Glorious 1st of June

Posted by F.F. on Thursday 2nd of April 2026 16:48

How uncommon was that battle remains, I think, rather unnoticed even today.

During the age of sail, currently French defeats occured after many years of war, when French human ressources proved to be unsufficient: France had a bit over 50,000 sailors among her inhabitants, whereas Great Britain, then two or three times less populated, had some five times more sailors, which made losses of a few thousands men unbearable for the French Marine royale. Furthermore, French defeats occured when not only losses had made almost impossible for her to recruit new able sailors, but when her squadrons were furrhermore at least slightly inferior in number of ships. During the War of Seven Years — the worst one, for France, before the French Revolution —, the first large battle, at Minorca in 1756, was unconclusive but a French strategic success, and either La Galissonière and Byng had 12 ships of the line under their command. In the second large battle of that war, in 1759, at Lagos, a French squadron of 12 ships of the line tried to avoid a battle against 15 British ships of the line. Five French ships were separated from the main, two escaped, and finally five were destroyed. And during the third and last battle, at Quiberon Bay, also in 1759, Hawke, with 24 ships of the line (of which two were wrecked during the fight), beated 21 French ships of the line (of which one was taken, and six sunk or wrecked, either because they ran aground when trying to escape or sunk because their lower ports were kept open despite the blowing storm) under maréchal Conflans de Brienne — yes, a field marshal, not an admiral…

The French ships were larger and better designed than the English ones, and that partly counterbalanced the number of sails, but France had far less experienced sailors.

The battle of the 1ˢᵗ of June 1794 was very different: Howe had 25 ships of the line, and lost none; Villaret de Joyeuse had 26 ships of the line, and lost seven of them. Howe, 68 year old in 1794, already was a ship captain 47 years earlier, a rear admiral in 1770, and was a vice admiral since 1776. Villaret de Joyeuse, 47 in 1794, became « capitaine de vaisseau » (ship captain) in 1792 and « contre-amiral » (rear admiral) in 1794. Such a promotion compares with favour to Horatio Nelson's curriculum vitæ, for Nelson was made a ship captain in 1793 I think, and a rear admiral not before 1797. The reason why Villaret de Joyeuse was so quickly promoted was that 95% of the French Navy officers resigned or deserted when the French Revolution broke out. Indisciplined French sailors, under a rear admiral made from a new ship captain and officers created from merchant captains or NCO's, were totally beaten for the first time without being inferior in number of ships. And it happened despite the quality of the French ships, which was very good. The French flagship, la Montagne (launched as les États-de-Bourgogne) was the largest (2,747 tons burthen [bm], over 5,000ｔ [SI] in displacement) and most powerful of her time (with her two sisterships of Toulon, le Commerce-de-Marseille, and le Sans-Culotte — formerly le Dauphin-Royal; William James: «As the Commerce-de-Marseilles was the largest, so was she the most beautiful ship that had hitherto been sern; and, notwithstanding her immense size, sailed and worked like a frigate.» Les États-de-Bourgogne was the best sailer of that class). The Queen Charlotte and her sistership the Royal George didn't compare to her (some 3800 or 3900ｔ [SI], a burthen of some 2,280 tons [bm]). The British Royal Sovereign (burthen: 2,175 tons, a dispkacement of some 3600ｔ [SI]) was belittled by the French 110-gun ship le Terrible (displacement: c. 4710ｔ [SI]; burthen: c. 2,610 tons [bm]) or le Républicain (formerly le Royal-Louis, and about the same size). Even the French 80-gun two-deckers (le Scipion, formerly le Saint-Esprit, over 2,300 tons [bm] and some 3900ｔ [SI]; le Sans-Pareil, 2,242 tons [bm] and some 3700 or 3800ｔ [SI]; le Jacobin, formerly l'Auguste, over 2,200 tons [bm] and over 3700ｔ [SI]; le Juste, formerly les Deux-Frères, 2,144 tons [SI] and 3500ｔ [SI]) either in size and in broadside could compare to British first rates, and had thicker sides, and a greater height of battery. Most of the French 74s were of Sané's le Téméraire-class, which was highly praised in the Britsh Navy.

Nevertheless, the French squadron then endured a defeat which had no precedent so early in a war and without it being inferior in number of ships of the line. The next battles would be French attemps to flee, causing the loss of the French rear ships. And as a conclusion, during the battle of the Nile, in 1798, Nelson almost totally destroyed a French squadron having almost as many ships as his own, and with a first rate and three second rates, when Nelson had no better than third rates.

In the following years, the French Navy was to progress somewhat, without ever, until the peace of 1815, being able to train new sailors as well as before.

Posted by peter Apps on Friday 7th of January 2022 00:52

Good afternoon, I am doing family research into my 4th Great grandfather. I recently got a clear copy of his Trinity Port Petition. He served on HMS Ramillies and probably on the first of June

That your Petitioner John Apps was bred for the Sea and served there as Mariner in His Majesties Ship Ramillies where he received a Micat?
Since when in the Falcon Custom House Cutter 12 years and Goodwin sand Light seven-year.

the ... Micat? <- I cannot find any references to this word or maybe I mistranscribed it

I am willing to send the document for someone to look at.

