Action of 31 July 1793 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Action of 31 July 1793
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
Combat between the frigate 'L'Embuscade' and the 'Boston' in the Port of New York in 1793, Baron Jean Antoine Theodore Gudin, Palace of Versailles
Date 31 July 1793 Location off New Jersey, Eastern Seaboard, Atlantic Ocean Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Great Britain	France
Commanders and leaders
George Courtenay   †	Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart
Strength
1 frigate	1 frigate
Casualties and losses
34 killed and wounded	50 killed and wounded

The Action of 31 July 1793 was a naval battle between a British warship and a French warship. It happened off the coast of New Jersey in the Atlantic Ocean. This fight took place during the first year of the French Revolutionary Wars.

The battle was between HMS Boston from Britain and the French frigate Embuscade. Both ships were frigates, which are fast, medium-sized warships. The fight ended with no clear winner.

Captain George Courtenay, who commanded HMS Boston, arrived near New York City on May 28, 1793. He cleverly made his ship look like a French vessel. This tricked a French officer into coming aboard, where he was captured. Captain Courtenay then sent a message to New York. He challenged the French captain, Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart of Embuscade, to a battle.

The challenge was accepted and became big news in New York. Thousands of people gathered on the shore to watch the fight. Captain Bompart sailed out to meet Captain Courtenay on the morning of July 31.

The battle was very fierce. HMS Boston, being smaller, seemed to be taking more damage. At 6:20 AM, Captain Courtenay was hit and fell to the deck. What happened next has been debated by historians. Lieutenant John Edwards, the second-in-command, said Courtenay was killed and his body was thrown overboard. This was a custom at the time to prevent sailors from losing hope.

However, rumors spread that Courtenay was only knocked out when Edwards gave the order to throw him overboard. His family believed this story. Historian Edward Pelham Brenton later wrote about it. Another historian, William James, defended Edwards' actions.

After Courtenay was gone, Boston kept taking heavy damage. Around 7:00 AM, the remaining officers ordered the ship to escape. Bompart chased them, but his ship was also damaged. By 8:00 AM, he had to give up the chase. Boston later escaped to St John's, Newfoundland. Embuscade went back to New York for repairs.

Why the Battle Happened

War Breaks Out

In February 1793, the new French Republic declared war on Great Britain. This expanded the French Revolutionary Wars, which had started the year before in Europe. The French Navy was facing many changes because of the French Revolution. This put them at a disadvantage against the Royal Navy, which had been getting ready for war.

France sent several groups of frigates to sea. These ships carried their newest sailors and officers. Their goal was to attack British merchant ships early in the war. One such group sailed to the United States in April 1793. It carried the French ambassador, Edmond-Charles Genêt.

After the ambassador left, the French ships spread out. They attacked British trading vessels along the coast. They captured or destroyed more than 60 merchant ships. Then, they went to American ports for repairs.

British Response and a Clever Trick

The British Royal Navy responded to the French threat. Their frigates operated from Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were ordered to watch French ships in American ports. One of these ships was the 32-gun frigate HMS Boston. It was an older, smaller vessel commanded by Captain George Courtenay.

Courtenay's job was to watch New York City. He knew a French frigate was anchored there. On June 28, 1793, Boston arrived off New York. Captain Courtenay cleverly disguised his ship to look French. He had his French-speaking crew talk loudly on deck. This happened when an American pilot boat was nearby.

The French ship in New York was Captain Bompart's Embuscade. It was a large, powerful ship built less than three years earlier. It carried heavier guns than Boston. When Embuscade saw the strange ship, Bompart sent a boat to investigate. His lieutenant, an American named Whitynow, and twelve men went.

Whitynow was suspicious at first. But he was convinced the ship was French after talking to the pilots. He came aboard, only to find out he was wrong. Captain Courtenay captured him and his men as prisoners of war.

The Challenge Is Sent

Captain Courtenay told his prisoner he wanted to fight Bompart. He agreed to send a message to New York using the pilot boat. This message was a challenge for Bompart to bring Embuscade out of the neutral harbor. They would meet off Sandy Hook.

The pilot could not find the French captain at first. So, he posted the challenge in a coffeehouse in the city. The news spread quickly. Bompart learned about it and spent two days getting his warship ready. Historian Edward Pelham Brenton claimed 100 armed American volunteers joined Bompart. He called this "a flagrant violation of the law of nations."

After a meeting among the French officers, Embuscade sailed from New York on the night of July 30. Courtenay almost missed the meeting. On the afternoon of July 30, a large French fleet passed by. It included two large warships, four frigates, and six smaller vessels. They were heading north along the New Jersey coast to New York.

Boston had to pull back to open water to avoid this powerful force. But the French fleet did not stop to investigate. They entered New York harbor by nightfall. This allowed Courtenay to return to his station.

