French Wars Battles

Question 1

when was the Glorious First of June

Answer 1

1794

Question 2

what was the British Strength and admiral of the Glorious First of June

Answer 2

25 ships of the line under Admiral Howe

Question 3

what was the reason of battle at the Glorious first of June

Answer 3

Admiral Lord Howe’s fleet engaged a French fleet that was escorting merchant sips carrying grain from the USA to revolutionary France. At this point the monarchy in France had been overthrown but Britain, a monarchy itself, wanted to protect the monarchic system and stop the revolution by stopping food getting to revolutionary France in the hope that if the food didn’t arrive it would run out of steam or a famine would take place ending it completely.

Question 4

what was the outcome of the battle of the Glorious first of June

Answer 4

• Britain lost 1200 men
• Britain captured 6 prizes and sank 1 ship
• tactical victory as they damaged the French Fleet
• strategic loss as the merchant ships still reached Brest
• given glorious title because Britain hadn’t won anything or had positive militia news for the best part of 50 years after losing the American revolutionary wars

Question 5

what was the opposing strength and admiral of the French at the Glorious First of June

Answer 5

• 26 ships of the line

- Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse

Question 6

when was the battle of Cape St Vincent

Answer 6

14th February 1797

Question 7

what was the British strength and admiral at the battle of Cape St Vincent

Answer 7

John Jervis was the admiral despite Nelson leading the battle after disobeying orders

Britain had 15 ships of the line
nelson in command of the HMS captain a 3rd rate ship with around 60 guns

Question 8

what was the strength and admiral of the opposing side at the Battle of Cape St Vincent

Answer 8

Spanish
Admiral Don Jose de Cordova
24 ships of the line including the Santissima Trinidad

Question 9

what was the reason for battle at Cape St Vincent

Answer 9

the British were blockading the Spanish fleet off the Coast of Cape St Vincent so they were unable to go anywhere. However, nelson, at the back of the line that blockaded the Spanish fleet, essentially got bored of waiting. He gave an inspiring speech and after getting two other ships on board he broke rank and sailed towards the Spanish fleet to engage them in battle putting his crew, himself and the whole operation at risk.

Question 10

what was the outcome of the battle of Cape St Vincent

Answer 10

nelson and the accompanying ships damaged the Santisima Trinidad to the extent where it had to sail away causing anarchy in the Spanish fleet who were shocked that their pride flagship had been damaged by these small British ships and with someone largely unheard of in command

Huge blow to Spanish fleet, embarrassing and demonstrated how strong the navy truly was even when outnumbered and against the best ship in the world, Britain could triumph

Britain lost 300 men
Spain lost 800 killed or wounded and 3000 were captured

massively boosted the naval prowess of Britain

Question 11

how many guns did the Santissima Trinidad boast

Answer 11

130

Question 12

when was the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Answer 12

22nd June - 5th July 1797

Question 13

what was the strength of the British at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Answer 13

3 ships of the line 
1 fourth rate 
3 frigates 
1 cutter 
1 bomb vessel 

under command of Admiral John Jervis

Question 14

what was the strength and admiral of the opposition at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Answer 14

the Spanish had 91 guns

under command of Antonio Gutierrez de Otero and Santayana

Question 15

what was the reason for battle at Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Answer 15

despite defeating Spanish at Cape St Vincent, Britain had failed to strike a solid blow, Jervis was frustrated at escape of Santissima Trinidad
new order - British attempt to subdue and blockade the Spanish port of Cadiz where battered Spanish fleet had sought shelter and they were confident they were guaranteed a successful attack

Jervis’ ships besieged Cadiz but repelled by unexpected Spanish resistance - Vice Admiral Mazarredo organized small gunboats to savage Jervis’ heavy ships of the line at night

Britain lost their grip over the blockade allowing several merchant convoys to slip in and out of the port
mutiny spread across the British crew angered by their long time at sea without results

april - Jervis shifted gaze to Tenerife and arriving treasure convoys

Admiral sent 2 frigates which caught 2 Franco-Spanish vessels in a night time raid
encouraged by success he dispatched land troop under Nelson - amphibious attack - encouraged by his success at Cape St Vincent

Question 16

what was the outcome of the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Answer 16

• huge loss for Britain and Nelson
• Nelson realises he isn’t invincible
• looses his arm
• huge reality check but the events grounded nelson and made him more fully rounded person
• Britain 250 dead
• 128 wounded
• 300 captured
• 1 cutter sank
• Spanish lost 30 men
• 40 wounded

Question 17

when was the battle of the Nile

Answer 17

1st - 2nd August 1798

Question 18

what was the British strength and admiral at the battle of the Nile

Answer 18

14 ships of the line

Admiral John Jervis

Question 19

what was the strength of the opposing force at the battle of the Nile

Answer 19

France
13 ships of the line
Admiral Napoleon Bonaparte

Question 20

what was the reason for the battle of the Nile

Answer 20

• at this time, Napoleon not emperor of France but in charge of forces
• expanding French control into Northern Africa capturing Egypt and more
• Britain wanted to stop this - had been looking for French for months
• Britain caught up to France at Egypt
• nelson hugely controversial and attacked anchored French fleet who had their sails unfurled and at night
• flout traditional warfare conventions
• he seized the opportunity he saw and did what needed to be done to triumph over the French fleet
• split his fleet either side and destroyed the French fleet

