Action of 23 April 1794

Overview

The action of 23 April 1794 took place between a British squadron of five frigates under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren and three frigates and a corvette under the command of Chef d'escadre Georges Desgarceaux during the War of the First Coalition. Three of the French ships were captured.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The action of 23 April 1794 was a frigate engagement during the War of the First Coalition in which a British squadron under Sir John Borlase Warren, with Richard Strachan among his commanders, intercepted a French force of three frigates and a corvette under Chef d'escadre Georges Desgarceaux. The capture of three of the four French vessels represented a significant tactical loss for the French, with 100 casualties recorded among the République française forces. Such frigate actions, while smaller in scale than fleet engagements, contributed to the cumulative attrition of French naval strength during a period when Britain sought to press its advantage at sea in the wider Revolutionary Wars.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)