action october action october minor naval engagement french revolutionary wars fought french coast early months war begun february seen number french frigates raiding british merchant shipping channel captain deployed watch port aim disrupting operations french frigates based harbour october waiting french movement sighted cutter approaching open water immediately moved engage french ship managed frigate subject fierce barrage fire hours captain responded aside inflicting minor damage rigging achieved little vessel heavily battered suffering severe damage rigging masts hull possibly casualties british losses confined single man wounded accident aboard crescent eventually hold longer forced surrender arrival gun british frigate later repaired commissioned royal_navy success background outbreak war early spring french revolutionary wars year old french_navy suffering french revolution consequent dissolution professional officer class royal_navy state readiness summer early months war french_navy focused heavily raiding disrupting british commerce deployed frigates raiding operations british commercial shipping english channel successful raiders frigates based frigates short cruises leaving early evening returning morning prizes encountered night counter admiralty number warships blockade french coast including gun frigate captain sent portsmouth operating october learned french routine took station close near rocky eastern raiders passed leaving entering port dawn october crescent reported sails approaching land channel significantly larger immediately ordered ship edge wind strange vessels rapidly came port new arrivals wind allowing freedom movement battle ships encountered crescent gun frigate gun cutter named returning raiding cruise channel command captain sources substantially larger ship crescent weighing long tons british ship long tons carrying men crescent advantages countered slight advantage held weight shot measured pounds pounds favour british vessel crescent faster having recently completed dockyard refit firing broke frigates cutter steered away battle ship visible engagement gun british frigate captain lay stranded approximately nautical miles distant unable approach battling ships calm winds separating engagement opening exchanges frigates suffered damage rigging sails crescent losing fore fore yard effort break suddenly swung ship opposite taking advantage damage vessel left unable effectively manoeuvre managed fire stern fire inflicted massive damage casualties french ship continued resist time ship longer effectively able respond crossed bow eventually rapidly approaching strengthening wind accepted choice surrender vessel engagement lasting hours minutes cutter ignored battle successfully escaped captain anchored harbour fruitless effort reach engagement delayed contrary wind tides prevented frigate sailing aftermath ships damaged engagement damage entirely confined rigging shots actually struck hull battle provoked notice passed deck causing injury struck cannon opposite site setting direction number small approaching shore casualties crescent equally light man injured standing close cannon opening broadside struck gun suffering broken leg damage losses french ship severe rigging hull lower masts repeatedly struck casualties initially estimated men killed wounded french accounts lower figure killed wounded widely praised conduct second successful frigate action war capture months earlier reward king given presentation plate later received bill equivalent honour refused pay telling charge paid successful action later wrote brother think hard pay honour services thought deserve recognition success subsequently given command frigate squadron operating normandy coast addition lieutenant promoted commander praised purchased service royal_navy repairs completed rated gun frigate carrying pounder cannon payment prize money published london gazette february amounting equivalent divided men crescent decades later battle actions recognised attached awarded application british participants crescent living
Action of 20 October 1793