- French ship Droits de l'Homme (1794)
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Fight of the Droits de l'Homme, by Léopold Le GuenCareer (France) 
Namesake: La Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du citoyen Builder: Port-Liberté (now Lorient) Launched: 10 Prairial de l'An II (29 May 1794) Fate: beached 1797 General characteristics Class and type: Téméraire class ship of the line Displacement: 2900 tonnes Length: 55.87 metres (172 French feet) Beam: 14.90 metres (44' 6) Draught: 7,26 metres (22 French feet) Propulsion: Up to 2485 m² of sails Complement: 3 officers + 690 men Armament: 74 guns:
- 28 x 36 pdr (16 kg)
- 30 x 24 pdr (11 kg)
- 16 x 8 pdr (3.6 kg)
- 4 x 36 pdr (16 kg) carronades
The Droits de l'Homme ("Rights of Man") was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy during the French Revolution.
The Droits de l'Homme, was involved in the Action of 6 November 1794, chasing the British 74s Canada and Alexander. Droits de l'Homme caught up with Alexander first, but was forced out of action with damage to her rigging, but Alexander was soon caught by Jean Bart and Marat and captured.
Droits de l'Homme under capitaine de vaisseau Raymond de Lacrosse, took part in the invasion attempt against Ireland, carrying 549 soldiers. On their way, the fleet was dispersed by tempests. The Droits de l'Homme arrived at Bantry Bay and cruised off the coast, capturing the brigs Cumberland and Calypso. She stayed there for eight days to ascertain that no French ship was in distress on the coast, and departed for Britanny.
Droits de l'Homme was lightly involved in Battle of Groix, on 22 June, 1795, firing few if any shots during the battle.
On the 25 Nivôse An V in the Action of 13 January 1797, off Penmarch, the Droits de l'Homme met the British frigates HMS Indefatigable (44), under Sir Edward Pellew, and HMS Amazon (36). The sea was rough, preventing the Droits de l'Homme from using her lower deck batteries and from boarding the British. Lacrosse was wounded; he gave command of the ship to his second officer, Prévost de Lacroix, and had his crew swear not to strike their colours[1].
After 13 hours of combat, running out of ammunition, the British broke contact when the Indefatigable sighted land ahead. The Indefatigable, despite having damage to her masts and rigging, managed to beat off the lee shore and escape Penmarch reefs; the Amazon ran aground and was destroyed near Plozévet, and her crew captured. The Droits de l'Homme, having lost her rudder, masts and anchors, ran aground off Plozévet[2].
Some of the crew were rescued by the ship's boats and fishing boats from nearby villages, but the rescue was interrupted for five days by the storm; 60 men died for lack of food and water. General Jean-Amable Humbert, who was commanding the soldiers aboard, narrowly escaped drowning, and between 250 and 390 men died in the wreck. Captain Lacrosse was last to leave the ship.
Droits de l'Homme wrecked
References
- ^ Parkinson, C. Northcote (1934) Edward Pellew, Viscount Exmouth, Admiral of the Red. London: Methuen & Co., pp. 175-78
- ^ Parkinson, C. Northcote (1934) Edward Pellew, Viscount Exmouth, Admiral of the Red. London: Methuen & Co., pp. 179-80
External links
Categories:- French Navy ships of the line
- Téméraire class ships of the line
- Shipwrecks of the Biscay coast
- 1790s ships
- Maritime incidents in 1797
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