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David Manley
12-23-2011, 03:46
The real action itself was rather one sided, but as a "what if"?, four French frigates versus one or two British 74s this makes an interesting action:

"In the month of February, as already has been stated, four of the French frigates, which after the Battle of Trafalgar had got into Cadiz, succeeded in putting to sea, under the command of Commodore La Marre-la-Meillerie, and were as follows

Hortense (40) Commod. Louis C. Aug. La Marre-la-Meillerie
Rhin (40) Captain Michel-Jean-Andre Chesneau
Hermione (40) Jean-Michel Mahe
Thémis (36) Nicolas Jugan

These frigates proceeded to Senegal, and thence to Cayenne ; at which latter port they arrived on the 27th of March. Quitting Cayenne on the 7th of April, they steered for the West Indies, cruised to windward of Barbadoes 15 days ; then proceeded to Porto-Rico, and, after revictualling there, set sail on the 18th of May on their return to France. On the 27th of July, at 6 P.M., when in about latitude 47° north, longitude 7° west, steering south-east by east, which was a direct course for Rochefort, the Hortense and her three companions were discovered by the 74-gun ship Mars, Captain Robert Dudley Oliver, the look-out ship of a British squadron of five sail of the line, under the command of Commodore Richard Goodwin Keats, in the Superb.

The Mars, making the necessary signals, which the Africa 64 repeated to the commodore, then far astern, wore, and, with the squadron, crowded sail in chase. The French frigates immediately set all the additional sail they could, and continued their course to the south-east. Soon after dark the Mars lost sight, as well of them as of all the ships of her own squadron, except the Africa, who was seen on her lee quarter till 11 P.M., when she also disappeared. The Mars now shaped her course so as to prevent the enemy from getting to leeward ; and, as a proof with what judgment she was steered, daylight on the 28th discovered the four frigates on the same bearing as on the preceding evening, but, except one, at a greater distance. Upon that one, which was the Rhin, the Mars evidently gained.

Observing this, and that the British 74 was entirely alone, the French commodore, with what appeared a proper spirit, put about, and, on joining the Rhin, formed his four frigates in line of battle on the larboard tack. Finding, however, that the Mars was not in the least intimidated by the approach of four heavy French frigates, but was hastening on to engage them, M. La Marre-la-Meillerie failed in his resolution, and at 3 P.M. made off with three of his frigates, leaving the fourth to her fate. Having already run a distance of 150 miles, and the day being far spent, the Mars continued in pursuit of the nearest frigate ; when at 6 P.M., in the midst of a heavy squall of wind and rain, and just as the Mars, having gained a position on the frigate's lee quarter, had fired a shot and was preparing to open her broadside, the Rhin hauled down her colours.

Soon after the Mars had taken possession of the Rhin, the squall cleared up, and the Hortense, Hermione, and Thémis were seen standing to the south-east ; but the approach of night, the proximity of the French coast, and the stormy state of the weather, owing to which not more than a third of the prisoners could be removed, rendered any further pursuit impracticable. Captain Oliver, thereupon, accompanied by his prize, steered in the direction of his squadron ; and which, so far had he outrun it in 24 hours' chase, the Mars did not rejoin it until the forenoon of the 31st. Great credit was due to Captain Oliver for having persevered in the chase so long after he had got out of reach of support from any ship of his squadron ; and, had the four frigates been commanded by a Bergeret, a Bourayne, or one of many other French captains whom we could name, an opportunity would doubtless have been afforded to the officers and crew of the Mars, to show what could be effected, under such circumstances, by a well-appointed, well-manned British 74."

Berthier
12-23-2011, 03:58
Four frigates against a 74 would indeed make an interesting fight. The frigates could rake the 74 but need to avoid the broadside that would devastate them..could be a nice scenario for SOG!

csadn
12-23-2011, 15:19
Four frigates against a 74 would indeed make an interesting fight. The frigates could rake the 74 but need to avoid the broadside that would devastate them..could be a nice scenario for SOG!

Basically: _OGRE_ in the Age of Sail. I suspect the French would be wise to concentrate on killing the SoL's rigging first, then get in behind it and ask "Where do you want to go today?". :)