French ship Hercule (1778)

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Combat du Scipion conte le London-Rossel de Cercy mg 5095c.jpg
Scipion (third from right), Hercule's sister ship, raking HMS London during the action of 18 October 1782
History
Flag of the Kingdom of France (1814-1830).svg France
NameHercule
Launched5 October 1778
Honours &
awards
FateBroken up 1799
General characteristics
Class & type Scipion class
Tons burthen1500 tonnes
Length53.8 m (176 ft 6 in)
Beam14.1 m (46 ft 3 in)
Draught7.3 m (24 ft)
PropulsionSails
Armament74 to 78 guns of various weights of shot

Hercule was a Scipion-class 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort.

In 1781, under Captain Turpin du Breuil, Hercule was in the Blue squadron of the fleet under François Joseph Paul de Grasse. [1] [2] She took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781, [3] and in the subsequent Siege of Yorktown.

It was commanded by Captain Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie in the Battle of the Saintes.

Hercule was razéed in 1794. In May 1795, she was renamed to Hydre.

She was eventually broken up in 1799.

Citations

  1. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 649.
  2. Troude (1867), p. 100.
  3. Troude (1867), p. 107.

References