atlantic campaign atlantic campaign series operations conducted british_royal_navy channel_fleet french_navy aim preventing passage strategically important french grain convoy travelling united_states france campaign involved commerce raiding detached forces minor engagements eventually culminating fleet action glorious june fleets badly britain france claimed victory french lost seven battleships british battle distracted british fleet long french convoy safely reach port spring rule war neighbours famine imminent looked france colonies united_states provide grain atlantic april june accompanied small escort squadron supported second larger squadron political severely reduced french_navy ability fight supply shortages devastated morale significantly weakening fleet britain contrast high state readiness organised command structure suffering severe shortage trained seamen man large navy admiral tasked keeping occupied long convoy reach france safely channel_fleet commanded lord howe knew convoy passage dispatched squadrons protect british commerce pursuing main body royal_navy channel_fleet week drawing howe deeper westwards atlantic away convoy partial inconclusive fleet actions followed howe seized weather granting freedom choose time place attack culminating action campaign took place nautical miles atlantic known glorious june final engagement saw howe use weather attack directly opponent attempted fight traditional line battle formation battle british fleet inflicted heavy defeat french contested day fighting retreat howe force captured seven french battleships later sank inflicted casualties enemy claimed strategic success delaying tactics bought time convoy reach france safely battle series defeats french_navy suffered early years war bred attitude french officer corps engage british sea background winter war internal disorder combined poor weather leave france facing starvation following collapse harvest france ongoing conflict neighbours overland imports nation willing able sell grain united_states food americas highly risky venture british_royal_navy war france early patrolled atlantic passage provide effective protection vessels involved plan agreed france united_states collect supplies period months transport single convoy gathering point arranged chesapeake_bay squadron commanded admiral dispatched provide escort bring convoy second squadron reinforce rest journey officers mustered ships line numerous smaller craft main french ships admiral cruise order challenge attempted intercept supplies convoy passage expected approximately months included merchant ships carrying food feed france year lord howe admiral aware convoy nature destination long left preparations block passage sending small squadrons protect british commerce crossing howe detailed admiral battleships search convoy south took main body fleet ships line patrol near brest april month activity sides english channel howe final preparations coming campaign slow french convoy departed american waters april british convoys destined empire sailed portsmouth howe force provide protection far western approaches sent frigates hms close brest status french reported harbour commerce raiding atlantic detached squadrons british commerce raiding enemy merchant shipping far failed find main food convoy encountered british convoy newfoundland took ships prizes including convoy escort gun frigate captain spend entire campaign aboard flagship met success merchant ships taken french corvette accurate intelligence direction size french convoy immediately passed howe resuming patrol mid-atlantic found convoy america days later transferred ships escort augment convoy defences returned look signs british activity pose threat passage dispatched frigates carrying information convoy location speed searched sea howe took fleet series cruises forth hope catching convoy found returned brest scouting frigates reported french gone taking advantage dense fog sailed previous day ships passing british fleet french admiral trail squadron intention meet convoy combine forces superior numbers able escort convoy france safety having howe days planned rendezvous gained unexpected success ran dutch convoy vessels escorts alliance fled sight approaching french fleet free attack convoy capturing howe pursuit howe realised direction departure directly admiral planned route meet british squadron destroyed setting sail pursuit howe followed atlantic day howe ships recaptured lost dutch forced burn british sailors weaken fleet prisoners ships gave howe information french fleet short distance ahead joined additional ship squadron frigates satisfied safely southwest howe pressed hoped bring battle week british fleet driven southwards strong winds slowly work way north find french track enable recapture destroy dutch prizes morning howe pursuit finally bore fruit scouting frigates spotted lone french ship line ship sighted howe force time immediately direction french fleet fleeing battleship left american merchant ship taken reported french ship squadron pursuing burning american prize british fleet overran burnt french gun gun continuing chase days howe spotted french eastern horizon slightly south indicating french held weather note enemy visible deck flagship howe recalled frigates ordered fleet press sail hope engaging rear scattered french line howe continued pursuit making ragged pressed belief intended use weather escape counter howe ordered fastest ships flying squadron admiral squadron significantly faster majority vessels fleet rapidly closed french rear shots engagement fired commanded managed long distance fire french ships opposite fire returned french significant effect attempt hold squadron french rate gun exchanged places smaller rates rear line engaged pursuing british van manoeuvre apparently conducted initiative captain orders admiral political observer sharp slowest ships british van succeeded bringing steady action ships exchanged fire minutes weaker taking severe damage rigging falling replaced captain joined shot away rigging joined action firing unidentified ship ahead concerned squadron cut main body fleet howe recalled british line complied newly arrived captain engaged closely safely withdraw gunnery eventually huge opponent took severe damage apart respective