User:XavierGreen/Sandbox3
| USS Constelation vs L'Insurgente | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Quasi-War | |||||||
 USS Constellation chasing the French frigate L'Insurgente. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
 France | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Thomas Truxton | Michel-Pierre Barreaut | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 Frigate | 1 Frigate | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
2 dead 2 wounded |
1 frigate damaged 50 dead 110 wounded | ||||||
The Action of 2 February 1800 was a single-ship action of the Quasi-War between the French Navy and the American Navy. An American squadron under Commorodre Thomas Truxton had been sent to patrol between Puerto Rico and Saint Kitts with the mission to engage whatever French forces they should find in the area. While Truxton was cruising independently in his flagship, the frigate USS Constellation, met and engaged the French frigate L'Insurgente. Chasing the French ship through a storm, the Constellation was able to force the L'Insurgente to surrender after a three hour battle.
The French sustained heavy casualties in the action, while in return the numbers of American dead and wounded were light. L'Insurgente was then taken to Saint Kitts and commissioned into the United States Navy as USS Insurgent. Constellation's capture of the L'Insurgente was the first ever victory by the American Navy over a foriegn naval vessel . With this and other victories, American morale soared and Truxton returned home with much honor and praise from both the American government and the public at large.
Background[edit]
With the outbreak of an undeclared war with France in 1798, the United States goverment decided to go on the offensive by sending four naval squadrons to the Carribean in order to sieze French shipping and stop French letters of marque from attacking American vessels. Of the four squadrons, one under the command of Commodore Thomas Truxton, was dispatched to cruise between Puerto Rico and Saint Kitts. Truxton's squadron consisted of his flagship, the frigate USS Constellation, the ship USS Baltimore, the brigs USS Richmond and USS Norfolk, and the revenue cutter USRC Virginia.[1] Opposing Truxton in the area were a wide variety of privateers as well as the French frigate L'Insurgente commanded by Michel-Pierre Barreaut.[2]
The 1265 ton Constellation was classified as a 36 gun frigate, but during her the Quasi War service carried a heavier armament consisting of 38 guns.[3] During her engagement with L'Insurgente her armament had consisted of twenty-eight 24 pounders on her main deck and ten 12 pounders on her spar deck but by February of 1800 this had been reduced to twenty-eight 18 pound long guns on the gun deck and ten 24 pounders on the spar.[4][5] In contrast the L'Vengeance was a much more powerful vessel carrying 54 guns. The armament of Barreaut's 950 ton ship consisted of twenty-four 12 pounders, two 18 pounders, eight 6 pounders, four 32 pound carronades, and two 24 pound carronades.[6] In total L'Insurgente's throwing weight totaled to 282 pounds. Thus though Barreaut's vessel had the advantage of more guns, Truxton's frigate had a more powerful armament due to shot weight. Despite the disadvantage in armament, the French frigate had a larger crew than her American counterpart with 409 Frenchmen compaired to only 309 Americans. Thus in a boarding action Barreaut's men would have an advantage, but in a gunnery duel the Americans were superior.[4]
Battle[edit]
On 9 February at noon while cruising independently, Truxton's men sighted a frigate cruising off the coast of Nevis. Upon approach it was discernable that the vessel was flying American colours, and the Constellation attempted to move closer to investigate. Unknown to Truxton at the time the frigate was the French L'Insurgente under Michel-Pierre Barreaut. Upon sighting the Constellation at 12:30 P.M., Barreaut mistook the Constellation for a British corvette and began to flee towards Saba and Sint Eustatius to evade his assailer. Truxton decided to give chase, but was hampered at 1:30 P.M. when the two vessels ran into a gale.[7] As a result of the storm the L'Insurgente lost her main topmast and was severly damaged. In contrast the Constellation managed to avoid any signifigant damage and as a result was able to close in on Barreaut's ship.[8]
Upon nearing the yet unidentified L'Insurgente, Truxton attempted to signal her to discern whether or not she was an American vessel. Unable to send the correct reply, the L'Insurgente replaced the American colors with French and fired a gun towards the Constellation. The American frigate ignored French attempts at hailing her and closed in to within pistol shot of the L'Insurgente before opening up on her with a broadside. Loading her cannons with double shot, the opening American salvo severely damaged the French frigate's quarterdeck.[9] Barreaut’s vessel replied with her own broadsides and attempted to close on the American frigate to board her. Having the advantage of undamaged rigging, the Constellation was easily able to avoid Barreaut’s attempts at boarding.[10]