The Battle Begins

Ships Meet at Sea

At 3:00 AM on July 31, lookouts on Boston saw a large ship approaching. Courtenay prepared his ship for battle. At 3:30 AM, the ship passed about 3.5 nautical miles away. Soon after, it was recognized as a frigate flying the French tricolour.

Courtenay was unsure who it was, so he raised the same flag. In response, the strange ship raised a blue flag with a white cross. This identified it as Embuscade, ready for the challenge. At 4:00 AM, both ships turned east. They continued for 45 minutes until Boston slowed down and raised British colors.

As the British ship slowed, the French ship overtook it. They were about 1.5 nautical miles apart. At 5:00 AM, Boston turned towards the French ship. Embuscade slowed down so Boston could pass alongside its right side. Boston fired first at 5:05 AM. Embuscade immediately fired back. Both ships then turned again. By this time, they were about 12 nautical miles southeast of Navesink, New Jersey.

News of the upcoming battle had spread quickly. Thousands of people gathered on the New Jersey beaches. They watched the fight from the shore.

A Fierce Fight

After fifteen minutes of fighting, Boston lost part of its mast. By 5:45 AM, its rigging and sails were badly damaged. This made the ship much harder to steer than Embuscade. At 6:10 AM, the main topmast was knocked over. The mizzen mast was also badly damaged.

Ten minutes later, Captain Courtenay was encouraging his men. A cannonball struck the rail where he and Lieutenant James Butler were standing. Butler was killed instantly. Courtenay fell to the deck, not moving. He may have been killed.

Believing his commander was dead, Lieutenant John Edwards took command. He had the bodies thrown overboard. This was done to prevent the sailors from losing morale. Boston continued to suffer under the French ship's heavier guns. By 6:40 AM, the mizzen mast was almost falling. Much of the remaining rigging was shot away.

More crew members were hurt. Lieutenant Edwards and Lieutenant Alexander Kerr were both badly wounded. Kerr was blinded in one eye. Edwards was hit on the head and briefly knocked unconscious.

Escape from Battle

With their officers hurt and their ship badly damaged, panic began to spread among the British crew. Edwards was helped to the deck and took command. While Boston was in confusion, Bompart remained in charge of his ship. He had also suffered many casualties.

Bompart moved his ship around to Boston's rear. He planned to fire a powerful broadside from the stern. This would have finished the battle. With difficulty, Edwards turned Boston away from the danger. He realized that fighting more would be useless. He turned Boston towards the open sea, away from Embuscade. He set all remaining sails to escape.

At 7:07 AM, Bompart began to chase. But his ship was also damaged. It could not match the speed of the smaller British vessel. At 8:00 AM, Boston was 4 nautical miles ahead and pulling away. The French captain gave up the chase. He turned back towards New York.

After the Battle

Repairs and Journeys

Bompart's ship was so badly damaged that he could not dock in New York until August 2. Repairs to his ship, including replacing all three masts, were not finished until October 9. Reports in American newspapers said Embuscade's losses were 50 men killed or wounded. This was out of a crew of 340.

Boston sailed south, badly needing repairs. It first tried to anchor in the Delaware River. When Lieutenant Edwards took on a pilot, he learned that two French frigates were anchored nearby. These were the Concorde and Inconstante.

Edwards knew his ship would be quickly defeated by such a force. He let the pilot off and sailed north. He eventually brought his damaged vessel into St John's, Newfoundland. Losses aboard Boston were ten killed and 24 wounded. This was out of a crew of 204. Captain Courtenay was among the dead.

Honors and Debates

Captain Courtenay's widow received a pension of £500. His two children received £50 per year. Edwards' career was cut short by his injuries. Bompart received a gold medal when he returned to France. He remained an important figure in the French Navy. He fought at the Glorious First of June in 1794. He also led a French force that tried to invade Ireland in 1798.

Lieutenant Edwards' report described Courtenay's death in battle. This was widely accepted at the time. However, rumors began to spread. Some said Courtenay was not killed but only stunned. They suggested his death might have happened because Edwards ordered him thrown overboard.

Historian William James disagreed with this in 1827. He wrote that his account came from Bostons log book. He had no reason to believe it was wrong. Later histories, like William Laird Clowes' book (1900) and Richard Woodman's (2001), followed James. But in 1837, Brenton defended his account. He named Alexander Robert Kerr, Bostons second lieutenant, as his source. That same year, Captain Courtenay's niece wrote an article. She continued to repeat the claims against Lieutenant Edwards.

After the battle, the women of Halifax started a collection to celebrate the crew of HMS Boston. In New York, the people had a gold medal made for the crew of Embuscade. Bompart accepted the medal. But he said he would not wear it. The French government had banned medals.

Images for kids

• 

  Combat between the frigate 'L'Embuscade' and the 'Boston' in the Port of New York in 1793