Battle of Pulo Aura facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Pulo Aura
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Commodore Dance's celebrated action against a French squadron in the Straits of Malacca on 15th February 1804, Robert Dodd
Date 15 February 1804 Location Off Pulo Aura, South China Sea Result Company victory
Belligerents
East India Company	France  Batavian Republic
Commanders and leaders
Nathaniel Dance	Charles Linois
Strength
29 merchantmen 1 brig	1 ship of the line 2 frigates 1 corvette 1 brig
Casualties and losses
1 wounded 1 killed	None

The Battle of Pulo Aura was a small but very clever sea fight during the Napoleonic Wars. It happened on February 14, 1804. A large group of British merchant ships, called East Indiamen, tricked a strong French navy fleet. Even though the French ships were much more powerful, the British leader, Commodore Nathaniel Dance, used smart tactics. He made the French admiral, Charles Linois, believe the merchant ships were actually warships. Linois then decided to leave after a short fight. Dance even chased the French ships to make sure his convoy was safe. This battle showed how a clever plan could win against a stronger enemy.

The Clever Merchant Fleet

Why Trade Ships Were Important

During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain's economy relied heavily on trade. A big part of this trade was with its valuable colonies in British India. The East India Company (HEIC) handled this trade. They used large, well-armed merchant ships called East Indiamen.

These ships were quite big, usually between 500 and 1200 tons. They could carry up to 36 guns to defend against pirates or small warships. However, they were not designed to fight powerful navy ships like frigates or ships of the line. Their guns were often not as good, and their crews were smaller and less trained than those on a real warship.

The "China Fleet"

The East Indiamen gathered in ports like Canton (in China) each winter. From there, they sailed to Britain in large groups called convoys. These convoys often carried goods worth millions of pounds, like tea, silk, and porcelain. The journey usually took six months.

The 1804 "China Fleet" was especially valuable. It included 16 East Indiamen and many smaller merchant ships. The only armed escort was a small HEIC brig named Ganges. News of the war had just reached the Pacific, so no proper navy warships were available to protect the fleet.

The French Plan

The French leader, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte, knew how important this trade was. He sent a French fleet to the Indian Ocean in March 1803. This fleet was led by Contre-Admiral Charles Linois. His job was to attack British shipping.

Linois's squadron included his main ship, the Marengo, which was a powerful ship of the line, and three frigates. He learned about the China Fleet's departure from Batavia (in Java). Linois set sail on December 28, 1803, to find and capture this rich convoy.

The Battle of Pulo Aura

Spotting the Enemy

On February 14, 1804, at 8:00 AM, the British convoy was near Pulo Aura. The ship Royal George spotted three ships approaching. These were Linois's French squadron.

Commodore Dance, leading the British convoy on his ship Earl Camden, ordered the brig Ganges and four other large East Indiamen to investigate. They quickly found out these were enemy warships.

The Clever Trick

By 1:00 PM, Dance had prepared his guns. He arranged his large East Indiamen in a line of battle, just like real warships would. He hoped to make the French believe his merchant fleet included powerful navy ships.

Linois's squadron slowly approached the British ships. Dance expected an attack right away, but Linois was careful. He decided to wait until the next morning. Dance used this time to move the smaller, less important ships to the other side of his line. He also gathered volunteers from their crews to help on the bigger East Indiamen.

Linois later said he waited because he thought the British might be trying to trick him. He wanted to be sure they weren't trying to escape in the dark.

The Confrontation

At dawn on February 15, both sides raised their flags. Dance wanted to make Linois think his ships were part of the Royal Navy. He ordered the Ganges and his four leading ships to fly blue ensigns. The rest of the convoy raised red ensigns. This flag system suggested that the blue ensign ships were warships protecting the others.

Dance didn't know it, but Linois had received false information. Linois believed the convoy had 23 merchant ships and a brig. Dance had actually picked up six more ships. The French thought some of these unknown ships must be warships. Also, several British ships had been painted in Canton to look even more like ships of the line.

