Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Action off Malize...

continued from the previous post .....

The newly arrived troops for the garrison are in the process of disembarking from the merchant ships hired to transport them
A French squadron bears down on Malize, commanded by the Duc de Pommefrites; ships: Florissant (flag ship), Tonnant, Gaillard and Hasardeux (three heavy 3rd rates and a common 3rd).
As the french ships approach, Commodore Burke leads the British squadron out to meet them; ships:  HMS Thunderer (flag ship), HMS Audacious, HMS Arrogant and HMS Prince Albert (three heavy 3rd rates and a common 3rd).
The two flags ships in sight of each other
The British ships alter course to try and cross the french battle line, but have to steer against the wind and don't make enough head-way. The Florissant bow rakes HMS Thunderer with a broadside as it passes ....
damaged by the bow rake Thunderer turns slowly with the wind and gets a broadside from the Tonnant leaving it disabled with many of its crew dead, half its port guns gone and its rigging shot away.  HMS Thunderer had returned fire but not caused significant damage to either french ship
As the french passed by they swapped broadsides with HMS Audacious which inflicted some damage on the french but came of much worse and lost most its crew, ports guns and rigging. HMS Thunderer and HMS Audacious start to drift on the wind. Captain Biedekker in HMS Prince Albert manages to get his ship between the two of them .
..... HMS Arrogant nears the french and starts to engage them...
The french broadsides hammer HMS Arrogant, she loses all her rigging and most of her starboard side batteries, unable to steer she starts to drift on the wind...the french sail on towards the port; HMS Prince Albert starts to turn about ....
the cumulative damage from british fire on the french ships now starts to tell; The Florissant unable to steer effectively runs aground on the rocks on the island in front of Malize, the Gaillard also with damaged rigging turns successfully to avoid the same fate as the Florissant; Tonnant and Hasardeux fire on the ships in the harbour....
One ship in the harbour is damaged and starts to list, Tonnant and Gaillard move on to attack the fort...
The Tonnant causes some damage to the fort guns but receives heavy damage form them and starts to move away, the Gaillard moves past her and starts to turn; meanwhile HMS Prince Albert sails towards Malize passing HMS Arrogant ...
HMS Prince Albert heads in to have a go at the french...exchanging broadsides at long rage with the Hasardeux
HMS Prince Albert then stern rakes the Tonnant while the Hasardeux heads away
The Tonnant is damaged badly and on fire
HMS Prince Albert closes in and finishes her off ....

---oXo---

After the French are out of sight, Captain Biedekker of the HMS Prince Albert writes a brief summary of the engagement..

Action off Malize 
- a French squadron attacked the port during disembarkation of the garrison troops ; Commodore Burke led us out against them.  After a hard fight heavy damage to our ships and many crew lost
    HMS Thunderer dismasted and drifting, Commodore Burke killed.
    HMS Audacious badly damaged and drifting 
    HMS Arrogant damaged and has run aground on a small islet - good chance it can be re-floated.
    HMS Prince Albert - light damage.
Damage was inflicted on the French -  One ship ran aground on the rocks, another sunk by gunfire from the fort and HMS Prince Albert. Two lightly damaged french ships left the area.
Will attempt to assist Thunderer and Audacious, with help from the merchant ships. Will remain on station off Malize...

A cutter was sent with this report to the naval HQ in Jumeida...

5 comments:

  1. Good heavens, quite a bloody encounter.

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  2. Good Lord. What a to do. What rules did you use?

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    1. We used Broadside & Cutlass, good for a fast play game. (downloaded from http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mcnelly/vb/ammendments/broadsideandcutlass.htm)

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  3. What a fine battle.... always enjoy playing a good naval game.

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  4. What carnage!

    At least Commodore Burke had the good sense to get KIA.
    Can you imagine the damage to his reputation if he had survived?

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