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Sinking of Le Comte d'Avaux

1st December 1780
Part of : The American War of Independence (1775/04/19 - 1784/01/14)
Previous action : Capture of the Unicorn 4.9.1780
Next action : Isis vs Rotterdam 31.12.1780

 

Great Britain (Royal Navy) -
James Richard DacresBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1762-1808

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Perseus (20) 1776-1805
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
James Richard DacresBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1762-1808
Racehorse (14) 1779-1781
British 14 Gun
Unrated Schooner
James CotesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1766-1793
Expedition (10) 1778-1804
British 10 Gun
Unrated Cutter
 
 

Royaume de France (Private Owners) -
Francois SoubitezFrench
Naval Sailor
Privateer
Service 1780

 
Ship NameCommanderNotes
Le Comte d'Avaux (12) 1780-1780
French 12 Gun
Privateer Brigantine
Francois SoubitezFrench
Naval Sailor
Privateer
Service 1780
40 out of crew of 46 rescued, Sunk
 

Notes on Action


British Account of the Actionref:2003

Fresh breezes & hazy, at 6 AM Beachy Head bore WbS 10 leagues, wore ship at: past 7 AM saw a sail to the SW & gave chase; at 9 the chase hoisted French colours & fired stern chases ½ after came up with her & she continued her fire, 10 minutes past she slowed & several of her people quitted her in her own boat & made signals of distress, hoisted out the boats & sent them with a lieutenant to take possession of her, found she was sinking fast & her people jumping overboard to our boats. She took up 22 of them besides what were taken up by the Racehorse schooner & Expedition cutter she proved to be the Compté D’Aveaux of Boulagne Francois Joulete commander mounting 12 six pounders & carrying 46 men. She went down about 10 minutes after she struck.

 


French Account of CasualtieslesCorse

They saved twenty people in their three boats; fifteen managed to get to our boat; the cutter picked up three from the water, and two swam aboard the frigate, making a total of forty people rescued out of the forty-six of us.



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