At 9:00 AM, Linois was still just watching, unsure what to do. Dance then changed his formation to make his convoy sail faster. He wanted to reach the Straits of Malacca before Linois.

The Short Fight

As the British convoy became a less threatening target, Linois slowly started to move closer. By 1:00 PM, Linois's faster ships were getting close to the back of the British convoy. Dance ordered his lead ships to turn and cross in front of the French squadron.

The British ships successfully completed this move. At 1:15 PM, Linois opened fire on the lead British ship, Royal George. The Royal George and the next four ships in line—Ganges, Earl Camden, Warley, and Alfred—fired back. One British ship, Hope, accidentally bumped into Warley because its captain was so eager to join the fight.

Shots were exchanged for 43 minutes from a distance. Neither side caused much damage. The Royal George had one sailor killed and another wounded. It also had some light damage to its hull. No other British or French ships reported serious damage.

At 2:00 PM, Linois suddenly stopped fighting. He ordered his squadron to turn away and sail east, away from the convoy. Dance, still pretending to have warships, ordered his ships flying naval flags to chase the French. None of the merchant ships could catch the French, but the chase made sure Linois wouldn't come back.

For two hours, Dance's ships followed Linois. At 4:00 PM, Dance decided to gather his ships and continue their journey. By 8:00 PM, the entire British convoy was safely anchored at the entrance to the Straits of Malacca. Later, two British navy ships, HMS Sceptre and Albion, joined them and escorted them safely to Saint Helena. From there, HMS Plantagenet escorted the convoy all the way to England.

What Happened After?

Heroes and Rewards

Commodore Nathaniel Dance and his captains were greatly praised for their actions. They had saved the East India Company and Lloyd's of London from huge financial losses. This would have affected the entire British Empire.

The commanders and their crews received a £50,000 prize fund. Many organizations gave awards like ceremonial swords and money to the officers. Dance himself was made a Knight Bachelor by King George III. He also received £5,000 from the Bombay Insurance Company and £500 a year for life from the East India Company. Dance then retired from the sea.

Dance was humble about his success. He wrote that he was just lucky to be in command and that the bravery of his crew helped him succeed.

Some Royal Navy sailors, who were passengers on the East Indiamen after their own ship sank, volunteered to help with the guns. Dance thanked them specifically. Among these passengers were James Inman, who became a naval architect, and John Franklin, who later became a famous polar explorer.

Linois's Excuses

Linois's squadron reached Batavia safely. He later tried to explain why he retreated. He claimed the British convoy was protected by as many as eight ships of the line. He said he had bravely saved his own squadron from this "overwhelming force."

However, historians have strongly disagreed with Linois's claims. They say it's hard to believe an experienced sailor like Linois couldn't tell the difference between poorly trained merchant crews and real navy sailors. Many believe Linois simply lost a chance to capture a prize worth millions because he was too timid.

Even Emperor Napoleon himself criticized Linois. Napoleon said that his admirals often "see double" and think they can fight wars without taking risks. He told his Minister of Marine that Linois had shown a "want of courage of mind," which Napoleon considered the most important quality in a leader.

Linois continued to command his squadron for two more years. He had some minor successes against undefended merchant ships. But he also suffered several defeats against weaker British naval forces. Ironically, Linois was finally captured in 1806. He had mistaken a strong British battle squadron for a merchant convoy.

Orders of Battle

See Also

• Frederick Marryat's 1832 novel Newton Forster
• Patrick O'Brian's 1973 novel HMS Surprise

Images for kids

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  A printed key for a view of the Battle, showing the China Fleet a painting by Francis Sartorius, the younger after a drawing by an officer on board the Henry Addington

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  Defeat of Adml. Linois by Commodore Dance, Feby. 15th. 1804, William Daniell

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  The East Indiaman Warley, Robert Salmon, 1801, National Maritime Museum

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  Brilliant Naval Action of the East India Fleet, British propaganda poster celebrating the engagement, National Maritime Museum