French ship Indomptable (1790) facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 France |
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| Name | Indomitable |
| Builder | Brest |
| Laid down | September 1788 |
| Launched | 20 December 1790 |
| Completed | February 1791 |
| Fate | Wrecked 25/26 October 1805 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Tonnant-class 80-gun ship of the line |
| Displacement | 1800 tonnes |
| Length | 59.3 m (194 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in) |
| Draught | 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 780 |
| Armament | 80 guns
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| Armour | Timber |
The Indomptable (meaning "Indomitable") was a powerful warship. It was an 80-gun ship of the line in the French Navy. This type of ship was designed to fight in a line of battle.
The Indomptable was part of the Tonnant series of ships. It was built starting in 1788 and began active service in 1791. The ship fought against the Royal Navy (Britain's navy) after 1794. It was damaged during the famous Battle of Trafalgar. Sadly, the Indomptable was wrecked near the Spanish city of Cadiz on October 25-26, 1805.
Contents
The Ship's Early Years
The Indomptable was designed by a naval engineer named Jacques-Noël Sané. Construction began in Brest, France, in September 1788. The ship was launched into the water on December 20, 1790. It was fully ready for service by February 1791.
First Battles and Campaigns
From 1793 to 1794, the Indomptable was commanded by Étienne Eustache Bruix. Its first battle was on May 29, 1794. It fought against two British ships, HMS Barfleur and HMS Orion. This battle was part of the Glorious First of June campaign. After the fight, the Indomptable was badly damaged. It had lost its masts and had to be towed back to Brest by another French ship, the Brutus.
In 1795, the ship sailed in the Mediterranean. It was under Admiral François Joseph Bouvet. The Indomptable took part in a plan to land troops in Ireland. This plan was led by General Louis Lazare Hoche.
In 1801, the ship was involved in a campaign in Egypt. However, it could not get past the English blockade. So, it stayed in Toulon, a French port. Other parts of the French fleet managed to reach Elba.
The Indomptable also fought in the Battle of Algeciras in 1801. It was heavily damaged again during this battle. In 1802 and 1803, the ship served in Toulon. It was under the command of Admiral Latouche Tréville.
The Trafalgar Campaign
On January 17, 1805, the Indomptable set sail with Admiral Villeneuve. Their fleet included ten other warships and eight frigates. On January 20, the fleet headed for the French Caribbean islands.
Near Cadiz, Spain, the fleet grew larger. It was joined by the 74-gun French ship Aigle. Six Spanish warships also joined them. These Spanish ships were led by Vice-Admiral Federico Gravina.
When the fleet reached the West Indies, Admiral Villeneuve sent Commodore Cosmao-Kerjulien. He took the French ship Pluton and the British ship Berwick (which the French had captured). Their mission was to attack the British position on Diamond Rock. The British there surrendered on June 2, 1805, after the Battle of Diamond Rock.
Villeneuve soon heard that British Admiral Horatio Nelson had arrived in the West Indies. So, Villeneuve decided to return to Europe.
Battles at Cape Finisterre and Trafalgar
On July 22, 1805, the Indomptable was involved in the Battle of Cape Finisterre. The lookouts on the Indomptable spotted the British fleet. This fleet was led by Sir Robert Calder. After a fierce exchange of cannon fire, the two fleets became separated by thick fog.
The French and Spanish fleet was tired after six months at sea. They anchored in Ferrol to rest and repair their ships. Later, they sailed to Cádiz. Admiral Villeneuve's command was being questioned. He wanted to meet the British fleet and win a big victory. So, he left Cádiz and met the British fleet near Cape Trafalgar.
The Indomptable was in the Spanish line of battle at Trafalgar. This famous battle began on October 21, 1805. The Indomptable was positioned between the Spanish ships San Justo and Santa Ana.
At the start of the battle, the Indomptable fought against Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood's ship, HMS Royal Sovereign. As the British ship HMS Belleisle passed, the Indomptable fired along its length. This caused a lot of damage. Later, the Indomptable fought against HMS Revenge, HMS Dreadnought, and HMS Thunderer. It lost its place in the battle line but managed to regroup behind the Spanish flagship, Principe de Asturias.
The Indomptable was downwind from the British ships. This meant it was too far away to fight effectively. So, it turned towards the bay of Cadiz. Around two in the morning on October 22, the crew heard calls for help. The French ship Bucentaure had hit a reef near Santa Catalina fort.
The Indomptables boats were sent to help the Bucentaure. The crew of the Bucentaure asked for an anchor and ropes to secure their ship. But this was not possible because the Bucentaure was sinking deeper onto the rocks. Instead, the Indomptables boats began to rescue sailors from the sinking ship. They brought them back to the Indomptable. Rescue efforts continued until the afternoon of October 23. By then, the Bucentaure was completely underwater.
The Ship's Wreck
On the night of October 25-26, a big storm hit. The storm broke the Indomptable's anchor chains. The ship was then carried onto rocks just offshore from Cadiz.
Reports from that time say there were between 1,000 and 1,400 people on board. This included about 500 sailors rescued from the Bucentaure. There were also two men from the British ship HMS Conqueror. These men had been on the Bucentaure as part of a prize crew.
Only about 150 men survived the shipwreck. Out of the twenty-four officers on board, only two survived.
