Action Of 10 January 1780 on:
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The action of 10 August 1780 was a minor naval engagement that took place off Brest during the American Revolutionary War between a Royal Navy
When the two ships were within two cables length the French ship raised her colours and opened fire. Moving in, for over an hour the two frigates battered each other relentlessly; ''Flora'' being much cut up, moved closer in which the carronades were able to sweep the decks of the French ship with grapeshot. After another 15 minutes the French abandoned their guns and attempted to board, but ''Flora''s crew repulsed the attempt. An explosion of a box of cartridges aboard the Frenchman added further to the carnage. ''Flora''s crew then boarded the French vessel and within moments the French vessel struck. She proved to be the frigate ''La Nymphe'', pierced for 40 guns, but mounting only 32, and commanded by the Chevalier Charles-Marie de Trolong du Rumain, who died that evening of his wounds with command being passed to Lieutenant Pennandref de Keranstret.
;Aftermath
''Flora''s guns were heavier, 18- and 9-pounders, against the French ship's 12- and 6-pounders. The effect of the new carronades on ''Flora'' is reflected in the number of casualties; 9 killed and 17 wounded on ''Flora'' out of a crew of 259, and 55 killed and 81 wounded aboard ''La Nymphe'', from a crew of 291. ''Nymphe'' was transferred into the Royal Navy (as HMS ''Nymphe'') the following March after repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard.
In the aftermath of ''La Nymphe'' being taken by ''Flora'', the Navy Board quickly became enamoured of the carronade and the weapon’s effectiveness in combat. As a result they were soon mounted on many Royal Navy ships.
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
and a French Navy frigate. This was the first engagement thought to involve the use of the carronade
A carronade is a short, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon which was used by the Royal Navy. It was first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, and was used from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century. Its main func ...
.
Events
;Background The 36-gun frigate under Captain William Williams was patrolling off Ushant not far from Brest on the afternoon of 10 August 1780.Winfield p. 208 ''Flora'', as well as her nominal armament also carried six recently-introduced 18-poundercarronade
A carronade is a short, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon which was used by the Royal Navy. It was first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, and was used from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century. Its main func ...
s.
Through the haze she sighted two vessels, a square-rigged vessel and a cutter, about four miles away. As ''Flora'' approached, the cutter edged away, while the square-rigged vessel waited, accepted battle.
;Action
When the two ships were within two cables length the French ship raised her colours and opened fire. Moving in, for over an hour the two frigates battered each other relentlessly; ''Flora'' being much cut up, moved closer in which the carronades were able to sweep the decks of the French ship with grapeshot. After another 15 minutes the French abandoned their guns and attempted to board, but ''Flora''s crew repulsed the attempt. An explosion of a box of cartridges aboard the Frenchman added further to the carnage. ''Flora''s crew then boarded the French vessel and within moments the French vessel struck. She proved to be the frigate ''La Nymphe'', pierced for 40 guns, but mounting only 32, and commanded by the Chevalier Charles-Marie de Trolong du Rumain, who died that evening of his wounds with command being passed to Lieutenant Pennandref de Keranstret.
;Aftermath
''Flora''s guns were heavier, 18- and 9-pounders, against the French ship's 12- and 6-pounders. The effect of the new carronades on ''Flora'' is reflected in the number of casualties; 9 killed and 17 wounded on ''Flora'' out of a crew of 259, and 55 killed and 81 wounded aboard ''La Nymphe'', from a crew of 291. ''Nymphe'' was transferred into the Royal Navy (as HMS ''Nymphe'') the following March after repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard.
In the aftermath of ''La Nymphe'' being taken by ''Flora'', the Navy Board quickly became enamoured of the carronade and the weapon’s effectiveness in combat. As a result they were soon mounted on many Royal Navy ships.
References
;Bibliography * {{cite book , last=Winfield , first=Rif , year=2008 , title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817 , edition=2nd , publisher=Seaforth Publishing , location=London, UK , isbn=978-1-84415-717-4 Conflicts in 1780 10 August 1780 Military history of Brittany 1780 in France 10 August 1780