fleets way crew later claimed struck colours engagement parker stated possession concerned distant sighting french battleships horizon spotted squadron commodore current campaign soon disappeared participating subsequent engagements crew efforts repair ship rejoin british fleet night morning half mile opponent suffered severely survived encounter boarded thanks signal captain failed possession ordered night sent reinforcements rescue dawn parker saw large opponent soon supported undamaged ship line frigate came fire leaving option flee superior force chased half hour losing rain eventually returned plymouth june escaped pursuit taken tow brought safely days later leaving main engagement captain subsequently arrested lost dark british french fleets continued westwards convoy rendezvous dawn british fleet saw retiring east follow concentrating main french line hope provoking decisive engagement howe ordered ships pursue enemy rear british line placed intended cut french line capture ships east cut captain chosen lead attack ship fastest fleet manoeuvre complete failure refusal close enemy instead hms queen opened fire french ships distance opposing fleets engaged long range broadside duel inflicted mild damage sides worst hit french having failed cut french line attempt howe reissued order lead way intention splitting enemy fleet half captain refused carry order signalling cause unable turning sailing eastwards outside british fleet enemy unexpected threw following ships state confusion queen coming attempted obey howe signal badly damaged shot captain mortally wounded unable effectively manoeuvre queen passed outside french line firing went plan howe responded example leading flagship hms queen charlotte french line rapidly slipping ahead british steering queen charlotte attempted break french sixth seventh ships rear unable reach gap instead sailed fifth sixth sixth ship close range lord followed close flagship battleships attempted cut subsequent french ships successfully prevented damage helm manoeuvre changed course battle howe ships isolated forcing abandon ships sacrifice weather save howe pressed main body french fleet tailed damaged terrible rest fleet followed bombarding battered passed hms invincible hms cut french turn wore fleet round face howe encouraged deliberately sacrificed weather belief howe fleet damaged appeared ships followed refused turn claiming seriously damaged manoeuvre soon isolated queen charlotte forced retreat hastily main french force having driven away ships threatening reformed fleet attempted escape westwards closely followed british van holding weather fleets damaged continue action remaining daylight firing stopped british fleet suffered killed wounded day fighting evening found fleets approximately nautical miles apart sailing northwest conducting hasty repairs attempting ready assumed day battle significantly lord howe unaware northeast sea previous day action fought convoy merchant ships passing having successfully evaded british pursuit unlike opponent knew location convoy joined evening battered escorting convoy admiral situation captain left escort duties reinforce day action british frigate captured early campaign attacked smaller hms captain frigate action crew released including officers aboard having taken flagship actions morning howe sent signal captains asking considered ships ready combat replied howe pushed ships retreating french despite holding weather howe pursuit soon hampered descending fog unable come enemy day admiral feared lost opportunity battle fog cleared french sight north surprise british battleships french fleet appeared battle damage british ships nursing damaged rigging battered hulls use fog force losing frigate convoy gaining independently sailing battleship squadron dispatched battered home escorted undamaged french ship howe fleet closed french making use advantage weather fleets miles apart howe gave orders ships shot range easy sailing french want repeat confusion preferred delay combat assured day conduct order signals obscured night fleets remained visual contact light june british miles fleet organising preparation attack fleets sailing western direction hoping draw howe away convoy glorious june morning june howe sent ships action original tactic turning ship line northwest simultaneously bear individually fleet break enemy line separately intention cut french line places enemy vessels bow stern dividing fire defeated ultimately ambitious plan failed ill discipline howe subordinates damage fleet sustained previous week howe ships break french line ordered came close captains failed follow orders instead engaged enemy distance gun little effect british french ships broke personal british ships struggled action led flagship north began assembling coherent counter force fleet escaped howe assault melee hard fought engagements took place particularly ships british battleships hms hms defence losing masts french vessels suffering similarly initial action dying brought force battle site contest ownership floating howe likewise reformed main force met failed capture battered british ships leaving howe seven prizes wrecked soon sank british boats removed crew howe left possession battle site successfully held british long convoy pass east fleets returned home ports week convoy arrives searching convoy week june squadron trapped french squadrons forced sail southwards avoid returning fleet result clear british forces significant period food convoy arrived safely france week june returned britain handed nations claimed victory campaign british virtue success major action french intact arrival convoy campaign notable effects navies britain france french directly contest british supremacy northern european waters spending years brest ports major mainly directed mediterranean continued french navy resulted decline quality officer corps years later port bound nature french fleet resulted cautious inexperienced tactical outlook britain battle created division royal_navy officer corps howe dispatch battle criticised officers believed action officers received honours distributed end campaign fallout dispute widespread senior figures resigning disgust captain ultimately court dismissed service failing support admiral
Atlantic campaign of May 1794