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The action of 17 June 1778 also known as the Fight of ''Belle Poule'' and ''Arethusa'' was a minor naval action that took place off the coast of France between British and French
Meanwhile, ''Arethusa'' and the cutter caught up to ''Belle Poule'', accompanied by the French cutter ''Le Courier''. The captain of ''Belle Poule'' refused the order to sail back to the British fleet. The British fired a warning shot across his ship's bow, to which he responded with a full
''Arethusa'' suffered 44 casualties from her 198-man crew, but the masts and rigging had been so severely damaged that the ship had to be towed by newly arrived British ships. As other ships from Keppel's fleet approached, ''Belle Poule'' withdrew toward the French coast having lost 30 killed and 72 wounded, among them her captain, Lieutenant Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie.
This battle was the first between British and French naval forces during the Anglo-French War and took place around three weeks before the formal declaration of war by France. Admiral Keppel himself was surprised by the reaction of the French captains as he only intended to speak with them, and then release their ships.
The battle was widely celebrated in France as a victory; ladies of the high society invented the hairstyle "Belle Poule", with a ship on the top of the head.
With the capture of ''Licorne'' and ''Hirondelle'' it was also viewed as a victory in Britain and became the subject of a traditional
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 ...
s. The action was widely celebrated by both France and Great Britain and was the first between the two naval forces during the American Revolutionary War before a formal declaration of war was even announced.Syrett (1998), p.36
Background
On 13 June 1778, Admiral Augustus Keppel, with twenty-oneships of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colum ...
and three frigates, was dispatched by the Admiralty to keep watch over the French fleet at Brest; Keppel was to prevent a junction of the Brest and Toulon fleets, more by persuasion if he could since both nations were not at war. The French 26-gun frigate, was on a reconnaissance along with the 26-gun frigate , the corvette
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...
, and the cutter
Cutter may refer to:
Tools
* Bolt cutter
* Box cutter, aka Stanley knife, a form of utility knife
* Cigar cutter
* Cookie cutter
* Glass cutter
* Meat cutter
* Milling cutter
* Paper cutter
* Side cutter
* Cutter, a type of hydraulic rescue to ...
''Coureur'', when on 17 June she encountered a large British squadron that included at a point south of The Lizard.Dupuy p. 210
Admiral Keppel, commanding the British fleet, ordered that the French ships be pursued and returned to his flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
by any means since he did not want the French ships to see the British strength.
Action
''Licorne'' did so, after being overhauled by two British ships , mounting 28 guns, and , of 64 guns. ''Licorne'' subsequently tried to escape during the night after having meditated on affairs, but surrendered after a brief combat with ''America'', a vessel double her size.
Meanwhile, ''Arethusa'' and the cutter caught up to ''Belle Poule'', accompanied by the French cutter ''Le Courier''. The captain of ''Belle Poule'' refused the order to sail back to the British fleet. The British fired a warning shot across his ship's bow, to which he responded with a full broadside
Broadside or broadsides may refer to:
Naval
* Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare
Printing and literature
* Broadside (comic ...
.Syrett (1998), p.38 Thus a furious, two-hour battle between the two ships with ''Arethusa''. ''Belle Poule'' was eager to escape and soon began to inflict serious damage upon ''Arethusa'', which ended up with her topmasts hanging over the side and canvas torn. Soon after ''Arethusa'' lay shattered and then lost her main mast.
Soon the wind fell and with it the shot-torn loftier sails of ''Belle Poule''. However, they held enough wind to drift her out of the reach of ''Arethusa''s fire. Both ships were close under the French cliffs and ''Belle Poule'' struggled into a tiny cove in the rocks. Nothing remained for ''Arethusa'' but to cut away her wreckage, hoist what sail she could, and drag herself back under jury-mast
In maritime transport terms, and most commonly in sailing, jury-rigged is an adjective, a noun, and a verb. It can describe the actions of temporary makeshift running repairs made with only the tools and materials on board; and the subsequent r ...
s to the British fleet.
Meanwhile, ''Coureur'' was overtaken by the British cutter , and after some resistance finally cooperated with being taken to Keppel's flagship. ''Hirondelle'' escaped the engagement entirely.
Aftermath
''Arethusa'' suffered 44 casualties from her 198-man crew, but the masts and rigging had been so severely damaged that the ship had to be towed by newly arrived British ships. As other ships from Keppel's fleet approached, ''Belle Poule'' withdrew toward the French coast having lost 30 killed and 72 wounded, among them her captain, Lieutenant Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie.
This battle was the first between British and French naval forces during the Anglo-French War and took place around three weeks before the formal declaration of war by France. Admiral Keppel himself was surprised by the reaction of the French captains as he only intended to speak with them, and then release their ships.
The battle was widely celebrated in France as a victory; ladies of the high society invented the hairstyle "Belle Poule", with a ship on the top of the head.
With the capture of ''Licorne'' and ''Hirondelle'' it was also viewed as a victory in Britain and became the subject of a traditional Sea shanty
A sea shanty, chantey, or chanty () is a genre of traditional Folk music, folk song that was once commonly sung as a work song to accompany rhythmical labor aboard large Merchant vessel, merchant Sailing ship, sailing vessels. The term ''shanty ...
, '' The Saucy Arethusa''. ( Roud # 12675).
''Arethusa'' is also the subject of a song on the Decemberists' album ''Her Majesty the Decemberists
''Her Majesty the Decemberists'' is the second full-length album by The Decemberists, released on September 9, 2003, by Kill Rock Stars. The song "Song for Myla Goldberg" was written years earlier, after Colin Meloy had been a media escort for t ...
''.
Sources and references
Notes References Bibliography * * * * {{authority control Naval battles involving Great Britain Naval battles involving FranceAction of 17 June 1778
The action of 17 June 1778 also known as the Fight of ''Belle Poule'' and ''Arethusa'' was a minor naval action that took place off the coast of France between British and French frigates. The action was widely celebrated by both France and Great ...
Action of 17 June 1778
The action of 17 June 1778 also known as the Fight of ''Belle Poule'' and ''Arethusa'' was a minor naval action that took place off the coast of France between British and French frigates. The action was widely celebrated by both France and Great ...