Thank you in advance

Peter Apps

Posted by Joel Burden on Saturday 21st of September 2019 22:47

Francis Pender was no longer commanding Glory (98) at the battle. He transferred to Resolution (74) in April 1794 where he served as flag captain to Rear Admiral Hon George Murray in a squadron posted to the North American station. He had a knack for missing major battles, later missing Trafalgar when he was detached from Nelson's fleet when commanding Queen (90) just a few days ahead of the engagement, being sent on a mission to obtain fresh water for the fleet from Gibraltar.

Posted by Cy on Saturday 16th of September 2017 12:45

Unfortunately the algorythm isn't clever enough to deduce that Donnelly took over when the captain was killed. I've had change Donnelly's data of command to the 2nd to show the correct Captain's name at the start of the action

Posted by Tony Willoughby on Saturday 16th of September 2017 11:48

Donnelly was not killed in this action - he was James Montagu's lieutenant and no doubt took command after Montagu's death - you have Donnelly's death down as 1840

Posted by Tony Willoughby on Wednesday 13th of September 2017 21:15

I believe that James Montagu was the captain of the Montagu, who died in this battle

Posted by cy on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 14:05

Yes, Seymour and Duckworth swapped commands at some point in 1794. At least we now know it was after 1st June. Should be showing correctly now.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 07:02

I have Lord Hugh Seymour as being in command of Leviathan during the battle? as does the above article

Posted by Brian Stephens on Wednesday 7th of May 2014 18:27

The Gentleman's magazine. v. 64:pt. 2 (1794).
Admiralty Office, June 21 - In the extract of the journal herein enclosed, the proceedings of the fleet are stated from the time of leaving St. Helen's on the 2d of last month to that of the first discovery of the French fleet on the 28th of the same. I have now therefore to relate the subsequent transaction not already communicated in my dispatch of the 2d inst, to be delivered by my First Captain Sir Roger Curtis. Early in the morning of the 28th, the enemy were discovered by the advanced frigates far distant on the weather bow; the wind was fresh from the S. by W. with a very rough sea. They came down, for some time, in a loose order, seemingly unapprized that they had the British fleet in view. After hauling to the wind when they came nearer, they were some hours before they could completely form in regular order of sailing. The time required for the enemy to perfect their disposition had facilitated the nearer approach of his Majesty's fleet to them, and for the separately appointed and detached part of it, Commanded by Rear-Admiral Pasley, to be placed more advantageously for making an impression on their rear. The signals denoted that intention being made, the Rear-Admiral, near upon the close of day, led this division on with peculiar firmness, and attacked a three deck ship (the Revolutionaire)the stern-most in the enemy's line. Making known soon after that he had a topmast disabled, assistance was directed to be given to him in that situation. The quick approach of night only allowed me to observe that Lord Hugh Seymour (Conway) in the Leviathan, with equal good judgement and determined courage pushed up along side the three decked French ship, and was supported, as it appeared, by Capt. Parker of the Audacious, in the most spirited manner. The darkness which now prevailed did not admit of my making anymore accurate observation on the conduct of those ships and others concerned in the same service; but I have since learnt that the Leviathan stretched on farther ahead for bringing the second ship from the enemy's rear to action as soon as her former station could be occupied by a succeeding British; also that the tree decked ship in the enemy's rear as aforesaid, being unsustained, by their other ships, struck to the Audacious; and that they parted company together soon after. The two opponent fleets continued on the starboard tact in a parallel direction, the enemy still to windward, the remainder of the night. The Bristish fleet appearing in the morning of the 29th, when in order of battle, to be far enough advanced for the ships in the van to make some farther impression on the enemy's rear, tact in succession with the intent; the enemy wore hereupon from van to rear, and continued edging down in line ahead to engage the van of the British fleet. When arrived at such distance to be just able to reach our most advanced ships, as they cam successively into the wake of their respective seconds ahead, opened with that distant fire upon the head-most ships of the British van. The signal for passing through their line, made when the fleet tacked before, was then renewed. It could not be for some time seen, through the fire form the two fleets in the van, to what extent that signal was complied with. But, as the smoke at intervals dispersed, that the Caesar, the leading ship of the British van, after being about on the starboard tack and come abreast of the Queen Charlotte, had not kept to the wind; and that the appointed movement would consequently be liable to sail of the proposed effect. The Queen Charlotte was therefore immediately tacked; and, followed by the Bellerophon, her second astern, (and soon after joined by the Leviathan*) passed through in action, between the fifth and sixth ships in the rear of the enemy's line, she was put about again on the starboard-tack forthwith after the enemy, in preparation for renewing the action with the advantage of that weathermost situation. The rest of the British fleet being at this time passing to leeward and without the stern most ships, mostly of the French line, the enemy wore again to the eastward in succession for securing the disabled ships of their rear, which intention, by reason of the disunited state of the fleet, and having no more than the two crippled ships, the Bellerophon and Leviathan, at that time near me, I was unable to obstruct. The enemy, having succeeded in that operation, wore round again, after some distant cannonading of the nearest British ships, occasionally returned and stood away in order of battle on the starboard tack, followed by the British fleet in the same order(but with the weather gage retained) as soon as the ships coming forward to close with the Queen Charlotte were suitably arranged. The fleets remained separated some few miles, in view at times on the intermission of a thick fog, which lasted most part of the two next days.