Battles of Barfleur and La Hougue

Battle of Barfleur–La Hougue
Part of the Nine Years' War
The Battle of Barfleur, 29 May 1692 by Richard Paton, painted 18th century.
Date 29 May – 4 June(NS)(19–24 May OS), 1692 Location near Cherbourg Peninsula, France Result Barfleur: tactically indecisive, Anglo-Dutch strategic victory Cherbourg: La Hogue, allied victory
Belligerents
France	England  Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Anne Hilarion de Tourville	Edward Russell Philips van Almonde
Strength
44 ships of the line 30–40 lesser ships plus auxiliaries	82 ships of the line 40 lesser ships plus auxiliaries
Casualties and losses
Barfleur: no ships lost many damaged 1,700 dead or wounded Cherbourg: 3 ships burned La Hogue: 12 ships burned	Barfleur: no ships lost many damaged 2,000 dead, 3,000 wounded Cherbourg: minor casualties La Hogue: minor casualties

Barfleur: no ships lost
many damaged
1,700 dead or wounded

Barfleur: no ships lost
many damaged
2,000 dead,
3,000 wounded

The related naval battles of Barfleur and La Hogue took place between 29 May and 4 June New Style (NS), 1692 (19–24 May in the Old Style (OS) Julian calendar then in use in England). The first action took place near Barfleur; later actions were at Cherbourg and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue in the Cotentin peninsula, Normandy, France. It was the decisive naval battle of the Nine Years' War, known to the British as the War of the English Succession.

In May 1692 the French fleet of 44 ships of the line under the command of Admiral Anne Hilarion de Costentin, Comte de Tourville (by virtue of his title, widely known in English sources as "Tourville"), was preparing to transport an invading army of Franco-Irish troops to restore James II to the English throne. Despite Tourville being in command of the fleet, strategic decisions were to be taken by James II, François d'Usson de Bonrepaus and Bernardin Gigault de Bellefonds. The French victory at the Battle of Beachy Head two years earlier, in June 1690, had opened up the possibility of destroying the allied fleet and landing an invading army. Tourville boldly engaged the 82-vessel Anglo-Dutch fleet at Barfleur. After a fierce but indecisive clash that left many ships on both sides damaged, Tourville disengaged. He slipped off into light fog and for several days tried to escape the superior forces. The French fleet was scattered, and fifteen were lost–three at Cherbourg and a further twelve at La Hougue. The threat of invasion of England was lifted.

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