Action of 22 October 1793
Minor naval engagement during the French Revolutionary Wars / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Action of 22 October 1793?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The action of 22 October 1793 was a minor naval engagement fought in the Mediterranean Sea during the War of the First Coalition, early in the French Revolutionary Wars. During the engagement a lone British Royal Navy ship of the line, the 64-gun HMS Agamemnon, attacked the French Navy large frigate Melpomène, part of a larger squadron, off the coast of Sardinia. Although Agamemnon chased Melpomène some distance through the night and inflicted significant damage, the French frigate was able to escape following the arrival of the rest of its squadron under Commodore Jean-Baptiste Perrée. The French ships later anchored in Corsican harbours to land reinforcements for the French garrison on the island, where the population was in open revolt.
Action of 22 October 1793 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars | |||||||
Agamemnon engaging four French frigates and a brig near Sardinia, Nicholas Pocock | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Great Britain | France | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Horatio Nelson | Jean-Baptiste Perrée | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1 ship of the line |
4 frigates 1 brig | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 killed 6 wounded |
24 killed 50 wounded |
The engagement is notable for being the first action of the war fought by Captain Horatio Nelson, then a junior captain in the Mediterranean Fleet. Nelson would go on to lead naval shore parties in the Invasion of Corsica the following year, during which the entire French squadron was captured or destroyed. He later achieved notable successes in a number of crucial battles during the war and is remembered as one of Britain's greatest military heroes.