Action of 6 July 1746 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Negapatam (1746)
Part of War of the Austrian Succession
Date 6 July 1746 Location Coast of Negapatam, Indian Ocean Result Tactically inconclusive, strategic French victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	France
Commanders and leaders
Edward Peyton	Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais
Strength
4 Ships of the line 2 Frigates	1 Ship of the line 8 East Indiamen
Casualties and losses
14 killed 46 wounded	27 killed 53 wounded

The Battle of Negapatam happened on July 6, 1746. It was a naval battle between the British and French navies. This fight took place during a bigger conflict called the War of the Austrian Succession. It was also part of the First Carnatic War in India. The battle didn't have a clear winner right away, but it helped the French later on.

The Battle

The battle took place during the early part of the First Carnatic War. This war was fought in India between the British and French. The British fleet was first led by Commodore Curtis Barnett, and then by Edward Peyton. The French fleet was led by Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais.

The two fleets met and fought. Both sides suffered damage to their ships. After the fight, La Bourdonnais took his ships to Pondicherry for repairs. Peyton, on the other hand, went to Trincomalee to fix his ships.

While at Pondicherry, La Bourdonnais managed to get more cannons for his ships. When the two fleets met again in August 1746, Peyton decided not to fight. Instead, he retreated with his ships to Bengal. Because Peyton pulled back, La Bourdonnais was then able to successfully lead a French attack on Madras in September.

Ships in the Battle

Here are some of the ships that fought in the battle:

British Royal Navy Ships

The British fleet included several powerful ships.

• Medway (60 guns) - This was the flagship, commanded by Commodore Edward Peyton.
• Preston (50 guns)
• Winchester (50 guns)
• Harwich (50 guns)
• Medway Prize (40 guns)
• Lively (20 guns)

French Ships

The French fleet also had a mix of ships.

• Achille (60 guns)
• Duc d'Orléans (26 guns)
• Bourbon (36 guns)
• Neptune (34 guns)
• Phénix (34 guns)
• Saint Louis (30 guns)
• Lys (34 guns)
• Insulaire (28 guns)