Action of 2 January 1783

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Action of 2 January 1783
Part of the
Cap François
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents  Great Britain  FranceCommanders and leaders Kingdom of Great Britain Thomas Graves
Kergariou-Locmaria
Strength 1 Frigate 1 Frigate
1
Sloop of War
Casualties and losses 16 killed & 31 wounded[1] 14 killed & 42 wounded[2]

The action of 2 January 1783 was a minor naval battle that took place in the

American War of Independence. Severe fighting between a Royal Navy frigate HMS Magicienne and a French frigate Sibylle went on for nearly two hours, but in that time both frigates were reduced to wrecks.[3]

Events

Background

Captain

Cap-François, Saint-Domingue by the Royal Naval Jamaica station.[4]

Off Cap-François into the open sea, a French convoy was sighted by

Kergariou-Locmaria decided to steer toward the British in order to draw them away from the convoy and signalled the convoy to continue on its course.[3]

Action

A French view of the action

Graves then set about clearing his ship for action. Shortly after, the three leewardmost of the French vessels bore away and followed the French convoy. The French warships raised their colours and prepared to give battle.[4]

At 1230 the Magicienne closed up with the smaller ship, the French sloop Railleur of 14 guns, and a short action took place. After having fired two

Comte de Kergariou-Locmaria.[Note 1] Magicienne sailed on and soon got on the port quarter of the Sybille. The guns were practically muzzle to muzzle as men hurled shot by the hand and frequently at each other through the port holes with half pikes and gun rammers to distract each other from firing.[3]

HMS Magicienne (left) lays dismasted after battling Sybille.

At 1415 the Magicienne had nearly silenced the Sybille’s fire and the British began to hope and expect that the French would soon surrender. Then, a French shot brought down Magicienne’s mizzen and fore-topmast. The wreck fell clear of the Sybille and she fell astern. Just after Magicienne’s masts fell, a broadside from the British ship cleared Sybille’s forecastle and killed eleven men. Kergariou was struck down on the quarterdeck and his men thought he was dead for some time but he was only wounded. Lieutenant de vaisseau Charles Gabriel Morel d'Escures, the second in command, continued the action.[4]

About 1420 the Magicienne’s fore and main masts went overboard. Sybille now made off as Endymion and Emerald were seen to approach.[5] Magicienne was unable to do anything except fire every available gun into her stern. The action had lasted for an hour and forty-five minutes.[3]

Aftermath

The Magicienne was towed by Endymion and Emerald and went to

Thomas McNamara Russell.[6] Thomas Graves later produced two engravings of the battle, one representing its beginning, and the other its end.[7]

References

  1. ^ Southey, Thomas (1827). Chronological History of the West Indies, Volume 2. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green. p. 539.
  2. ^ The Naval Chronicle, Containing a General and Biographical History of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, with a Variety of Original Papers on Nautical Subjects, Volume 8. Joyce Gold. 1802. p. 363.
  3. ^ a b c d e Grant, James (1873). British battles on land and sea, Volume 2. Cassell. pp. 200–01.
  4. ^ a b c d Allen, Joseph (1852). Battles of the British Navy, Volume 1 Battles of the British Navy. Henry G. Bohn. pp. 352–53.
  5. ^ Levot, Gloires maritimes, p. 257
  6. ^ Winfield (2008), p.202.
  7. ^ Levot, Biographie bretonne, vol.2, p. 10
Notes
  1. ^ Sibylle was a member of a five-ship class of 32-gun frigates designed by Sané.
Bibliography
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth.
    ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7
    .
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