Attack on Aix Roads, 2nd July 1799

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
Update
San Ignacio de Loyola (20) 1754-1762
Spanish 20 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
Vincente PloSpanish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1795-1798
Update
Neptuno (80) 1795-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Argonauta (80) 1798-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Julian Martin de RetamosaSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1789-1798
Added Neptuno Class (1792)
Update
Fénix (80) 1749-1780
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Rayo (80) 1749-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Juan JorgeSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1747-1769
See more...

Attack on Aix Roads

2^nd July 1799
Part of : The French Revolutionary Wars (1793 - 1802)
Previous action : Capture off Cape Sicie 19.6.1799
Next action : Sparrow vs Nancy 28.7.1799


Great Britain

British Squadron, Charles Morice PoleBritish Naval Sailor Service 1770-1830
Ship Name	Commander	Notes
Name : Royal George (100) 1788-1822 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line	William DomettBritish Naval Sailor Service 1769-1825	Fleet Flagship
Name : Sans Pareil (80) 1794-1842 British 80 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line	David AtkinsBritish Naval Sailor Service 1784-1792
Name : Venerable (74) 1784-1804 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line	Sir William George FairfaxBritish Naval Sailor Service 1750-1813
Name : Renown (74) 1798-1825 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line	Albemarle BertieBritish Naval Sailor Service 1777-1814
Name : Ajax (74) 1798-1807 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line	Alexander Inglis CochraneBritish Naval Sailor Service 1778-1830
Name : Robust (74) 1764-1817 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line	George CountessBritish Naval Sailor Service 1774-1810
Name : Boadicea (38) 1797-1858 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate	Richard Goodwin KeatsBritish Naval Sailor Service 1777-1825
Name : Uranie (38) 1797-1807 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate 1798 Renamed "Uranie"
Name : San Fiorenzo (36) 1794-1837 British 36 Gun 5th Rate Frigate	Harry Burrard NealeBritish Naval Sailor Service 1787-1814
Name : Unicorn (32) 1794-1815 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate	Philip WilkinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1782-1814
Name : Sylph (16) 1795-1811 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop	John Chambers WhiteBritish Naval Sailor Service 1790-1845
Name : Sulphur (10) 1797-1816 British 10 Gun Unrated Bomb Vessel	John WainwrightBritish Naval Sailor Service 1783-1811
Name : Explosion (10) 1797-1807 British 10 Gun Unrated Bomb Vessel	Henry Samuel ButtBritish Naval Sailor Service 1792-1809
Name : Volcano (10) 1797-1810 British 10 Gun Unrated Bomb Vessel	Isaac CotgraveBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1802

République Française

Spanish Squadron
Ship Name	Commander	Notes

Notes on Action

DescriptionTRN4
Lord Bridport with ten sail of the line sailed on June 1st, for Basque road, and, on June 4th, sighted the Spanish squadron, which, as soon as it perceived him, moved to the road of Aix. The Admiral remained off Rochefort until the 8th, when he returned to England with the Royal George, 100, Atlas, 98, Achilles, 74, and Agincourt, 64, leaving, as a blockading force, the six 74-gun ships Mars (flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. George Cranfield Berkeley), Venerable, Renown, Ajax, Ramillies, and Robust. Within the next few weeks, this squadron was joined by the Sans Pareil, 80, the Royal George, 100 (then bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Charles Morice Pole), and several bombs and small craft; and, on the other hand, the Mars and Ramillies parted company. On July 2nd, Pole made an attack upon the Spanish ships, which were moored in line ahead between the Isle of Aix and the Boyart shoal, and which were protected by a floating mortar battery; but it was soon found that the French mortars were of so much greater range than the British that, while the latter could not reach their target at all, the former threw shells well over not only the British bombs but also the covering frigates. When, therefore, the enemy, finding that he could not be injured, began to assume the offensive, and to send gunboats to inflict additional annoyance upon the attacking party, both frigates and bombs were ordered to weigh and stand out. They were followed, for a time, by the hostile gunboats; and, in consequence, the French claimed the affair as a British defeat; but the fact is that on neither side was there any loss or damage. For some time afterwards, the Spaniards were blockaded, but in the middle of September they managed to put to sea.

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

TRN4William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:46	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:45	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Magicienne' (1781) (32) 1781-1810 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement

Three Decks' Forum

Recent updates

Recent Comments

Attack on Aix Roads

Great Britain

République Française

Notes on Action

Sources

Recent comments to other pages