action june action june decisive celebrated encounters british french frigates french revolutionary wars action occurred devon british frigate encountered chased french frigate previous month frigate successfully raiding british merchant shipping english channel base response british frigates ordered intercept defeat french frigates venus fought inconclusive engagement june cruising devon coast captain sail appeared south east closing investigate rapidly identified ship gave chase french frigate initially fleeing captain turning fight began overtake ship crews cheering loudly frigates exchanged action lasting minutes ships fought hard british crew able successfully board french frigate haul mortally wounded engagement crew lost casualties compared board returned britain prize major french warship captured conflict proclaimed hero background february governed expanded ongoing french revolutionary wars declaring war great_britain light vessels british_royal_navy preparing conflict months having concentrated june anticipation outbreak war ships stationed large numbers north_sea english channel defend british maritime trade threat french commerce raiders operating french channel ports french_navy contrast social divisions divided france aftermath french revolution years earlier led collapse professional officer corps elimination rank trained seamen gunners grounds resulting experience naval combat counter french_navy operated armed frigates channel atlantic ports intercept disrupt movement british trade successful vessels early months war frigates captains respectively based response french raiders royal_navy stationed frigates selected ships captain captain highly experienced officer commended service american revolutionary war fought battle island engineering officer later european waters command frigate accompanied board younger brother commander time unemployed reserve officer enlisted volunteer aboard brother ship action nautical miles north west venus sighted ship closed strange vessel soon determined ship weighed long tons tons larger long tons british vessel carried guns mounting broadside gun broadside venus despite determined combat frigates close exchange long range shot firing general hours battle continued ships drifted closer attempted break action escape ship severely damaged casualties mounting initially able prevent ship escaping keeping pace retreating prepared fire second broadside retreating french ship new sail appeared belonging large ship flying french sails rigging damaged compete newcomer fell french ships linked new arrival later identified chased venus able use strengthening breeze escape eventually rejoining point broke chase british frigates subsequently french vessels northwards chasing week june engagement cost men killed wounded ship rigging sails badly torn hull undamaged larger seriously battered killed wounded severe damage sails rigging feet water hold praised subsequent histories causing damage despite size ship french frigate contemporary histories opponent important outcome engagement forced undergo extensive repairs leaving continue commerce raiding operations battle june escorting battered venus collecting fresh supplies sailed search passing eastwards english coast reached devon turned southwards june approximately nautical miles southwest sighted sail nautical miles southeast closed investigate stranger rapidly identified days captain initially raising sail escape british frigate obvious faster french ship lowered anticipation combat pulled range hailed british ship words clearly accounts differ response cry long live king george men followed cheers crew responded nation cheering french sailor attached captain cap liberty symbol defiance position begin engagement opened fire port broadside starboard quarter french ship responded kind ships kept heavy minutes extreme close range french ship suddenly hauled gave opportunity engage enemy closely french wheel destroyed successive killed snapped feet deck damage caused french ship swing wildly port suddenly starboard boom came rest fore main masts british ship significant pressure mainmast weakened french shot boom eventually snapped gave orders men storm ships crew refused swung frigates lay bow stern continuing heavy british worked french rigging ship damaged mainmast encouraging promise man successfully separated ships british captain initially concerned collision deliberate manoeuvre men case french launch boarding attack frigate soon clear movement french unwilling press attack reversed orders men assembled repel climb board instead orders british french frigate jumped rigging french yards attackers initially encountered fierce resistance hand hand combat lasted minutes french sailors broke ran gaining deck british boarding party hauled signifying end action later described event letter brother samuel minutes boarded took quarterdeck found captain struck torn away left hip close death seeing ship hands enemy reached pocket sheet containing french coastal codes tore paper teeth dying inadvertently destroyed commission ship captain instead codes later found intact body french casualties action totalled including killed wounded losses aboard severe losing men including officers killed wounded prisoners collected sent aboard leaving remaining french ship guard small prize crew ships separated way portsmouth arriving june aftermath arrival captured ship britain greeted celebration major french warship seized conflict news capture reached king george opera immediately spontaneously announced auditorium popular prints depicting action appeared rapidly large numbers wildly inaccurate shortly return britain brothers subsequently introduced king george lord chatham rewarded edward israel promotion post captain lieutenant promoted commander ship commended actions following official dispatch praised conduct engagement rapidly purchased royal_navy hms use prize money awarded totalled equivalent split crew authorised payment december ship considered good command remained service years warfare followed eventually sold time french allied frigates captured destroyed british military action decades later battle actions recognised attached awarded application british participants living soon action sir moved large frigate hms brother given command frigate served distinction sir edward captured frigates destroyed french ship line action january ending war commander chief mediterranean israel noted capturing french flagship battle command noted slightly heavier weight shot french ship carried personnel serving unified crew significantly longer aboard british frigate men tin miners pressed service weeks earlier conferred advantage french final boarding action loss commanding officers heavy casualties french crew enabled british capture ship heavy casualties ships demonstrated action james notes combatants displayed contest equal share bravery determination impressed opponent attended funeral portsmouth june later sent considerable money widow honour husband bravery
Action of 18 June 1793