Action of 13 March 1806

Action of 13 March 1806
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
The London Man of War capturing the Marengo Admiral Linois, 13 March 1806, Contemporary engraving by "W. C I"
Date 13 March 1806 Location Atlantic Ocean, over 320 nautical miles (590 km) west of the Canary Islands Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Rear-Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren	Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois  (POW)
Strength
ships of the line HMS London and frigate HMS Amazon. Six other ships of the line lightly engaged or within sight.	ship of the line Marengo and frigate Belle Poule.
Casualties and losses
13 killed, 27 wounded	69 killed, 106 wounded, Marengo and Belle Poule captured

Coordinates: 26°16′N 29°25′W / 26.267°N 29.417°W / 26.267; -29.417

The Action of 13 March 1806 was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought when a British and a French squadron met unexpectedly in the mid-Atlantic. Neither force was aware of the presence of the other prior to the encounter and were participating in separate campaigns. The British squadron consisted of seven ships of the line accompanied by associated frigates, led by Rear-Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, were tasked with hunting down and destroying the French squadron of Contre-Admiral Jean-Baptiste Willaumez, which had departed Brest for raiding operations in the South Atlantic in December 1805, at the start of the Atlantic campaign of 1806. The French force consisted of one ship of the line and one frigate, all that remained of Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois' squadron that had sailed for the Indian Ocean in March 1803 during the Peace of Amiens. Linois raided British shipping lanes and harbours across the region, achieving limited success against undefended merchant ships but repeatedly withdrawing in the face of determined opposition, most notably at the Battle of Pulo Aura in February 1804. With his stores almost exhausted and the French ports east of the Cape of Good Hope that could have offered him replenishment eliminated, Linois decided to return to France in January 1806, and by March was inadvertently sailing across the cruising ground of Warren's squadron.

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