The Battle of Bantry Bay

 

11th May 1689

 

The English Squadron - In order of sailing
Ship's Name	Guns	Commander	Notes
Defiance	64	John Ashby
Portsmouth	46	George St Loe
Plymouth	60	Richard Carter
Ruby	48	Frederick Froud
Diamond	48	Benjamin Walters
Advice	48	John Granville
Mary	62	Matthew Aylmer
St Albans	50	John Layton
Edgar	64	Cloudesley Shovell
Elizabeth	64	David Mitchell	Flagship of Admiral Arthur Herbert, Earl of Torrington.
Pendennis	70	George Churchill
Portland	50	George Aylmer
Deptford	54	George Rooke
Woolwich	54	Ralph Sanderson
Dartmouth	36	Thomas Ley
Greenwich	54	Christopher Billop
Cambridge	70	John Clements
Antelope	48	Henry Wickham
York	60	David Delavall
Firedrake	12	John Leake	Bomb
Soldados	16	Francis Wyvill	Fireship
Salamander	10	Thomas Crawley	Bomb
The French Squadron - In order of sailing
Ship's Name	Guns	Commander	Notes
François	48	de Panetié
Vermandois	60	Machault
Duc	50	Colbert de Saint -Marc
Fendant	52	de Réals
Saint-Michel	56		Flagship of Chef d'escadre Jean Gabaret
Fort	56	Rosmadec
Léger	44	de Forbin
Précieux	52	de Salempart	end van division
Capable	48	Bellefontaine
Arrogant	58	de la Harteloire
Diamant	54	Marquis de Coetlogon
Ardent	66		Flagship of lieutenant-général François-Louis de Rousselet, Comte de Chateaurenault
Furieux	60	Desnots
Faucon	40	d'Hervault
Modéré	50	Sainte - Hermine
Entreprenant	56	Beaujeu
Courageux	56		Flagship of Chef d'escadre Job Forant
Neptune	46	de Pallières	rear division
Arc-en-Ciel	44	Perrinet
Excellent	60	de la Vigerie
Sage	52	Vaudricourt
Oiseau	40	Du Quesne -Guiton
Emporté	42	Roussel
Apollon	56	Montortié
The French Frigate Squadron
Ship's Name	Guns	Commander	Notes
			Flagship of Captain Duquesne-Mosnier
Tempete	30
Bienvenu	10		Fireship
Gaillarde	10		Fireship
Petillant	10		Fireship
Boutefeu	10		Fireship
Pressance	10		Fireship
Bouffonne	10		Fireship
Hamecon	10		Fireship
Inconnu	10		Fireship
Maline	10		Fireship
Voile	10		Fireship

 

Account of the Battle (From William Laird Clowes - History of the Royal Navy Vol II)

On April 29th he sighted a considerable fleet, which, however, he soon lost again. On the 30th he looked into Baltimore, and, seeing nothing there of the enemy, came to the conclusion that the French must be to the westward of him. He therefore bore away with an east wind for Cape Clear. In the evening he had the satisfaction of sighting the fleet of which he was in search. It was standing into Bantry Bay. Herbert lay in the offing for the night, and in the morning stood in after the foe.

This French fleet, consisting of twenty-four ships of the line, two "frigates," and ten fireships, had left Brest to carry to Ireland a quantity of stores and ammunition, and was under the orders of François-Louis de Rousselet, Comte de Chateaurenault, as Lieutenant-General, in the Ardent, 66, with the chefs d'escadre Jean Gabaret, in the Saint-Michel, 56, and Forant, in the Courageux, 56, as second and third in command. In addition to the force which had come directly from Brest, there were in the Bay three "frigates" under Captain Duquesne-Mosnier, who had been left behind by the previous expedition in order to serve the interests of James on the Irish coast. One of them was commanded by an English officer who had adhered to the late king in his misfortunes. The whole French force upon which Herbert descended consequently amounted to twenty-four ships of the line, few of which apparently mounted more than sixty guns, five " frigates," and ten fireships.

As Herbert went into the Bay on the morning of May 1st, Chateaurenault, who, according to French accounts, would have attacked earlier had he not desired to first land as many troops and stores as possible, weighed to meet the English. The latter, being to leeward, experienced some difficulty in working up towards the French, who, bore down in excellent order and began the engagement at about 10.30 A.M. When the English commander-in-chief saw the force of the enemy, and realised how disadvantageous for his own fleet would be an action to windward in waters so narrow, he put about and went out of the Bay under easy sail, so as to be able to manoeuvre, with a view, if possible, to gain the wind, and so as to bring his very indifferent line into something like order. The line was improved; but, owing to the caution of the French, the wind could not be gained. . The action continued, however, until about 5 P.M., and, in the course of it, the French ship Diamant, 54, commanded by the Marquis de Coetlogon, was most seriously damaged by an explosion of ammunition which had been accumulated in her captain's cabin. Towards the end of the battle the English had been so worsted that, but for two facts which told accidentally in their favour, Chateaurenault would, in all probability, have decisively defeated them. One was the absence of the French fireships, which were still landing stores in the Bay. The other was the jealousy with which the chefs d'escadre Gabaret and Forant regarded Chateaurenault, who was much their junior in point of service. These officers tacitly refused to press the advantage; and at length the French commander-in-chief found it prudent to tack and stand again towards the shore. Having completed his mission he returned to Brest on May 8th. In consequence of the battle, war between England and France was immediately declared.

Admiral Herbert, who thus narrowly escaped a crippling disaster, made for Portsmouth. His fleet had lost one captain, George Aylmer, one lieutenant, and ninety-four men killed, and about three hundred officers and men wounded. The English had not been so inferior as to render their action a brilliant one: the French success had scarcely been so pronounced as to be entitled to the name of victory; yet apparently both nations were satisfied. When King William visited Portsmouth a few days later he created Herbert Baron Herbert of Torbay and Earl of Torrington, knighted Captains Ashby and Shovell, presented each seaman with a gratuity of ten shillings, and made special provision for the widows of Captain Aylmer and others who had fallen. These royal attentions from the new monarch, to servants of the fidelity of many of whom he was still in much doubt, were, perhaps, politic; but it can hardly be said that they were all fully deserved.

 

Notes:

 

 

 COURAGEUX  between EXCELLENT & SAGE : source ch. de la Ronciére.

Sources:

 

B029

The Royal Navy - Vol II

William Laird Clowes