French Ship Redoutable (1791)

The ''Redoutable'' was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She took part in the battles of the French Revolutionary Wars in the Brest squadron, served in the Caribbean in 1803, and duelled with during the Battle of Trafalgar, killing Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson during the action. She sank in the storm that followed the battle.

Built as ''Suffren'', the ship was commissioned in the Brest squadron of the French fleet. After her crew took part in the Quibéron mutinies, she was renamed to ''Redoutable''. She took part in the Croisière du Grand Hiver, the Battle of Groix, and the Expédition d'Irlande. At the Peace of Amiens, ''Redoutable'' was sent to the Caribbean for the Saint-Domingue expedition, ferrying troops to Guadeloupe and Haiti.

Later, she served in the fleet under Vice-admiral Villeneuve, and took part in the Trafalgar Campaign. At the Battle of Trafalgar, ''Redoutable'' rushed to cover the flagship when the ship following her failed to maintain the line. She tried in vain to stop Nelson's HMS ''Victory'' from breaking the line and raking ''Bucentaure'', and then engaged her with furious cannon and small arms fire that silenced the British flagship and killed Nelson. As her crew prepared to board ''Victory'', raked her with grapeshot, killing or maiming most of her crew. ''Redoutable'' continued to fight until she was in danger of sinking before striking her colours. She foundered in the storm of 22 October 1805.

Career

The ship of the line was laid down at Brest in January 1790, and launched as ''Suffren'' on 31 May 1791. She was the first ship of the French Navy named in honour of Vice-admiral Suffren de Saint Tropez, who had died a hero of the American War of Independence on 8 December 1788. She was completed there in December 1792.

Quibéron mutinies

''Suffren'' was attached to the Brest fleet under Vice-admiral de Grimouard, later replaced by Morard de Galles. Under Captain Obet, she departed Brest in 1793 for a cruise to Quibéron. In September, the crews of the fleet revolted in the Quibéron mutinies, including the crew of ''Suffren''. In retaliation, ''Suffren'' was renamed ''Redoutable'' on 20 May 1795. The same day, she received the new naval flag of the Republic, the full tricolour which replaced the white flag with a tricolour canton, and hoisted her.

Service in Brest

From March to June 1794 under Captain Dorré, she was the flagship of the naval station of Cancale. She comprised the Cancale division together with her sister ship , under Captain Monnier.

In December, she took part in the Croisière du Grand Hiver under Captain Moncousu;Levot, p.356 upon departure, she broke her cables, but unlike the ill-fated ''Républicain'', she managed to reach the open sea, followed by the frigate . However, the damage sustained in the incident forced her to cancel her departure, and she returned to Brest.

In February 1795, ''Redoutable'' was the flagship of a division under Rear Admiral Kerguelen within the fleet of Brest, under Villaret-Joyeuse.Fonds Marine, p.125Levot, p.260 Still under Captain Moncousu and with Commander Bourayne as first officer,Levot, p.53 she took part in the Battle of Groix on 23 June 1795, where her poor sailing properties compelled the frigate , under Captain Bergeret, to take her in tow. During the battle, she was one of the few ships of observe Villaret-Joyeuse's orders to support ''Alexandre''. Later, along with ''Tigre'', she attempted to support ''Formidable'', but to no avail as ''Formidable''s tops caught fire and she ceased all resistance to save herself, eventually striking her colours. After the battle, she sailed back to Port-Louis, near Lorient,

In December 1796, ''Redoutable'' took part in the Expédition d'Irlande under Moncousu, by then promoted to rear admiral, and was the first French ship to reach Bantry Bay, after rallying elements of the French fleet. In the night of 22 to 23 December, she accidentally collided with Nielly's flagship, the frigate , dismasting her of her bowsprit, foremast, and mizzen; only her mainmast stayed upright. the 74-gun took ''Résolue'' in tow and returned with her to Brest, where they arrived on 30 December; ''Redoutable'' eventually limped back to Brest, where she arrived on 5 January 1797, in consort with , , and , and four frigates.

Service in the Caribbean

In March 1802, the ''Redoutable'' was the flagship of a squadron of two ships of the line and four frigates under Admiral Bouvet sent to reinforce Guadeloupe in 1802 and in the Saint-Domingue expedition in 1803, departing on 9 January from Ajaccio with troops and arriving on 4 February.

In 1803, ''Redoutable'', under Captain Siméon,Fonds Marine, p.285 was part of a naval division under Rear Admiral Bedout, based in Saint-Domingue.Fonds Marine, p.284 The division was composed of the 74-gun as flagship, with Captain Bourdé as Bedout's flag officer; the 74-guns ''Redoutable'' and , under Captain Gourrège; the frigate ''Vertu'', under Commander Montalan; and the corvettes , under Commander Gallier-Labrosse, and , under Lieutenant Descorches.

