expedition ireland unsuccessful attempt french republic french revolutionary wars assist outlawed popular rebel irish republican group planned rebellion british rule french intended land large expeditionary force ireland winter join drive british ireland french anticipated major blow british morale prestige military effectiveness intended possibly stage eventual invasion britain end gathered force approximately soldiers brest general late readiness major landing bay december operation launched winters 18th century french fleet unprepared severe conditions patrolling british frigates observed departure fleet notified winter french fleet subject confused orders left port scattered approaches brest ship wrecked heavy loss life widely dispersed separated french fleet managed reach late december commanders driven miles course fleet unsure action amphibious landings impossible weather conditions worst recorded week fleet broken small squadrons individual ships making way brest storms fog british patrols british largely unable interfere french fleet invasion ships operating captured isolated french warships transports significant british response came captain sir able drive french ship line ashore action january loss lives total french lost ships captured wrecked thousands soldiers sailors drowned single man reaching ireland prisoners war navies criticised governments behaviour campaign french encouraged launch second attempt successfully landing men august failing influence losing significant numbers men ships background following french revolution cause taken countries including time ruled opposition british rule existed ireland centuries french example combined catholic majority large presbyterian minority prompted creation broad non coalition groups seeking create initially non violent political movement united forced operate secret society membership illegal outbreak french revolutionary wars deciding hope creating lay armed revolt began secretly organising forces search external aid leaders lord travelled meet french general efforts supported lawyer travelled paris appeal person period british government repealed laws attempt quell unrest french republic long planned invasion british isles ambitions repeatedly thwarted factors including fronts revolutionary wars war state french_navy problem major cause concern navy suffered heavily removal officer corps revolution endured series military setbacks culminating tactical defeat glorious june disastrous grand securing peace fronts new french decided britain dangerous remaining opponents determined defeat invasion applications tone intrigued understood attacking ireland striking british isles support british government weakest united claimed able raise irregular army waiting join french landed additional attraction successful establishment prove ideological coup finally significantly large expeditionary force ireland provide ideal invasion britain especially combination plan development land criminals cornwall distract british_army invasion ireland potentially provide future operations preparation end war peace spain substantial french forces available operation led general scheduled end october successful military commander defeated subsequently engaged planning invasion body veteran soldiers entire french atlantic fleet placed disposal based major atlantic brest number soldiers invasion uncertain french suggested men required irish delegates insisting sufficient estimates number soldiers eventually embarked range note august plan schedule severe shortages stores wages slowed work brest shipyards troops set aside invasion cornwall proved unreliable large numbers practice voyage invasion fleet ended total failure small ships intended operation proved unable operate open water plan dropped reliable soldiers unit merged ireland expeditionary force rest returned prison reinforcements mediterranean_fleet delayed seven ships shelter british blockade squadron arriving brest december second fleet arrive expeditionary force departed late progress expedition publicly blamed naval command specifically vice delay accused interested planning proposed invasion india october replaced vice india plans cancelled placed direct command discipline fleet second week december fleet ready consisting ships line frigates vessels including large transports created removing cannon old frigates cargo space ship line carried soldiers frigates transports approximately included cavalry units field artillery substantial military stores arm thousands anticipated irish volunteers dissatisfied announcing december lead men operation planned attack ireland supported admitted men inexperienced sea encounters enemy avoided possible departure despite expedition commanders fleet left brest scheduled december day ahead message calling entire operation knew british watching brest harbour frigates constant presence blockade effort disguise force intentions anchored issued orders ships pass dangerous narrow channel rocks subject heavy surf bad weather obscure size strength direction french fleet british squadron offshore french scouts claimed consisted ships despite french reports principal british blockade squadron absent approaches brest night december fleet retired avoid winter storms remaining squadron rear admiral forced retreat nautical miles atlantic avoid risk driven rocky french shoreline storm british ships sight brest frigate squadron consisting hms duke york command captain sir noted french preparations december immediately sent warn amazon alert admiralty remained brest rest squadron sighted main french fleet december bringing frigates establish size purpose december french sailed observing closely assist search spent december preparing passage temporary channel warn hazards giving instructions use signal rockets passage fleet delayed work darkness began fall preparations complete abandoned plan approximately signalled fleet leave main channel port leading way flagship frigate dark time signal ships failed corvette attempting rocket signal signals confusing ships failed understand sailing main channel added problem weaving ahead fleet shining blue lights firing rockets confusing french captains location dawn broke december french fleet scattered approaches brest largest intact group vice come ships line frigates transport ships including carried general small groups captains forced open secret orders discover destination absence instructions commanding officers ship lost gun ship line driven grand rock night sank loss lives fired numerous rockets signal guns effort attract attention succeeding confusion fleet unable affect large french force sailed telegraph report admiralty supplies voyage ireland december gathered ships set course southern ireland designated rendezvous point instructed sealed orders wait days instructions france ships missing despite disappearance commanders french fleet continued sailing high winds thick fog delayed arrival december sailed ireland crossed western approaches search fleet accompanied passing fleet fog separated small squadron near rendezvous december discover british frigate immediately ahead retreating threat chased far atlantic escape unidentified return journey found winds took days regain find december deep following day sighted delayed french squadron gave chase able pursuit gale reaching ahead british ships badly damaged storm unable continue operations forced