Action of 10th Aug. 1746

Posted by Cy on Friday 18th of October 2019 08:54

Thanks Albert
Don't suppose you know the missing French captain's names do you?

Posted by Albert Parker on Friday 18th of October 2019 06:33

Conflans' squadron also included /Alcyon/, 50, and /Gloire/, 46. /Alcion/ had parted company in a fog on September 2/13, but /Gloire/ was still with /Terrible/ and /Neptune/ on Oct. 18/29. However, because of a heavy sea, she was not able to keep up with the pursuit, or even to capture any of the merchantmen from the convoy that /Severn/ and /Woolwich/ were escorting. /Terrible/, which did most of the fighting, was to windward of /Severn/ and could not use her main battery 36-pounders. Conflans observed that as a result, "the force was about equal on both sides." Taking account of the heavier weight of the French pound (by about 8%), /Terrible/ had a broadside of 361 English pounds avoirdupois, compare to /Severn/'s 315, or about 15% heavier. When /Severn/ finally struck, Conflans left /Neptune/ to take possession and went in pursuit of /Woolwich/, "but the time he had lost in the action [with /Severn/] gave too much head start to [/Woolwich/] for the /Terrible/ to come up with her before night." /Neptune/ took two ships of the convoy. (Source: "Escadre de M. de Conflans, Antilles et côtes de l'Amerique nord," Nov. 1746, Archives nationales, Marine, Sou-serie B4, vol. 59, folio 166 reverse). /Woolwich/ eventually put in at Lisbon (/London Magazne/, Nov. 1746, p. 590).