action october action october minor naval engagement great_britain france fought coast france second year french revolutionary wars french frigates raiding trade routes considerable success outbreak war response admiralty formed frigate squadron patrol french channel atlantic coasts search french raiders october large modern powerful gun french frigate command captain sailed raiding cruise british trade routes atlantic days later rounding nautical miles miles sea encountered british frigate squadron commanded commodore sir secured number victories french raiding frigates previous years ordered ships chase fled french coast british numerical supremacy british ship faster gun hms captain cutting shore bringing larger french ship action minutes battled support arrived point french frigate crew surrendered ship defiance captain orders casualties damage light sides rapidly commissioned royal_navy joining squadron captured subsequently capturing french frigate april background following declaration war great_britain february french_navy immediately launched squadrons individual cruisers british trade routes fleet based fortified port brest brittany state political turmoil early years war suffering mutiny august defeat battle glorious june spite difficulties independent raiders caused considerable damage british commerce response admiralty ordered squadron frigates channel_fleet cruise french coastline search raiders force known flying squadron initially commanded sir achieved number successes year war notably action april french frigate squadron destroyed autumn squadron command commodore sir frigate accompanied captain hms diamond captain sir captain ships specially selected crews equipment squadron formed elite force channel_fleet light warships led squadron october intention cruising entrance brest shipping entering leaving port french fleet principal squadrons blockaded brest continued send raiders sea ship large newly commissioned gun frigate captain hastily assembled crew main battery pounder cannon departed channel port october sailing westwards atlantic battle october days leaving nautical miles island tip discovered dawn squadron immediately ordered ships chase turned away effort reach shoreline larger british squadron ship squadron french ship cutting relative safety shore instead swung southeast effort british squadron pull ahead ships weather british frigate faster strong modern frigate main battery pounder cannon pounder quarterdeck able bring frigate alongside slightly larger french vessel minutes frigates traded fire damaging french ship rigging slowing rest squadron come captain smith diamond reach combat smith ranging ship stern firing warning shots indicate french ship surrendered fire devastating broadside french ship stern close diamond wished continue engagement men refused french captain forced surrender point surrendered breakers waves striking seen dead ahead summary table guns refers cannon carried ship including guns taken consideration calculating rate carried aboard broadside weight records combined weight shot fired single simultaneous discharge entire broadside aftermath casualties light sides lost men killed wounded including suffered minor wounds british ship engaged losing sailors lieutenant killed men wounded squadron brought immediately having discovered outbreak small prisoners war taken french frigate subsequently light damage ship suffered enabled royal_navy rapidly purchase commission frigate gun hms command captain attach ship squadron eighteen months later fought captured french frigate april remained royal_navy following years warfare arrival britain caused stir naval architects frigate significantly larger produced britain time ship extensively planned modelled ship commissioned royal_navy design severe delays shipyards meant ship eventually named launched reward action lieutenant promoted commander report action stated state enemy allows opportunity saying avail historian reserved noting ships matched pair combatants prize money extensive payment january reward shared entire squadron previous year following reported unhappy honoured action complained admiralty condition speed requesting faster vessel following year receive command gun result
Action of 21 October 1794