BATTLE // May 5, 1794
Action of 5 May 1794
Source · Wikipedia
Significance
The Action of 5 May 1794 was a minor British naval success in the Indian Ocean theater of the French Revolutionary Wars. A British squadron maintaining the blockade of Isle de France intercepted and recaptured the French frigate Duguay Trouin, a vessel that had itself been taken from the East India Company the previous year. The engagement removed one French frigate from the theater and returned it to British control, reinforcing the blockade's effectiveness. The result was determined largely by the condition of the French ship — a poor sailer with a sick and undermanned crew — rather than by any significant contest of force.
Tactics
The British squadron, holding a favorable wind, gave chase when the French frigate and an accompanying brig were identified approaching the blockade position. The chase was brief because Duguay Trouin was sluggish and could not maneuver effectively with so many crew members incapacitated by illness. HMS Orpheus reached the French frigate first and raked the wallowing ship, disabling her. After an hour and twenty minutes the French captain surrendered.
Commanders (1)
Great Britain
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