action november action november known french combat iii naval engagement french revolutionary wars british ships line intercepted returning britain large french squadron french squadron sailed brest search inward bound british convoy october instead encountered british ships returning escorting outward bound convoy warning french approach british force assigned watch brest absent plymouth policy operating distant blockade british ships separated attempted escape french commander simply split forces response canada eventually able pursuit alexander slower caught french ships succession opponents driven succeeded coming alongside fierce close fought duel compelled captain surrender ship face overwhelming odds battle rare french victory lying significant british victories glorious june royal_navy campaign french fleet brest background february following years rising tension emerged french revolution declared war royal_navy immediate concerns contain based massively fortified harbour brest brittany port positioned disrupt merchant shipping convoys passed route britain world french fleet permitted sea challenged french brest vital port grain supplies americas french fleets regularly sailed missions escort convoys harbour disrupt british convoys entering large french fleet sea ensure safety american grain convoy intercepted far atlantic glorious june powerful royal_navy fleets force assigned restrict french movements brest french suffered defeat losing seven ships managed retire good order saved grain convoy later june sea caught storm ships badly damaged commander lord howe retired fleet anchorage british fleet sea late october powerful french squadron sailed brest intention attacking large merchant convoy sailing lisbon britain force command consisted gun ships line frigates corvette addition lisbon convoy number vulnerable british targets region including second convoy mediterranean_sea rear admiral route britain rate sailing independently lord hood board information concerning movements cruising pattern intended cover western approaches english channel french force cruised days november unidentified ships spotted northeastern horizon vessels british gun ships line hms alexander captain captain hamilton returning rejoin channel_fleet escorting lisbon mediterranean bound convoy safe latitude chase sighting french force british captains sought establish identity strange ships shortening sail port close squadron nautical miles away ordering crews set sail ready attempt escape squadron revealed french british ships discovered squadron favourable wind approaching fast convinced hamilton unidentified ships hostile ordered hamilton separate hope escape slower alexander hamilton adjusting course northerly direction deliberately sought disguise squadron effort lure british close catch trap successfully ships line pursued alexander ships line including flagship frigates followed canada continue deception ordered ships raise british ships replied raising having shifted direction flight eastwards better use available wind raising british flags clear indicator british aware identity instead ordered squadron french finally abandoning ruse ships british preceding hours division french squadron pursuit alexander steadily closed gap ships alexander responding firing stern french ships responded firing bow british vessel canada came range ordering flagship fire hamilton ship shot flying vessel sea hamilton responded fire stern issued signals alexander canada form line canada lead british vessels mutually support recognised intentions soon canada began division blocked hamilton manoeuvre ships division firing hamilton ship isolated alexander falling canada french ship able draw close alexander discharge main broadside british vessel ships engaging fierce duel minutes suffering damage away engagement assisted french frigate place taken french ship line pull directly alongside ship able attack british ship heavy fire receiving turn shot away french ship main inflicted severe damage rigging turned away replaced ship french line pulled alongside battered damaged alexander hour taking damage turn rigging sails masts shot hull shattered fires raging board surrendered alexander face overwhelming french odds division pulled range began fire ship hamilton canada able pull ahead escape french shot flying british ship attack canada hamilton reported damage casualties aftermath consolidating battered prize ordered squadron return brest waiting british convoys intended targets unknown french lisbon mediterranean convoys nautical miles away action alexander sinking condition difficulty ship brought port afloat captured crew distributed french squadron result unable casualty list later estimated losses approximately men killed wounded aboard alexander french accounts killed wounded british histories reported french casualties engagement enormous figure men killed wounded french historian noted inflated total gave french losses wounded returned brest custody captain commanded ship glorious june ship sunk unknown promoted rear admiral whilst sea later commended conduct prisoner wrote admiralty treated great kindness humanity historian reported brest populace insulted prisoners marched place confinement officers men shared lot denied rations provisions reduced starvation dog cells killed head sold dollar satisfy nature prisoner state threw prison walls dead body lying time taken water allowed people drink exchanged shortly action returned britain sat court martial standard practice royal_navy ship lost action acquitted blame loss alexander france victory captured ship repaired taken french_navy joining poor sailor june french fleet participated retreat action overrun british fleet recaptured rejoining royal_navy historical assessment capture alexander summed historian wrote capture british rare event wars lost sided nature conflict apparent called habit victory established
Action of 6 November 1794