PDA

View Full Version : On This Day 26 May



Coog
05-26-2012, 20:02
On 26 May 1811, HMS Alacrity under Commander Nisbit Palmer, an 18-gun Cruizer class brig sloop, encountered the French brig-of-war Abeille, of twenty 24-pounder carronades, off Bastia, Corsica. After an action that lasted about half an hour, during which Abeille outmaneuvered Alacrity, Alacrity struck. French accounts give her casualties as 15 killed and 20 wounded, including her captain. British accounts give her casualties as four dead and 18 wounded, including four fatally. Abeille suffered seven dead and 15 wounded.

The fight might well have gone the other way. Alacrity had a broadside of 262 pounds vs. 240 pounds for Abeille. Alacrity had also suffered fewer casualties than Abeille. However, Palmer retired to his cabin with a hand wound early in the action; once Alacrity had lost all her leadership with her officers dead, wounded or absent, this was enough to demoralize most of her crew.

For his role, the French promoted the French captain, Ange René Armand-Mackau, to the rank of Lieutenant de Vaisseau. He was also inducted into the Legion of Honour.

Probably fortunately for Palmer, within a month of the battle he died of tetanus from his otherwise minor wound. The court martial of the survivors on 30 May 1814 attributed the loss to the lack of leadership. It acquitted all the survivors and commended the boatswain, James Flaxman, who had remained on deck though wounded and had attempted to rally the crew to Alacrity's defence.

csadn
05-27-2012, 15:57
Another shining example of how Britain's overemphasis on the ships-of-the-line crippled its lighter forces.

Bligh
05-28-2012, 11:58
I am really getting the notion that these small ship actions are the way to go Bobby.
Bligh.

Coog
05-28-2012, 12:06
I've always found that the battles between frigates and those between sloops are more interesting than fleets of SOLs slugging it out.

Bligh
05-28-2012, 12:16
I've always found that the battles between frigates and those between sloops are more interesting than fleets of SOLs slugging it out.

We can but hope that Ares see it that way.
Bligh.

csadn
05-28-2012, 13:48
I am really getting the notion that these small ship actions are the way to go Bobby.


Indeed -- if one really wishes to understand the true boredom of ship-of-the-line combat, play Trafalgar with accurate wind conditions; it was quite literally fought in the calm before the storm, so it took the fleets something like 5.5 *hours* between first sighting and first fire....

Give me Valcour Island, or Put-In Bay.

David Manley
05-28-2012, 23:58
Small ship actions for me are far and away the more interesting end of the spectrum. If SoG can capture this well it will fly.

Berthier
05-29-2012, 04:12
Another French victory! Hurrah!

Cmmdre
05-25-2013, 18:08
Another French victory! Hurrah!

:clap: Finally :medal:

"Small ship actions for me are far and away the more interesting end of the spectrum. If SoG can capture this well it will fly."

Agreed. The smaller ship actions have a higher potential for interesting interactions and outcomes. A higher degree of seamanship and daring involved.

Coog
05-25-2013, 21:00
I was going to rerun this one for Daniel but Paul has beat me to it. Not only was this a French victory, but one over a larger ship with a larger crew and larger guns. Sloops with 24-pounder carronades usually did not do well against sloops with 32-pounder carronades. (USS Argus lost to HMS Pelican and HMS Reindeer lost to USS Wasp in such matchups.) Vive la France!

Naharaht
05-25-2013, 22:20
The 'Ships of the Line' spent most of their time on blockade duty or in port. The smaller ships had a more varied time.

Berthier
05-25-2013, 23:10
Oh it's just as sweet second time around Bobby.:happy: