Action of 22 May 1812 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 22 May 1812
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Destruction of the French Frigates Arianne & Andromaque 22nd May 1812, Unknown artist
Date 22 May 1812 Location Off Penmarch, Atlantic Ocean Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Henry Hotham John Weeks	Jean Féretier Nicolas Morice
Strength
1 ship of the line 1 brig	2 frigates 1 brig
Casualties and losses
33 killed and wounded	Unknown killed and wounded 2 frigates destroyed

The Action of 22 May 1812 was a naval battle that happened off the coast of Groix, France. It was part of the bigger Napoleonic Wars. A small group of French ships, the frigates Ariane and Andromaque, and the brig Mameluck, were returning from a long journey. They had been sailing the Atlantic Ocean, trying to capture enemy merchant ships. This is called commerce raiding.

As they tried to sneak back into the port of Lorient, they met a powerful British warship, the 74-gun HMS Northumberland. After a fierce fight, the French frigates tried to escape through shallow waters. But they got stuck on the seabed. The Northumberland then attacked them again. Both French frigates caught fire and were destroyed.

The captains of the French frigates, Jean-Baptiste-Henri Féretier and Nicolas Morice, were later found responsible for losing their ships. They were not allowed to command ships for three years.

Why This Battle Happened

By 1812, the Royal Navy (Britain's navy) was very strong. They controlled most of the seas. They even set up a blockade around French ports. This stopped French warships from leaving or doing big operations. Because of this, the French Navy often sent out smaller groups of ships. These groups, usually two frigates, would try to slip past the blockade. Their goal was to roam the seas and capture lightly armed merchant ships. This was their way of hurting British trade.

On January 9, 1812, a French group of ships left Nantes. Their mission was to attack British and American ships in the Atlantic. This group included two 40-gun frigates, Ariane and Andromaque. They were commanded by Captains Jean-Baptiste-Henri Féretier and Nicolas Morice. A 16-gun brig called Mameluck also joined them. Captain Feretier was in charge of the whole group.

A few days later, the French ships met a British group. It included the 50-gun HMS Leopard and the 40-gun HMS Endymion. The French ships were outnumbered, so they quickly sailed away. They managed to escape their pursuers. The French group then continued its mission. Over the next four months, they captured 36 merchant ships. They also took 217 prisoners.

However, the British now knew a French frigate group was out there. They warned their ships blocking the port of Brest to watch for its return. Rear-admiral Sir Harry Neale sent the Northumberland, led by Captain Henry Hotham, to find and stop the French frigates. The Northumberland left on May 19. It took up a position near Isle Groix. Meanwhile, the French ships were heading back to France. Captain Feretier thought the British blockade might be busy elsewhere. He hoped to use this chance to sneak into Lorient.

The Battle Begins

On the morning of May 22, the French ships arrived near the Roches de Penmarch. Around 11:30 AM, a large ship appeared to the north. It was quickly identified as the Northumberland. Captain Feretier decided to try and force his way through. However, Captain Morice signaled that one of his officers, Ensign Legrand, knew the area well. Legrand believed he could guide the frigates through a shallow passage. This pass might help them escape the Northumberland.

Feretier decided to take this risk. He ordered Andromaque to lead the way. The Mameluck was free to move as needed. Around 3:00 PM, the frigates came close enough for the Northumberland to fire. The British ship was waiting near Pointe du Talut. The Northumberland fired a few shots. Andromaque replied with all her cannons, supported by cannons on the coast. A full cannon fight started. Smoke filled the air, making it hard to see the ships. Ensign Legrand on Andromaque was killed.

Officer Legros, the only other officer who knew the waters, took over guiding the ship. But around 5:45 PM, Andromaque ran aground. It got stuck on the Basse Grasie reef. Ariane tried to turn away, but it also ran aground nearby. The Northumberland saw the danger and pulled back. It used this time to fix damage to its sails and ropes, especially its front mast.

French Ships Trapped

With Mameluck being the only ship still able to move, Feretier ordered the brig to sail to Lorient. He wanted it to ask for help. Mameluck tried to follow the order, but it also ran aground near Ariane. As the water level dropped, the frigates started to tilt. Their crews threw cannons overboard to lighten the ships. They also emptied their water tanks and removed other heavy items.

Soon after, the Northumberland returned. It was joined by the 12-gun Growler. They anchored north of the trapped French frigates. The British ships then started firing for two hours. The French frigates could not really fight back. They only had a few small cannons on Andromaque that could fire.

After the first few shots, at 5:55 PM, a fire started on the front mast of Andromaque. The ship's water pump was broken. Captain Morice ordered the mast to be cut down. But all the sailors sent to do this were killed or wounded by British shots. The fire quickly spread to the front part of the ship. It was impossible to put out the fire. Feretier sent an officer to Andromaque. The officer returned with news that the fire was out of control. Feretier then ordered the sick and prisoners to be taken off the ships. Boats from Lorient had arrived to help.

The Northumberland, seeing their mission was successful, left the battle. The local French naval commander came to the battle site. Feretier reported that Ariane's hull was full of holes and water. Pilots said it was impossible to get her floating again. The commander then ordered Ariane to be abandoned. Feretier had her set on fire to prevent the British from capturing her. By 8:20 PM, the crews were ashore. The officers left on boats for Lorient. Andromaque exploded soon after. Ariane exploded later that night, at 2:30 AM.

Mameluck had cut down her masts and thrown her cannons overboard. These efforts to refloat her did not work. Her crew had left her because she had too many holes below the waterline to sail into a fight. However, she was not as badly damaged as the frigates. The next day, a group returned to Mameluck and managed to get her floating again. She reached Lorient on May 24. She was the only ship from the French group to survive.

What Happened Next

The frigates were very low in the water because they were loaded with valuable items from the ships they had captured. This made them more likely to run aground. Also, the shallow passage that Ensign Legrand remembered was only suitable for small boats, not large frigates. The fact that even the smaller Mameluck got stuck shows how impossible the attempt was.

Captains Feretier and Morice faced a military trial, which was normal when a ship was lost. They were found responsible for their actions. They were not allowed to command a ship for three years. However, the French Navy needed experienced officers. So, they were quickly given jobs as first officers on other ships.

A large French warship, the 80-gun Diadème, was in Lorient harbor. It could not help during the battle because the winds were not favorable. On the British side, Lieutenant Weeks, captain of Growler, and Lieutenant John Banks, first officer of Northumberland, were promoted for their roles in the battle.

Years later, in 1986, Jean-Claude Abadie found parts of one of the wrecked frigates. This was off the coast of Lorient-Ploemeur. The French Ministry of Culture confirmed the site. Another wreck was found nearby, but it was a merchant ship, not related to the battle. A bronze cannon was also found by a diver. In 1996, an underwater search was done to recover items from the wreck. Many divers searched the area. Another search in June 2000 found the second frigate. The items found from these searches were later put on display at the Cité de la Mer museum.