French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Dragon' (1747)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
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4th Rate Ship of the Line
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Le Dragon
Nominal Guns	64	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	1.1745	NNF-1715
Launched	16.9.1747	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	1.1748	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Lys Class (1745)	NNF-1715
Designed by	Jacques-Luc CoulombFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Service 1728-1768	NNF-1715
Constructor	Jacques-Luc CoulombFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Service 1728-1768	NNF-1715
Category	Third Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Troisième Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Foundered	17.3.1762	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck149'French Feet (Pied du Roi)48.4002 (158′ 9″ Imperial)
Length of Keel143' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)46.4502 (152′ 4″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)12.992 (42′ 7″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold19'French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1983 (20′ 4″ Imperial)
Burthen1,100Ton
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentFWAS1626
Length of Gundeck149' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)48.3952 (158′ 9″ Imperial)
Length of Keel143' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)46.4502 (152′ 4″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)12.992 (42′ 7″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold19' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1712 (20′ 2″ Imperial)
Burthen1,100Tonneaux

Armament

16.9.1747Broadside Weight = 510 French Livre (550.392 lbs 249.645 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 French 6-Pounder
Forecastle4 French 6-Pounder

1.1748Broadside Weight = 510 French Livre (550.392 lbs 249.645 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle10 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1.17484666 officers, 460 menNNF-1715

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1759Capitaine de VaisseauFWIKI30.5.1761 - 17.3.1762Capitaine de Vaisseauref:1757

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
27.6.1751 - 27.9.1751Lieutenant de Vaisseau , as Major of the Evolutions Squadron of E. Périerref:673

6 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1751Sous-Brigadier, Garde de Marineref:6731758Garde de la Marineref:6731758Garde de la Marineref:63120.11.1759 - 1759Sous-Brigadier, Garde de MarineFWIKI30.5.1761 - 17.3.1762Garde de la Marineref:6731762 - 17.3.1762Garde de la Marineref:673

1 Supernumerary

DatesRankNameSource
7.1757 - 12.1758Ecrivainref:673

Service History

DateEventSource
7.1757

Campaign to Canada from 07/1757 to 12/1758 .

ref:673
20.11.1759Battle of Quiberon Bay
17.3.1762

Struck a reef and sank at Cap‑Français with the loss of 50 hands.

WOTA

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
23.12.1761-8.11.1762	Blenac Squadron for the Windward islands 1761	Charles de Courbon (Comte de Blenac)French Naval Sailor Administrator Service 1725-1764

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWAS1626Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

WOTADavid Marley, Digital Book

ref:1757 Paper

ref:631 Web Site

ref:673 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 23rd of January 2017 10:42

Full name of the captain of Dragon is François-Julien du Dresnay, chevalier des Roches

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 23rd of January 2017 10:16

Arrived off Martinique with Fleet under R-Ad Courbon, March 1762 unable to defend Martinique which had surrendered to Admiral Rodney proceeds to Haiti where Dragon chevalier Des Roches hit a reef at the entrance to Cap Francois, Haiti with the loss of 50 hands 17 March 1762

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