The Constellation now crossed the L'Insurgente’s bow and raked her with a broadside. Truxton than maneuvered the Constellation to the Insurgent's starboard side and fired further broadsides into the French frigate, but recieving damage to her rigging in return.[11] The Constellation slipped ahead of L'Insurgente and again crossing her bow and raking her. Once more the Constellation slipped next to the L'Insurgente's leeward side and fired into it and disabling the French vessel’s eighteen pounder guns.[12] After outmaneuvering the damaged Insurgent yet again Constellation crossed the frigate’s bow a third time, but Barreaut’s ship by now had sustained massive damage. Attempts by Barreaut's crew to repair the L'Insurgente's rigging were fruitless, so the French captain struck his colors.[13]
Aftermath[edit]
After Barreaut had struck his colors, Truxton sent a boat over to board, identify, and take possesion of her. It was only upon boarding the L'Insurgente that the Americans learned the identity of their opponents. The damage to the French frigate had been immense from both the storm and Constellation's guns. In comparison the Constellation had suffered moderate damage to her rigging, but was otherwise still intact. In terms of casualties the French had 29 killed and 41 wounded while the Americans suffered only 2 dead and 2 wounded. Of the dead one man died shortly after the action of mortal wounds recieved from enemy fire, but the other was killed for cowardice by the Constellation's Lieutenant Andrew Sterett after the man deserted his gun at the start of the action.[14]
The Constellation began taking on prisoners of war from the L'Insurgente, but by nightfall had become seperated from the captured frigate in a squall. Left aboard the L'Insurgente were Lieutenant John Rodgers, Midshipman David Porter, and 11 enlisted men along with 170 French prisoners. The Americans were forced to sail their vessel short handed while at the same time guarding the comparitively huge number French prisoners so as to prevent them from retaking the ship. The prisoners were driven into the lower holds as no gear to secure them could be found aboard. After three nights, the L'Insurgente was finally brought in to Saint Kitts where the Constellation was already waiting for her.[15]
For his victory over L'Insurgente, Truxton recieved honors both at home and abroad. When accounts of the action reached London Truxton was honored by the merchants there who sent him a piece of silver plate to commemorate his victory.[16] In the United States, morale soared upon hearing of the first American victory over the French. Truxton was cited by the Secretary of the Navy for his excellent conduct during the action, and songs and poems such as Brave Yankee Boys were written about his victory against the L'Insurgente.[17] The French became infuriated upon hearing the results of the action, and Governor Desfourneaux of Guadalope demanded that L'Insurgente be returned to French control since the two countries were not officially at war. Upon learning of the American refusal to repatriate the L'Insurgente, Desfourneaux was outraged and ordered all American vessels and property to be siezed while also declaring that a state of war existed between the United States and Guadalope.[18] After continuing their cruise for a few weeks, due to the expiration of the terms of enlistment of their crews both Insurgent and Constellation were forced to return to Norfolk, Virginia by the end of March before once again setting out to engage the French.[19]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Allen, p. 83.
- ^ Cutler, p. 25.
- ^ Bauer, p. 9.
- ^ a b Allen, p. 99.
- ^ Allen, p. 171.
- ^ Bauer, p. 9.
- ^ Allen, p. 96.
- ^ Allen, p. 94.
- ^ Allen, p. 97.
- ^ Spears, p. 320.
- ^ Roberts, p. 47.
- ^ Spears, p. 321.
- ^ Allen, p. 98.
- ^ Allen, p. 100.
- ^ Spears, p. 323.
- ^ James, p. 32.
- ^ Cutler, p. 22.
- ^ Allen, p. 103.
- ^ Allen, p. 104.
Referances[edit]
- Allen, Gardner Weld (1909). Our naval war with France. Cornell University Library. ISBN 1112127070.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Bauer, Karl Jack (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S Navy 1775-1990 Major Combatants. Westport: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313262020.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Cutler, Thomas J. (2005). A Sailor's History of the U.S. Navy. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1591141516.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - James, William (2004). Naval Occurrences of the War of 1812. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0851779875.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Roberts, Walter Adolphe (1942). The U.S. Navy Fights. The Bobbs-Merrill Company.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Spears, John Randolph (1897). The History of Our Navy from Its Origin to the Present Day, 1775-1897. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
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