Action of 24 June 1801 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Action of 24 June 1801 |
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| Part of the French Revolutionary Wars | |||||||
 The capture of HMS Swiftsure |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Republic |
 United Kingdom |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Captain Benjamin Hallowell | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Two ships of the line and one frigate engaged. Two more ships of the line in support. | Ship of the line HMS Swiftsure | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 33 killed and wounded | 2 killed 8 wounded Swiftsure captured |
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The Action of 24 June 1801 was a small but important sea battle. It happened during the French Revolutionary Wars. A British warship, HMS Swiftsure, was sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. Its captain was Benjamin Hallowell.
Suddenly, they met a much bigger French group of ships. This group was led by Honoré Ganteaume. The French ships were also sailing west. They had just failed to help their army in Egypt.
Captain Hallowell knew his ship was in danger. He tried to escape right away. But the French ships were much faster. They quickly got closer to Swiftsure.
Around 2 PM, three French ships were close enough to shoot. Hallowell decided his only chance was to damage these ships. He hoped to do this before the rest of the French group arrived.
He turned his ship towards the enemy. But Swiftsure was slow and hard to turn. Within two hours, the French ships had surrounded it. With no way to escape, the British captain surrendered.
This battle was a rare win for France in the Mediterranean Sea. The British had mostly controlled this area since 1798. That's when the French fleet was destroyed at the Battle of the Nile.
The French army in Egypt was then trapped. All attempts to send them help failed. This included three tries by Ganteaume's ships. Swiftsure later joined the French Navy. It fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. There, the British captured it again. It then rejoined the Royal Navy.
Captain Hallowell was later put on trial for losing his ship. But he was found innocent and returned to service.
Why the Battle Happened
On August 1, 1798, a big event changed everything. A British fleet, led by Sir Horatio Nelson, destroyed the French fleet. This happened at Aboukir Bay in Egypt. It was called the Battle of the Nile.
Before this, British forces had left the Mediterranean. But now they could return in large numbers. The French army in Egypt was cut off. They couldn't get supplies or messages by sea.
Their leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, left them. He promised to send help. But by 1801, the French army in Egypt was in trouble. No supplies had arrived. Their commander had been killed. And the British were planning to attack.
Napoleon ordered a group of warships to sail from Brest. This was in January 1801. It was led by Contre-Amiral Honoré Ganteaume. Their mission was to take over 5,000 soldiers to Alexandria.
Ganteaume's ships reached Toulon in February. He was worried the British had more ships. Napoleon told him to go back to sea. But bad weather and British ships stopped him.
On April 27, Ganteaume tried a third time to reach Egypt. He got as far as Benghazi. But larger British forces, led by Lord Keith, pushed him back.
So, on June 24, Ganteaume's ships were sailing west. They were moving along the coast of North Africa. They passed close to Cape Derna.
Also in the area was the British ship HMS Swiftsure. It had 74 guns. Captain Benjamin Hallowell was its commander. He had fought in the Battle of the Nile.
Swiftsure was sailing slowly. It had been sent to join another British group of ships. It was also escorting a small group of merchant ships.
Hallowell's ship was not at full strength. Over 80 men had been sent to Egypt. Another 59 were sick. The ship itself was old and leaking.
Progress was slow. A strong wind also made them late. Hallowell learned from another ship that French warships were nearby. He told the merchant ships to go their own way. He sailed alone towards Malta. He wanted to warn the British fleet.
At 3:30 AM on June 24, his lookouts saw ships. They were to the southwest. Hallowell immediately thought they were enemy ships. He turned Swiftsure away from them.
By 5:30 AM, lookouts on the closest French ships saw Swiftsure. These were the ships Jean Bart and Constitution. They were ordered to chase the British ship.
The Battle Begins
The French ships chased Swiftsure. It was a tricky chase. Jean Bart and Constitution kept up the pressure. Swiftsure was a slow ship.
The rest of Ganteaume's ships used the wind to get ahead. Then, at 8 AM, they turned. They were now blocking Swiftsure's path.
Captain Hallowell was in a trap. His ship would be caught between two groups of French ships. He tried to escape for six hours. But the French ships were too fast.
Ganteaume's ships sailed ahead of Swiftsure. Then they turned back towards it. By 2 PM, Swiftsure was almost surrounded.
Hallowell decided he had only one choice. He would try to break through the French ships ahead of him. These were the ships Indivisible and Dix-Août. Also there was the frigate Créole.
At 3 PM, the other French ships were getting close. Hallowell turned Swiftsure towards the ships ahead. He tried to sail behind the last French ship. His plan was to shoot at its back end. This might damage it and cause confusion. He hoped this would let him escape.
But the French captains saw his plan. All three French ships turned to face Swiftsure. By 3:30 PM, the big ships were shooting at each other. The faster French warships easily moved around the slow Swiftsure.
At 4:37 PM, after more than an hour of shooting, the ships Jean Bart and Constitution arrived. They were now close enough to shoot. Hallowell knew it was useless to fight more. He lowered his flag, which meant he surrendered.
Swiftsure had a lot of damage. Its masts, ropes, and sails were hit. The French captains had aimed there on purpose. They wanted to stop the ship from moving. This also meant fewer people were hurt on deck.
Only two British sailors were killed. Eight were wounded, and two of those later died. The French had more losses. Four were hurt on Indivisible. Six were killed and 23 wounded on Dix-Août. But neither French ship was badly damaged.
What Happened Next
Ganteaume's fleet stayed near Cape Derna for six days. They fixed the captured Swiftsure. Sailors from all the French ships helped.
On June 30, Ganteaume's ships were ready to sail again. They sailed northwest. They reached Toulon safely on July 22.
Ganteaume used the capture of Swiftsure to explain why he failed. He had not been able to help the French army in Egypt. That army was later invaded and captured by the British.
While he was a prisoner, Captain Hallowell wrote a letter. It was published in Britain. He praised how well he and his men were treated. They were released the next month.
On August 18, Hallowell and his officers faced a trial. This happened on board HMS Genereux in Port Mahon. They were cleared of any blame. He was also praised for sending the merchant ships away. This saved them from being captured too.
Hallowell returned to the navy in 1803. This was when the Napoleonic Wars began. He served in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. He became a rear-admiral in 1811.
Swiftsure was one of only five British warships captured by the French during the whole war. It joined the French Navy. It stayed in service for four years. Then, it was recaptured at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
