French ship Vengeur du Peuple

The "Vengeur du Peuple" ("Avenger of the People") was a 74 gun ship of the line of the French Navy launched in 1762.

Originally offered by the city of Marseilles, and named the "Marseillois" ("from Marseilles"), she saw action during the American War of Independence. In 1778 she fought a single-ship action with HMS "Preston", and in 1779 was with Admiral d'Estaing at the capture of Grenada. In 1781 she was at the battle of the Chesapeake with Admiral de Grasse, where she battled against HMS "Intrepid".

Re-named in 1794 by the French Republic, the "Vengeur" was part of the French fleet, under Admiral Villaret de Joyeuse, which fought the Third Battle of Ushant. In that action she engaged in an epic four-hour duel with HMS "Brunswick". With two masts down and one-third of her crew out of action, and with severe damage below the waterline, the "Vengeur" sank. 277 men [ [http://www.herodote.net/histoire/evenement.php?jour=17940601 1er juin 1794: "Le Vengeur" livre son dernier combat] ] , including her commanding officer, captain Renaudin, were saved by the British (HMS "Alfred" rescued about 100 men; HMS "Rattler", about 40; and HMS "Culloden", 127, including Renaudin).

The legend

The incident gave rise to the legend, first reported to the National Convention, that the ship sank with her crew who chose to go down with the ship rather than surrender, shouting "long live the fatherland, long live the republic". The nation was inflamed, and the poet Andre Chenier composed a eulogy to commemorate the event. In fact close to 400 officers and men [Mahan p212] ,were rescued by the enemy, and were released some months later. The rescue is depicted in "Lord Howe's action, or the Glorious First of June", Loutherbourg's canvas of the battle.

The legend has persisted, however, and Jules Verne reported the incident with its revolutionary slant, and the ship's early history, in his book "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea".

Notes

References

*"The Influence of Sea-Power upon History 1660-1805", A H Mahan. ISBN 0 60034162 3
*"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea", Jules Verne. ISBN 0 19 282839 8

External links

* [http://www.herodote.net/histoire/evenement.php?jour=17940601 Le Vengeur livre son dernier combat]