The
Battle off Spanish River took place during the
American RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
between two
French NavyThe French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
frigates and a convoy of 18 British ships under protection of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
off the harbour of Spanish River,
Cape BretonCape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
,
Nova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
(present-day
Sydney, Nova ScotiaSydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
). The two French Navy Frigates were led by the famous Admiral
Latouche TrévilleLouis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville was a French admiral and a hero of the American Revolutionary War and of the Napoleonic wars.-Early life:...
and
La PérouseJean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
, who were outnumbered and still victorious in the battle.
Historical Context
The attack took place in the context of the
Franco-American allianceThe Franco-American alliance refers to the 1778 alliance between Louis XVI's France and the United States, during the American Revolutionary War. Formalized in the 1778 Treaty of Alliance, it was a military pact in which France provided arms and money, and engaged in full-scale war with Britain. ...
against
Great BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Encounter
The British convoy was bound for
Spanish RiverSydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
on
Cape Breton IslandCape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
to pick up
coalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
for delivery to
HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. It was composed of 18 ships, including 9 coal-transporting ships and 4 supply ships. The escorting ships were the
frigateA frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
Charlestown (28), two
sloopA sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s
Allegiance (24) and
Vulture (20), an armed transport
Vernon (14), and another small armed ship
Jack (14).
Two French frigates attacked the convoy: they were the
Astrée (38), commanded by
La PérouseJean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
, and the
HermioneThe Hermione was a 12-pounder Concorde class frigate of the French Navy. She became famous when she ferried General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 to allow him to join the American side in the American Revolutionary War.- History :...
(34), commanded by
Latouche TrévilleLouis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville was a French admiral and a hero of the American Revolutionary War and of the Napoleonic wars.-Early life:...
. The French ships severely damaged the
Charlestown in the encounter, losing her mainmast and much of her command crew, including Captain Evans. The French also significally damaged
Jack, which also lost her captain and struck her colors. The engagement ended with the fall of night. Captain George of the British ship
Vulture led the damaged escorts into harbor. Six French sailors were killed and 17 British.
While the British escort was severely damaged, the convoy picked up a load of coal at Spanish River and delivered it to Halifax. The French captured the two British ships
Jack and
Thorn off of Halifax Harbour, along with three merchantmen, and were brought back to
BostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. (The following year, the
Jack was recaptured by the British in the
Naval battle off HalifaxThe Battle off Halifax took place during the American Revolutionary War involving the American privateer Jack and a Royal Naval brig Observer off Halifax, Nova Scotia. The American privateer was commanded by Captain John Ropes and the Observer by John Crymes...
.)
Afterwards
The two French commanders would become particularly famous, as
Latouche TrévilleLouis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville was a French admiral and a hero of the American Revolutionary War and of the Napoleonic wars.-Early life:...
became an Admiral and a hero of the Napoleonic war, and
La PérouseJean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
became a famous explorer. One of the ships, the
HermioneThe Hermione was a 12-pounder Concorde class frigate of the French Navy. She became famous when she ferried General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 to allow him to join the American side in the American Revolutionary War.- History :...
, had brought La Fayette to the United States, and a copy is now under construction in the original docks of Rochefort.
Comemmorations
The encounter was painted by
Auguste-Louis de Rossel de CercyAuguste-Louis de Rossel de Cercy was a French painter of the 18th century. He especially painted naval scenes.De Cercy was born in Dompierre-sur-Mer in 1736, and was a Marquis. He died in 1804 in Paris.-External links:*...
, and is on display at the
Musée Nationale de la MarineThe Musée National de la Marine in Rochefort is one of the main naval museums of France.Rochefort Naval museum is part of the Musée national de la Marine, which is organised around its main location in Paris, and it antennas in Rochefort, Toulon, Brest and Port-Louis.- Notes and references :...
in Rochefort.
Links