Battle of Trafalgar

At the Battle of Trafalgar, on 21 October 1805, ''Redoutable'' was commanded by Captain Lucas,Levot, p.327 with Lieutenant Dupotet as first officer.Levot, p.160Amongst the officers of ''Redoutable'' was also Acting Lieutenant Ducrest de Villeneuve (Levot, p.137) ''Redoutable'' was the third ship behind the flagship in the French line, coming behind Maistral's and José Quevedo's . When ''Neptune'' and ''San Leandro'' dropped behind ''Bucentaure'', exposing her stern, ''Redoutable'' rushed to cover her and prevent Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson's from cutting the Franco-Spanish line of battle.

With her bowsprit almost touching ''Bucentaure'' stern, ''Redoutable'' fired on ''Victory''s rigging for ten minutes, trying to disable her to prevent the crossing of the French line, but did not manage to stop her advance, despite cutting off her foremast tops, her mizzen and her main topgallant, and ended up running afoul of her. A furious, fifteen-minute musket duel erupted between the two ships; the crew of ''Redoutable'' had been especially trained by Lucas for such an occasion,Guérin especially mentions that Lucas drilled his crew to throw grenades and had bags made for his men, holding two grenades each. (vol.6, pp.423-424) and soon the heavy hand grenade and small-arms fire on ''Victory''s quarterdeck mortally wounded Vice Admiral Nelson. Lucas later reported:

The French crew were about to board ''Victory'' when managed to come to the rescue of the stricken flagship, firing on the exposed French crew at point blank range, killing or wounding 200 men, including Lucas and Dupotet, struck by a bullet to the knee, who nevertheless remained at their stations. The crew of ''Redoutable'' rushed to man her artillery and engage ''Temeraire'' with her starboard battery,Guérin, vol.6, p.427 Soon, took a position at stern of ''Redoutable'', which thus found herself fired upon from three larger ships. In the ensuing cannonade, ''Redoutable'' lost most of her artillery, including two guns that burst, killing several gunners. ''Temeraire'' hailed for ''Redoutable'' to surrender, but Lucas had volley of musketry fired for replies.

At 1.55 pm, ''Redoutable'', with Lucas severely wounded, and only 99 men still fit out of 643 (300 dead and 222 severely wounded), was essentially defenceless. The ''Fougueux'' attempted to come to her aid but came afoul of ''Temeraire''. After ascertaining that ''Redoutable'' was too damaged to survive the aftermath of the battle, and worried that she would sink before his wounded could be evacuated, Lucas struck his colours at 2:30.Guérin, vol.6, p.428 ''Redoutable''s aft featured a large opening and was in danger of collapsing, her rudder was shot off, and the hull was pierced in many spots.Troude, vol.3, p.394

Being much damaged and weakened by the fight themselves, the British ships took some time to take possession of ''Redoutable'', and Lucas had to request urgent assistance to pump water, as four of ''Redoutable''s pumps were destroyed and few of her crewmen could man them.Guérin, vol.6, p.431Guérin (vol.6, p.431-432) claims that Lucas threatened to set fire to ''Redoutable'' if the British did not come to his aid on the spot, which would have destroyed ''Victory'', ''Temeraire'' and probably also ''Fougueux'', all entangled together.

''Redoutable'' was freed from the rigging of ''Temeraire'' around 7 in the evening and was taken in tow by .Guérin, vol.6, p.432 The next day, ''Redoutable'' made distress signals, and ''Swiftsure'' launched boats to evacuate her passengers; she foundered around 7, taking 196 men with her.Guérin, vol.6, p.438 Lucas reported:

''Victory'' had sustained 160 casualties, and ''Temeraire'' 120. Of ''Redoutable''s crew, 169 were taken on board ''Swiftsure''; the wounded were sent to Cadiz on a cartel, and 35 men were taken prisoner to England.

Lucas was received in England with great courtesy. After his release from capture, he was personally awarded the rank of Commandeur of the Legion of Honour by Napoleon for his role during the battle.1764 - 1819 - La carrière de Jean-Jacques-Etienne Lucas, capitaine de vaisseau
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Notes and references

Notes

References

Bibliography

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* Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 482 (1790–1826)

External links

report of captain Lucas

The French Navy and the Struggle for Revolutionary Authority: The Mutiny of the Brest Fleet in 1793
William S. Cormack, Canadian journal of History

{{DEFAULTSORT:Redoutable
Ships of the line of the French Navy
Téméraire-class ships of the line
Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
1791 ships
Maritime incidents in 1805
Captured ships
Napoleonic-era ships
Ships built in France