Action of 9 September 1796 | |||||||
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Part of the French Revolutionary Wars | |||||||
Map of East Indies. Site of battle marked in red |
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Belligerents | |||||||
France | Great Britain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Contre-amiral Pierre César Charles de Sercey | Captain Richard Lucas | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
frigates Prudente, Cybèle, Vertu, Régénérée, Forte and Seine | HMS Arrogant and HMS Victorious | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
42 killed, 104 wounded | 24 killed, 84 wounded |
Coordinates: 05°38′N 95°47′E / 5.633°N 95.783°E
The Action of 9 September 1796 was an inconclusive minor naval engagement between small French Navy and British Royal Navy squadrons off northeastern Sumatra, near Banda Aceh, during the French Revolutionary Wars. The French squadron comprised six frigates engaged on a commerce raiding operation against British trade routes passing through captured parts of the Dutch East Indies, and posed a considerable threat to the weakened British naval forces in the region. The British force consisted of two 74-gun ships of the line hastily paired to oppose the eastward advance of the French squadron.
The French squadron, commanded by Contre-amiral Pierre César Charles de Sercey, had left their base on Île de France in July, cruising off Ceylon and Tranquebar before sailing eastwards. Their movements had so far been unopposed as British forces in the East Indies were concentrated at Simon's Town in the west and Malacca in the east. After raiding the shipping at Banda Aceh on 1 September the squadron sailed eastwards to attack Penang. On 8 September, while the French were removing supplies from a captured British merchant ship east of Banda Aceh, two large sails were spotted. These were HMS Arrogant and HMS Victorious, sent to drive off the French before they could attack the scattered British shipping and ports in the region.