retreat repairs response channel_fleet lord similarly ineffective news french departure brest arrive plymouth westerly british fleet ports december ships based ready sea days vessels manned equipped service order leave port issued december fleet immediately thrown chaos large second rate hms prince swung control collided gun time second rate driven gun rate paris strong winds gun hms grounded ships required enter dock extensive repairs denying strongest vessels delaying departure eventually reached departure point wind blowing west remaining ships rendered january absence army counterpart general gave orders december fleet anchor preparation landings following day local maritime pilots believing fleet british rowed ships seized providing french guides best landing sites night december weather suddenly significantly worsened atlantic bringing hid shoreline forced fleet anchor risk wrecked days remained bay inexperienced french sailors lacking winter clothing unable operate ships winter recorded december wind council war convened expedition senior officers resolved force landing despite weather identifying nearby creek point giving orders operation ahead light december night weather deteriorated morning waves violent breaking bows ships anchors dragged number vessels blown right bay atlantic unable return wind storm largest ship line collided frigate suffered severe damage collapse expedition days ships battered high winds able approach shore severe risk destroyed rocky coast losing anchors cables snapped ships forced run wind destroyed american ship named passing close december encountered vessel waves deck bodies american captain harvey reported approached ship unable assist storm watched ship driven ashore destroyed gun frigate seven men survived complement crew passengers harvey recounted coming frigate captain process removing crew passengers heavy weather having reduced gun frigate sinking condition ship discover long delayed encountered ships observed destruction burnt abandoned driven offshore flagship storm wind fell december decided abandon operation signalling ships view ordered remaining squadron sail southeast brest ships failed receive message continued second rendezvous scattered continuing storms landing possible provisions running low ships turned sailed brest weather worsened expeditionary force sailed home arrived december discovering fleet gone provisions exhausted forced return france british response attempted invasion continued inadequate arriving december ships formation handful ships based rear admiral principally captain frigate squadron interfered french fleet seized transport december captured transport shortly later recaptured french frigate retreat french ships return brest arrived january including flagship accompanied smaller ships avoided contact british warships able good speed period relatively calm weather following days french ships gathered shannon home badly damaged increasingly rough seas high winds ships return france including frigate scuttled january aboard including general rescued boats remaining french fleet ashore prisoners war january captured frigate guns men including troops hours intermittent combat royal_navy later took service hms captured transport weather bad night falling possession captain reported transport making distress signals unable assist thought highly likely sunk transport sank january fate soldiers aboard unknown january british frigates captain sir captain hms captain captured transport escorting prize following day encountered force attempted land shannon outnumbered frigates retreated westwards encountered battered withdrew prevented joining squadron took away route france reappeared following morning operating scouts fleet finally left port start new year encountered frigates night escaping pursuit fog sailed directly france arrived january majority remaining french ships reached brest january including constitution january remainder returned including attendant frigates frigate arrived losses continued french neared brest disarmed recaptured hms burnt january captured january january captured brig january french fleet accounted small brig blown way captured july gun ships carried shannon fleet broke separated provisions running low landings impossible captain determined return france independently progress slow men including soldiers general delayed encountered captured small british named cumberland result reached january encountered fog enabled reach safety ships emerged east turned away risk passengers pointless engagement ships persisted soon revealed frigates captain sir amazon captain taken supplies returned station brest steered southwest winds increased sea preventing opening lower deck severe risk flooding snapping reduced ship stability realising opponent difficulties closed larger ship began heavy fire amazon came range frigates combined repeatedly french ship combat continued night punctuated short breaks mobile british ships repaired battle damage range guns january ships sighted waves breaking immediately eastwards desperate escape heavy surf turned north amazon turned south battered unable drove straight near town force waves rolling amazon wrecked sheltered position enabled frigate remain upright surviving ship able round rocks reach open water fashioned bring men safely shore french officers unable launch boats exposed position heavy surf destroying attempt reach shore drowning hundreds men losses board wreck mounted storm continued breaking open stern ship flooding interior morning january group prisoners cumberland reached shore small boat subsequent attempts failed january sea small naval vessel approach wreck remove remaining survivors aftermath french attempt invade ireland ended total failure exception handful prisoners war french soldier successfully landed ireland despite ships remaining coast weeks ships lost thousand soldiers sailors drowned invasion abandoned remaining men returned army service germany general died months later natural causes french_navy criticised failing land expeditionary force praised successfully reaching ireland returning encountering main body british fleet achievement encouraged invasion attempts including landing wales february second invasion ireland britain royal_navy response french campaign heavily criticised fleets assigned intercept invasion fleet failed losses inflicted french coming small squadron independent frigates replaced command blockade brest rear admiral sir extensive deployments february march prevent french operations addition reinforcements sent fleet vice admiral sir won battle cape vincent february extended deployments unpopular regular seamen april mutiny broke channel_fleet french recovering losses winter campaign unable respond ireland failure french expeditionary force source great frustration aboard voyage reported felt touched bay hands uprising tone continued rally support europe raising fleet netherlands attempted invasion ended destruction battle british crackdown arrested leaders ireland provoked time french managed gather small force reach ireland august rebellion inadequate french army led surrendered september battle subsequent invasion attempt following month ended failure invasion squadron intercepted defeated battle island tone captured action committed suicide prison death combined military defeat irish rebels ended french invasion plans
Expédition d'Irlande