1830
Railleur (14) 1797-1800
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
William James TurquandBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1791
 

Notes on Action


DescriptionTRN4

On February 5th, 1800, the British sloops Fairy, 16, Commander Joshua Sydney Horton, and Harpy, 18, Commander Henry Bazely, off St. Malo discovered the French frigate Pallas, 38, Captain Jacques Epron. 6 The British vessels stood out to sea and were followed by the Pallas, which closed and engaged them. An action of over an hour followed, in which the Harpy several times raked her opponent. Then the Pallas retired, leaving the Harpy and Fairy too much damaged to follow her.

Repairing their damage, the Fairy and Harpy made sail in chase of the Pallas, when they sighted, coming up ahead, the British Loire, 38, Captain James Newman Newman, Danae, 20, Captain Lord Proby, and Railleur, 16, Commander William Turquand. These joined in the chase, and the Railleur, at about 7.45 P.M., compelled the Pallas to tack off-shore, when she passed the Loire and exchanged fire. At 11 P.M. the Loire closed her off the Sept lies, and began a sharp action with her and a battery on shore. The Railleur, Harpy, and Fairy all joined in, and the five ships fought running on the starboard tack till 1.30, when the Harpy got under the Pallas's stern and gave her several raking broadsides. On this she struck after a brilliant resistance to an overwhelming force. The Loire had on board one hundred "volunteers" from prison-ships who showed great cowardice. The British loss in this action was nine killed and thirty-six wounded; the French loss is unknown. The Pallas, a remarkably fine frigate, was purchased for the Navy and renamed Pique.



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Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:37Jon Miller
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:33Jon Miller
British sloop 'Stork' (1796) (16) 1796-1816
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Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:28Jon Miller
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Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:21Jon Miller
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