French frigate Galathée (1779)

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Galathée.
Galathée, drawn in 1781 by François Aimé Louis Dumoulin
History
French Navy Ensign French Navy Ensign French Navy EnsignFrance
NameGalathée
NamesakeGalatea
BuilderRochefort [1]
Laid downJanuary 1778 [1]
Launched28 June 1779 [1]
FateRan aground 1795 [1]
General characteristics
Class and typeGalathée class frigate
Tons burthen600 tonnes
Length44.5 m (146 ft)
Beam12.2 m (40 ft)
Depth of hold5.5 m (18 ft)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament32 guns, later upgraded to 44

Galathée (or Galatée) [1][2] was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.

Career

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In February 1780, Galathée escorted convoys in the Bay of Biscay, along with Hermione.[2]

Galathée took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, taking part in the capture of Sint Eustatius and to the Battle of the Saintes. [1] [3]

In the summer of 1791, under Major de vaisseau Joseph de Cambis, she ferried French national commissioners to Saint-Domingue.[4] In March 1792, in support of one of these commissioners, Edmond de Saint-Léger, Galathée shelled the forces of Romaine-la-Prophétesse which were attacking Léogâne.[5]

During the French Revolution, she took part in the Combat du 13 prairial, where she took Terrible in tow, under fire, preventing her capture by the British. [1]

On 14 July 1794 she and Seine captured the 16-gun sloop-of-war HMS Hound in the Atlantic.[6] [1]

In the night of 23 to 24 April 1795, Galathée ran aground off Penmarch, becoming a total loss. [1]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Roche (2005), p. 219.
  2. ^ a b Monaque (2000), p. 35.
  3. ^ Troude (1867), p. 141.
  4. ^ Fonds Marine, vol.1, p.29
  5. ^ Rey, Terry (2017). The Priest and the Prophetess: Abbé Ouvière, Romaine Rivière, and the Revolutionary Atlantic World. Oxford University Press. pp. 153–155. ISBN 978-0190625849.
  6. ^ Grocott (1997), p.8.

References

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  • Archives de France (2000). Fonds marine campagnes : opérations, divisions et stations navales, missions diverses : inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB⁴. Centre historique des Archives nationales. ISBN 978-2860002653.
  • Monaque, Rémi (2000). Les aventures de Louis-René de Latouche-Tréville, compagnon de La Fayette et commandant de l'Hermione (in French). Paris: SPM.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6.
  • Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 2. Challamel ainé.
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