action october action october minor naval engagement year french revolutionary wars cruising british_royal_navy frigate captain encountered larger french frigate captain ships engaged suffering severe damage separated nearly hours continual combat ordered crew hasty repairs intending resume battle crew captain dead slipped away thames unable manoeuvre repairs thames ongoing french squadron frigates brig captain arrived firing thames approached outnumbered surrendered ship commended resistance far larger french brought thames brest sailors squadron looted frigate british officers imprisoned years frigate commissioned french_navy renamed honour deceased captain vessels served june british recaptured isles december british captured background february amid rising political tension declared war great_britain drawing britain french revolutionary wars sea western approaches english channel areas significant naval activity french sailed raiding cruises british merchant shipping augment attacks french naval authorities dispatched squadrons frigates attack british trade routes counter operations royal_navy sent frigates sea squadrons single patrols french frigate squadron sent cruise early autumn commanded captain consisted frigates brig corvette october squadron sighted gun spanish brig ordered captain separate squadron pursue easily able capture taking prisoners board frigate establishing prize crew brig days later sailing southwards company prize wind southwest sail appeared north new arrival british ship sent channel_fleet lone patrol frigate hms thames captain thames old frigate built carrying pounder guns ship standard complement men sailing meant pounder guns augmented main battery manned comparison years old carried pounder guns weighing double weight british ship complement men lacked sailors dispatched prize crews captured ships prisoners unsure identity ship north hoisted blue flag identification signal sent away case ship revealed hostile respond signal ships soon hidden rain battle weather cleared leaving frigates sight identifying opposing ship enemy clearing action french captains determined battle frigates approached rapidly opposing fire broadside thames wearing pull alongside thames manoeuvre placed frigates directly alongside close engagement began broadside broadside round shot swept quarterdeck killing cutting boy half wounding leg knee brought deck lieutenant assumed command fight continued manner hours able pull ahead thames fire bows british ship british historian recorded crew attempted board starboard bow thames driven fire bow guns double reason action report lieutenant states boarding action attempted boarding attempt thwarted pulled turning southwards distance vessels brought deck dying ordered retreat fear prisoners revolt engagement east north east direction sails assumed british warships sighted assumed thames french ship retreating british crew cheering firing ceased anticipated resumption action ordered men begin making repairs immediately thames badly damaged pursuit question thames masts shot rigging torn away hull decks badly damaged men killed wounded similar state hauled approximately nautical miles away masts intact damaged rigging shot numerous holes smashed hull evident thames crew french ship pumping water indication ship damaged waterline ship fit sail wind captain urged men greater efforts repair ship come british crew repairs realised french frigate longer holding station sight completely disappeared led british ship assume sunk fact ship simply turned away effort repair damage suffered engagement apparent number sails distance rapidly approached revealed frigate squadron flying unable manoeuvre ship respond new arrivals soon identified french vessels wearing false flags leading frigate pulled close thames fired broadside british frigate immediately hailed french announcing position fight damage ship suffered striking flag aftermath requested come aboard responded unable ship boats destroyed sent boat ship thames brought prisoner war delay destroy ship documents questioned nature recent combat identifying squadron commented defeated thames half time action taken thames subsequently returned brest squadron october british ship thoroughly looted journey french sailors officers unable exert control ship officers removed including surgeon british wounded receive medical treatment squadron arrived brest october subsequently died making total british deaths wounded wrote report engagement sent admiralty captivity french authorities intercepted delayed result news thames fate arrive britain soon exchanged returned britain court martial investigating loss thames officers repatriated remaining french captivity years lost killed including captain seven wounded including seriously frigate arrived soon honour captain death renamed subsequently incorrectly reported britain ship changed disguise identity defeated thames thames taken french service participated atlantic campaign following year french lost frigates recaptured engagement near isles british french frigate squadrons months later ship line captured december aftermath disastrous
Action of 24 October 1793