Question 21

what was the outcome of the battle of the Nile

Answer 21

• unanimous victory for Britain - every French ship captured or destroyed
• Britain destroyed 2 ships of the line, sank 2, captured 9
• Britain lost 218 men
• 600 wounded
• France lost 2-5000 men killed or wounded
• 3-4000 captured
• ST impact meant Britain had bought themselves some time by slowing Napoleon down leaving him stranded in Egypt
• LT impact saw increase in prestige for Britain and Nelson and they had strengthened their fleet - a lost ship for France meant one more for Britain
• France now had to spend valuable time and money on regaining the strength of their fleet

Question 22

when was the battle of Copenhagen

Answer 22

2nd April 1801

Question 23

what was the British strength and admiral of the battle of Copenhagen

Answer 23

• 12 ships of the line

- Admiral John Jervis

Question 24

what was the strength and admiral of the opposing force at the battle of Copenhagen

Answer 24

• Danish
• 9 ships of the line/captains
• 11 slooths
• 17 frigates/cutters
• Admiral Hyde Parker

Question 25

what was the reason for the battle of Copenhagen

Answer 25

• Despite Denmark been a neutral country, Napoleon had made it clear he wanted Danish fleet to join the French
• Britain feared the strength of the French combined with the highly reputable Danish fleet that boasted good ships and a strong crew
• Thus, Britain launched a pre-emptive stroke to take away the threat of the Danish fleet joining the French
• Nelson’s orders were simply to blockade the Danish fleet and not engage due to the neutral stance of Denmark
• he disregarded orders, reused to withdraw and engaged the Danish fleet at anchor in the tight port of Copenhagen

Question 26

what was the outcome of the battle of Copenhagen

Answer 26

• nelson was successful in damaging the Danish fleet and ensured it was unfit to be subsumed into the French fleet
• flout traditional naval convention
• Britain sank two ships of the line and captured twelve others
• However, Britain didn’t have enough men to sail all of the captured ships back to Britain and ended up destroying them
• Danish fleet destroyed
• Britain lost 1200 men
• ST success Danish needed to rebuild fleet costing time and money
• ST nelson awarded peerage (Lord title) for his action
• LT success for Britain as had Nelson not taken such action, the French fleet could have increased which would have been detrimental for the British later down the line at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805

Question 27

when was the battle of Trafalgar

Answer 27

21st October 1805

Question 28

what was the British strength and admiral at the battle of Trafalgar

Answer 28

• Horatio Nelson - North Weather Column - HMS Victory
• Cuthbert Collingwood - Southern Lead Column - Royal Soverign
• 27 ships of the line as well as 4 frigates, 1 schooner and 1 cutter

Question 29

what was the opposing strength and admiral of the battle of Trafalgar

Answer 29

• Franco Spanish
• French - Pierre Villeneuve
• Spanish - Federico Gravina
• 33 ships of the line, 5 frigates and 2 brigs

Question 30

what was the reason for the battle of Trafalgar

Answer 30

• Napoleon planned to invade Britain but could not do so if Nelson was there to protect the country
• he planned to lose Nelson in Caribbean, then return to North Atlantic to destroy British home fleet
• allow Napoleons invasion force to cross channel
• But Villeneuve delayed leaving as storm
• Nelson realised he was at French port
• Villeneuve left for Toulon narrowly escaping trap laid by Nelson - sailed for West Indies uniting with Spanish at Cadiz
• Britain understood genuine invasion threat - bolstered their ships in the channel despite letting Nelson pursue the chase
• after being held back by contrary winds, Nelson arrived in West Indies but misled by false intelligence narrowly missed Villeneuve who began to sail for Bay of Biscay
• admiralty detached ships from the Chanel fleet led by Calder to meet him off Cape Finisterre
• battle of Cape Finisterre Villeneuve had to withdraw/retreat push further from France to Spain late allowing Nelson to trap them at Trafalgar resulting in Napoleon abandoning his invasion attempt
• Napoleon ordered Villeneuve to sail to the Mediterranean to attack Naples and upon heading South Nelson engaged the fleet at Cape Trafalgar in South West Spain

Question 31

what was the outcome of the battle of Trafalgar

Answer 31

• Britain lost 458 men
• 1208 wounded
• didn’t lose a single ship
• captured 18 enemy ships
• Nelson shot dead
• Franco Spanish lost 4395 men
• 2541 wounded
• 7-8000 men captured
• 18 ships of the line captured
• 1 destroyed
• Britain couldn’t be invaded as Franco-Spanish didn’t have enough ships/supplies
• if Britain lost we wouldn’t have been able to get Wellington and army to Portugal as no fleet or invasion
• Britain became key maritime power
• naval hegemony
• mass control of trade routes gained
• French couldn’t interfere with British trade although did close many European ports to Britain