La Vengeance verses HMS Seine, Aug. 20-21, 1800: A French account.

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This account was translated by officers of the US Army War College in 1939, the transcript of which was found in the National Archives. It was written by junior officers of La Vengeance, as Captain Pitot was too ill or injured to write his report until much later.

 

The French Frigate La Vengeance was the very same frigate that fought the US Frigate Constellation in February of the same year. Vengeance was very powerful, having been designed with long 24-pounders on her main deck when launched, just like Constellation, but at one point swapped them out for 18-pounders, again, just like Constellation. Her armament has always been in question, but most likely consisted of thirty long 18-pounders on the main deck, two of them being shifting guns which fought either through the quarter gallery ports or were used a stern chase guns. Examination of the draught of her captured sister ship, La Resistance, shows a gunport in place of a proper gallery door, suggesting that the unusually narrow gallery might have been a false one. On her spar deck, she mounted fourteen 12-pounders, two of them standing stern chase guns, eight 36-pounder brass carronades, and eight swivels in the waist: fifty-two guns total. HMS Seine, formerly the French La Seine, was armed as a standard 38-gun British frigate of the era. Here is the letter:

 

 

"2 Fructidor ( 20 August), at noon, we were bearing as follows:

 

North  Point of Mona E.S.E.

Middle of Monisto E.S.E., 4 degrees E.

 

Passing out from St. Domingue and Porto Rico, we perceived a large ship, which we took to be a frigate, to which a corvette was signalling.

 

The Corvette lay E.S.E, 3 degrees south

The ship, S.E. by E.

 

It was calm, with what wind there was in the North East, our course being south by east, with all studding sails set on the port side, our intentions being to get away from shore, and out of sight of a third ship to the north east, which appeared of good size.

 

Weather clear, all hands at quarters, and ready for any emergency. We were short of compliment by 71 hands, and among the crew were thirty negroes, who had never been to see before. During the night of 2-3 Fructidore (20-21 August), the wind was variable from E.N.E. to E. S. E. The enemy had a decided advantage of us. The corvette kept close to the frigate. At 12:15 a.m., the enemy having overhauled us considerably, we Brough our stern chasers to bear, and twice let him have them. At 1:15 he came close aboard and fired one shot at us. Believing we were then within musket shot, the Captain gave orders to man the port battery. At the same instant, we hauled out wind, and fired a broadside at the enemy, who replied immediately. We continued this action for an hour and three quarters, when the enemy dropped astern. We then took in our studding sails, and attempted to work to windward, the frigate's best point of sailing.

 

By the advantage of hauling his wind, the Captain had but one end in view: to conform to his instructions which were imperative, that he should avoid action, and work clear of St. Domingue , which we knew to be blockaded by the British Frigate Aimable, and which we had recognized close aboard some day previous, but which hauled off.

 

At three o'clock a.m., we lost sight of the enemy, but at five, we once more raised her, as well as, shortly after, a schooner crossing ahead. This we recognized as a neutral. At 5:30 a.m. the fore topmast split, carrying away the top-gallant sail and the standing jib. At 6.20, the enemy having once again run close aboard, the combat was renewed. At 6:50, he shortened sail, and at 7 brailed up his mizen topgallant sail; a little time after he took in his jib. We were then heading S.S.W. At 7:10, the enemy took in his studding sails. We then shortened sail, so at not to fall out of range. At 7:20, the enemy brailed his main top-sail to the mast. At once Captain Pitot took in his staysails, in order to keep alongside. At 7:40, the enemy ceased firing, and shortly after, we did the same. From the beginning of the second action, we found ourselves short of bar shot; repeatedly fired broke out between the decks, and on the poop and forecastle; there were frequent failures due to the poor quality of the powder, which became greatly impaired during our fight with the Constellation, when the containers were afloat in the magazine. There was never a chance to dry this out, while the Vengeance lay in Curacao, on account of the rains and dampness. These various incidents will be related by Captain Pitot, in due time. In the thick of the battle, one "Liron", a top man, had his knees smashed in the main top, and came down a stay, hand over hand, to the deck, whence he was carried below, and died a few moments after.

 

We now had a fresh breeze from the east, and we continued to the S.S.W., under all sail possible, in order to give the gunners time to put what little powder remained into the cartridges for the cannon, and to perform necessary repairs; splicing etc.imperatively needed, and es[ecially to rig preventers to our shrouds which were severed fore and aft. We felt sure that the enemy, in these two engagements, had, at least, suffered damage equal to ours and later found evidence to confirm the correctness of our judgment.

 

At 8:00 a.m., the enemy stood toward sand, at 9, when he approached to within pistol shot on our port quarter, we hauled our wind and the combat renewed with the greatest fury. At 9:20, the enemy set his mizzen-top-gallant sail a-shiver and edged off. We followed the maneuver to avoid being raked from ahead and to keep him on our beam. At 10 our mizzen-mast went by the board, shot away eight or nine feet above the poop. At 10:20 our main topmast fell. At 10:25 we found ourselves blanketed in such a way that the enemy was able to brace full and haul ahead and he thus lay himself across our bow.

 

In such a position, offering no hope of maneuvering; many of or people being hors de combat; nine feet of water in the hold; the foremast barely holding; holed in many places; all the shrouds cut away; having only sufficient powder for 83 cartridges; these circumstances, together with the impossibility, of taking the only chance left to us; that of boarding the enemy; forced Captain Pitot to hail the enemy frigate and announce his surrender.

 

It was then 10:30 a.m., and at 10;35 our foremast went by the board. A cutter from the enemy ship came along side and took off Captain Pitot, who, upon gaining the deck, presented his sword to the captain (Milne). He refused to accept it, saying "I could never disarm one who wielded his weapon with so great honor."  The captain replied that he would not keep the sword unless his staff and the infantry officers among the passengers, could retain theirs. The English Captain said that he readily agreed to this, and that his orders would be given.

 

The following morning, the main-mast toppled [over] close to the deck, and from that time, until our arrival at Jamaica, our destination, we were at many times at the point of abandoning ship, on account of the emmense quantity of water she was taking in. We had to put the wounded topside, the water being up to the gun deck.  Since the crew was separated, it is impossible to ascertain the number of killed and wounded, but here follows the names of the officers killed and wounded.

 

Officers of the ship

 

Frey, Lieutenant of the artillery of the frigate, killed

Ayreau, Lieutenant  of the ship. wounded

Marcou, Ensign, wounded

 

Passenger officers

 

Frey, Chief of the Battalion, Killed

Nadau, Chief of the Brigade, wounded

Garcey, Captain of the Infantry, wounded

Desvignes, Captain of the Infantry, wounded

Moreau, Captain of the Infantry, wounded

Ballet, Lieutenant of the Infantry, wounded

 

And there, Citizen Minister, you have an accurate and true account of the various events which occurred during their deplorable, but instructive voyage, just terminated. I am quite sure that if errors are found in this report, they will only be in the dates. Captain Pitot is ill onboard the English Frigate L'Allarme, alone, and we are, therefore, separated from him. He carries all the necessary documents to reveal the truth in its full light."

 

Note: Not signed.

 

Note also. The casualty French figures were thought to be about 35 killed and 70 wounded. Seine had about half as many.

 

 

 

Half model of her sister ship La Resistance: