Battle of Vizagapatam

Defence of the Centurion in Vizagapatam Road, Septr. 15th 1804, Engraving by Thomas Sutherland after a painting by Sir James Lind

Date	15 September 1804
Location	Entrance to Vizagapatam harbour, Indian coast of the Bay of Bengal
Result	French victory

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Strength

fourth rate HMS Centurion, East Indiamen Barnaby and Princess Charlotte. Support from shore batteries.

Casualties and losses

5 killed, 6 wounded

1 killed, 9 wounded, Barnaby destroyed and Princess Charlotte captured

Coordinates: 17°41′N 83°19′E / 17.683°N 83.317°E / 17.683; 83.317 The Battle of Vizagapatam was a minor naval engagement fought in the approaches to Vizagapatam harbour in the Coastal Andhra region of British India on the Bay of Bengal on 15 September 1804 during the Napoleonic Wars. A French squadron under Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois in the ship of the line Marengo attacked the British Royal Navy fourth rate ship HMS Centurion and two East Indiaman merchant ships anchored in the harbour roads. Linois was engaged in an extended raiding campaign, which had already involved operations in the South China Sea, in the Mozambique Channel, off Ceylon and along the Indian coast of the Bay of Bengal. The French squadron had fought one notable engagement, at the Battle of Pulo Aura on 15 February 1804, in which Linois had attacked the Honourable East India Company's (HEIC) China Fleet, a large convoy of well-armed merchant ships carrying cargo worth £8 million. Linois failed to press the attack and withdrew with the convoy at his mercy, invoking the anger of Napoleon when the news reached France.