Glorious First of June
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The naval battle on 13 Prairial between the French Revolution and fleet of the Royal Navy took place on June 1, 1794. It is used by the British as the " Glorious June 1 " (English: Glorious First of June ) called. The French referred to the battle for the Republican Calendar, since the battle on the 13th day of the month Glorious First held ( the "Meadow month ").
Background
Due to the food shortage in France, the French Government in the United States bought large quantities of grain. The object of the British ' Channel Fleet " ( Channel Fleet ) with 26 ships of the line under Admiral Richard Earl Howe was to trap the from the Chesapeake Bay ( North America ) coming French convoy with over 100 cargo ships and destroy them. The French Admiral Villaret de Joyeuse should accompany with its fleet of 26 ships of the line also receive and secure the convoy west of Ushant to Brest. On board his flagship was Jeanbon St. André, who should enforce the priority of the food supply.
Prehistory
Already on May 28 it was between the British battleships, HMS Bellerophon (74 guns), HMS Russell ( 74), HMS Marlborough (74) and HMS Thunderer (74 ) and the French three-decker Revolutionnaire (114 ) to a fight. The French ship was so badly damaged that it was sent to the home port.
On May 29, the two fleets were compared in line of battle. Howe ordered the break through the French line. But the command was only a few of his ships to follow, since the British were in Leestellung. Still doing some French Line ships were badly damaged, and the French broke off the fight. The Indomptable (80 ) had to be towed to Brest.
On 30 and 31 May fog prevented the continuation of the struggle. Villaret lured the British ships behind him, while the convoy passed the unseen scene of fighting the previous day. The French were able to replace their losses by ships of the convoy protection. On the evening of 31 May, the two fleets came in sight again close, but Howe avoided a night battle.
The Battle
On the morning of June 1, both fleets clashed again in line of battle on the West Course. British ships - this time in Luvstellung - broke through the French line. In fierce close-quarters fighting both fleets suffered heavy losses. Villaret succeeded after several hours of duel his flagship Montagne with the Queen Charlotte, the flagship Howes, to escape the battle. He was able to collect a portion of its new ships and again form a line of battle. However, eight French ships of the line were cut off from the majority and had to cancel the flag. One of them could recapture later the French. The Vengeur du Peuple was so badly damaged after a four-hour battle with the Brunswick that she finally sank. In the early afternoon Villaret finally broke off the fight and retreated to Brest. Some entmastete ships he had to take in tow. Eight British ships were severely damaged, including the Marlborough and Defence dismasted, why Howe refrained from a persecution of the French. It took him several days to secure the conquered ships.
On board the Tremendous gave birth to Mrs. Daniel Mackenzie a boy, Daniel " Tremendous " Mackenzie, the later the Naval General Service Medal was awarded in recognition of his presence during the battle ( with the category ' baby ').
Conclusion
With six ships of the line captured Howe could claim a tactical victory in the battle for themselves; strategically were the French to bring their destination, the transport of grain by the blockade, but reach.
In the course of the battle showed that the fleet of revolutionary France, was weakened by the purges of the officer corps and the opposite of the new government disloyal attitude of the remaining, mostly aristocratic officers of the British fleet inferior tactically and from schooling ago.