Action of 12 October 1798

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This battle took place on 12 October 1798 near western Ireland, after a British force intercepted and attacked a French force which was trying to land troops in Ireland.

The French force of the battleship Hoche, 8 frigates and a schooner had left Brest under Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart on 16 September 1798. On 17 September it was spotted and tailed by British frigates. Over the next week or 2, Bompart sailed west to try to give the impression that he was heading for the West Indies, but the British frigates, along with several other ships which had joined them, wouldn't leave him, despite his turning on them several times. Eventually he gave up and headed north to his true target, Lough Swilly. His mission was to land troops there which were to meet up with troops previously landed at Killcummin Head on 22 August, but these had surrendered to a British force at Ballinamuck on 8 September, before Bompart had even left France.

On 12 October Bompart's fleet was attacked near Tory Island by a force of 3 battleships, 5 frigates and a brig-sloop under John Borlase Warren. Hoche was defeated and forced to surrender by Robust, after which the French frigates were pursued. 4 of them passed Anson firing at her in turn and damaging her significantly. 3 of the French frigates were caught that day, one 2 days later, one 6 days later by Anson and the brig-sloop Kangaroo, and one 8 days later by the frigate Fisgard. Only Romaine, Sémillante and the schooner Biche (which had left earlier) made it back to France.

[edit] Britain (John Borlase Warren)

Foudroyant 80 (Thomas Byard)
Canada 74 (flag)
Robust 74 (Edward Thornborough)
Anson 44 (Philip Charles Durham)
Magnanime 44 (Michael De Courcey)
Amelia 38 (Charles Herbert)
Ethalion 38 (George Countess)
Melampus 36 (Graham Moore)
Sylph 18 (John Chambers White)

Fisgard 46
Kangaroo 18 (Edward Brace)

[edit] France (Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart)

Hoche 78 (flag, captain Desiré-Marie Maistral) - Captured 12 October
Immortalité 42 (Jean-François Legrand) - Captured 20 October by Fisgard
Romaine 40 (Mathieu-Charles Bergevin)
Loire 40 (Adrien-Joseph Segond) - Captured 18 October by Anson and Kangaroo
Bellone 36 (Louis-Léon Jacob) - Captured 12 October
Coquille 36 (Léonore Deperonne) - Captured 12 October
Embuscade 36 (Nicolas Clement de la Roncière) - Captured 12 October
Résolue 36 (Jean-Pierre Bargeau) - Captured 14 October by Melampus
Sémillante 36 (Martin-Antoine Lacouture)
Biche (schooner) (Jean-Marie-Pierre Labastard)