Order of battle in the Biscay campaign of June 1795 facts for kids

Cornwallis's Retreat, June 17, 1795, Thomas Luny

The Biscay campaign in June 1795 was a series of naval moves and two battles. These fights happened between the British Channel Fleet and the French Atlantic Fleet. They took place off the coast of Brittany in the Bay of Biscay during the French Revolutionary Wars.

In May 1795, a group of six British warships, called ships of the line, was sent out. Vice-Admiral William Cornwallis led this group. Their job was to keep watch on the French port of Brest. This was where the main French fleet was based.

On June 8, Cornwallis found a group of merchant ships. These ships were traveling from Bordeaux to Brest. A small French fleet, led by Contre-amiral Jean Gaspard Vence, was protecting them. Cornwallis attacked the merchant ships. Vence's ships retreated to safety near the island of Belle Île. Cornwallis captured eight of the merchant ships. As he sent his captured ships back to Britain, the main French fleet from Brest set sail. Vice-amiral Villaret de Joyeuse led this larger fleet. He wanted to protect Vence's remaining ships.

The Biscay Campaign: A Naval Showdown

Cornwallis's Daring Retreat

On June 16, Cornwallis's ships met Villaret's large fleet. Vence's ships had also joined them. They met near Penmarck Point. Cornwallis had made a mistake. He misunderstood signals from Captain Robert Stopford on the scouting ship HMS Phaeton. This made Cornwallis sail too close to the much larger French fleet.

When he realized his error, the British admiral quickly turned his ships west. They sailed away from the French coast. Villaret's French fleet chased them. Light winds and ships that were not loaded well slowed Cornwallis's escape.

On June 17, the leading French ships caught up with the last British ships. All day, the French and British ships fired at each other. By late afternoon, the last British ship, HMS Mars, was in great danger. Cornwallis acted fast. He moved his huge 100-gun flagship, HMS Royal Sovereign, between the two forces. The powerful cannons of his flagship pushed the French back. Soon after, Villaret called his ships away. He saw sails on the horizon and thought it was the rest of the British Channel Fleet. But it was actually just a group of British merchant ships. This battle is known in British history as Cornwallis's Retreat.

The Battle of Groix

Villaret's fleet headed back towards Brest. But a storm on June 18 pushed them south. Neither Cornwallis nor Villaret knew that the main British Channel Fleet was already at sea. This fleet was protecting a special force. This force was carrying a French Royalist army. This army planned to invade Quiberon. Commodore Sir John Borlase Warren commanded this convoy.

On June 22, Warren's scout ships spotted the French fleet. They were off the island of Groix. Warren took his convoy further out to sea, away from the French. The French did not chase them. Warren sent a message to Admiral Bridport. Bridport then placed his fleet between the French and the invasion force. Villaret's fleet fell back towards a safe harbor between Groix and the port of Lorient.

Light winds slowed both fleets. But on the morning of June 23, Bridport's leading ships caught up with the last French ships. Villaret tried to retreat while fighting. But some of his captains did not follow his orders. This made the retreat messy. Three French ships were captured. The rest of the French ships scattered along the nearby coast. Bridport could have attacked again and perhaps destroyed the entire French fleet. But he was worried his ships might get damaged. So, he unexpectedly pulled back. This battle is known as the Battle of Groix.

What Happened Next?

The campaign was a big win for the British. The rest of the French fleet had to hide in Lorient. They could not sail again until 1796. The special invasion force landed safely in Quiberon. However, that operation ended badly. Warren had to rescue the remaining soldiers a month later.

Bridport stayed with his fleet off the Breton Coast until September. Then, he handed over command to Rear-Admiral Henry Harvey. The battles were talked about a lot in both countries. British people said Bridport missed a great chance to completely destroy the French fleet. In France, there were special trials for officers who did not obey orders. Two officers were removed from the French Navy.

British Fleet Details

Here are the British ships that took part in the campaign. Remember that carronades (a type of cannon) were not always counted when figuring out a ship's size. So, these ships might have had more guns than listed.

Cornwallis's Squadron

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Bridport's Fleet

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Quiberon Expeditionary Force

This group of ships was protecting the army meant to invade Quiberon.

French Fleet Details

Here are the French ships that took part in the campaign. Officers who died in battle are marked with a   † symbol. Like the British ships, carronades were not always counted when figuring out a ship's size.

•       Ships in this color were captured during the Battle of Groix, June 23, 1795