French ship Bienfaisant (1754) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
''Bienfaisant'' was a 64-gun
She took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780 and the capture of the ''Comte de Artois'' off Ireland in August.
On 19 July 1780, ''Bienfaisant'' encountered the French 32-gun frigate ''Nymphe'', returning to Brest from America under Du Rumain. ''Nymphe'' managed to escape.
''Bienfaisant'' participated, under the command of Captain Braithwaite, in the 1781 Battle of Dogger Bank with reduced armament on her lower deck as the last ship in the line.
''Bienfaisant'' was at
''Aetna'' (8) (1756)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 24 November 2007. *Michael Phillips
''Bienfaisant'' (64) (1758)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 24 November 2007. *
ship 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 colu ...
of the French Navy, launched in 1754.
A cutting out expedition ordered by Admiral Edward Boscawen of the British Royal Navy captured her on the night of 25 July 1758 during the 1758 Siege of Louisbourg. ''Bienfaisant'' and the 74-gun ''Prudent'' were the last remaining ships of the line of the French squadron in Louisbourg
Louisbourg is an unincorporated community and former town in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.
History
The French military founded the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1713 and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, ...
harbour. ''Prudent'' had run aground and so her captors set her alight, but men commanded by Commander George Balfour of boarded and brought out ''Bienfaisant''. The action provided a decisive moment of the siege; the fortress surrendered the next day.
British Service
The Royal Navy commissioned ''Bienfaisant'' as the third rate HMS ''Bienfaisant''.Ships of the Old Navy, ''Aetna''.Ships of the Old Navy, ''Bienfaisant''. In late 1777 ''Bienfaissant'', Captain McBride, captured ''American Tartar'' privateer, of 24 guns and 200 men. ''Bienfaissant'' took ''American Tartar'' to St Johns, Newfoundland.
She took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780 and the capture of the ''Comte de Artois'' off Ireland in August.
On 19 July 1780, ''Bienfaisant'' encountered the French 32-gun frigate ''Nymphe'', returning to Brest from America under Du Rumain. ''Nymphe'' managed to escape.
''Bienfaisant'' participated, under the command of Captain Braithwaite, in the 1781 Battle of Dogger Bank with reduced armament on her lower deck as the last ship in the line.
''Bienfaisant'' was at Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
on 20 January 1795 and so shared in the proceeds of the detention of the Dutch naval vessels, East Indiamen, and other merchant vessels that were in port on the outbreak of war between Britain and the Netherlands.
Fate
''Bienfaisant'' was broken up in 1814.
See also
*List of ships captured in the 18th century
During times of war where naval engagements were frequent, many battles were fought that often resulted in the capture of the enemy's ships. The ships were often renamed and used in the service of the capturing country's navy. Merchant ships were ...
Citations
References
*Lavery, Brian (2003) ''The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. . *Michael Phillips''Aetna'' (8) (1756)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 24 November 2007. *Michael Phillips
''Bienfaisant'' (64) (1758)
Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 24 November 2007. *
External links
* Bienfaisant (1754) Ships of the line of the Royal Navy 1754 ships Captured ships {{UK-line-ship-stub