Battle of Barfleur

Date	19 May (OS) (29 May (NS)), 1692
Location	near Cherbourg Peninsula, France
Result	tactically indecisive, Anglo-Dutch strategic victory

Belligerents

France

England

United Provinces

Commanders and leaders

Anne Hilarion de Tourville

Edward Russell

Strength

44 ships of the line
plus auxiliaries

82 ships of the line
plus auxiliaries

Casualties and losses

no ships lost;
many damaged
1,700 dead or wounded

no ships lost;
many damaged
2,000 dead,
3,000 wounded

This article deals in detail with the action on 19 May 1692. For an overview of the battle, its background and aftermath, see Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue

The action at Barfleur was part of the battle of Barfleur-La Hogue during the War of the Grand Alliance. A French fleet under Anne Hilarion de Tourville was seeking to cover an invasion of England by a French army to restore James II to the throne, but was intercepted by an Anglo-Dutch fleet under Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford on 19 May Old Style (29 May New Style) 1692.

The fleets sighted each other at first light on the morning of 19 May 1692 off Cap Barfleur on the Cotentin peninsula.

On sighting the allied fleet, at about 6am, Tourville held a council of war with his captains; the advice, and his own opinion, was against action; however, Tourville felt compelled by strict orders from the king to engage. He also may have expected defections from the English fleet by captains with Jacobite sympathies, though in this he was to be disappointed.

In the light south-westerly breeze the fleets slowly closed, Russell from the north east, Tourville, with the weather gage, from the south west, on a starboard tack to bring his line of battle into contact with Russell’s. Because of the calm conditions it was not until 11am, 5 hours after first sighting each other, that the two fleets were within range of each other.

The French line was led by the Blue-and-White squadron, 14 ships of the line in three divisions under the flag officers Nesmond, d,Amfreville and Relingue. They were matched by the Dutch White squadron of 26 ships under Almonde, again in three divisions under van der Putte, Gilles Schey and Callenburgh.

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