Action of 5 September 1782

Action of 5 September 1782
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date 5 September 1782 Location 135 leagues East of Long Island Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
France	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Latouche Vallongue
Strength
2 frigates: Aigle Gloire	74-gun HMS Hector
Casualties and losses
	nine men killed and 33 wounded

The Action of 5 September 1782 took place during the American War of Independence between two French Navy frigates, Aigle and Gloire, and a lone British 74-gun ship of the line HMS Hector. In a two-day battle, the two frigates severely damaged Hector and only failed to captured her when a British squadron appeared on the horizon. The French withdrew but Hector foundered a few days later after the 1782 Central Atlantic hurricane.

The Franco-American alliance in the American War of Independence, resulted in France providing a considerable contribution to the naval operations in the American Revolutionary War. France and Britain fought to control shipping lanes and supply their side on the American continent, while conducting support operations and landings. In consequence, both sides often used warships as transports to ferry ammunition and other supplies, troops, funds, and officials; these might only be armed en flûte, depending on their cargo.

In April 1782, a joint Franco-Spanish fleet under Comte de Grasse attempted an invasion of Jamaica. The fleet met a British fleet under Sir George Rodney, who defeated then in the ensuing Battle of the Saintes. The British captured a number of ships and in the summer, a convoy under Rear-admiral Graves, on the 74-gun HMS Ramillies, with the 74-gun ships HMS Canada and HMS Centaur, and the 36-gun frigate HMS Pallas, escorted the prizes Ville de Paris, Glorieux, Hector and Ardent on the journey back to England. In early September, Hector sailed to Halifax with her prize crew.

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