French frigate Loire (1796)
Capture of Loire
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| History | |
|---|---|
 France
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| Name: | Loire |
| Builder: | Nantes |
| Laid down: | April 1794 |
| Launched: | 23 March 1796 |
| In service: | December 1797 |
| Captured: | 18 October 1798 |
 United Kingdom
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| Name: | Loire |
| Acquired: | 18 October 1798 by capture |
| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Broken up in 1818 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,350 tons (French) |
| Length: | 46.3 m (151 ft 11 in) |
| Beam: | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
| Draught: | 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) |
| Propulsion: | Sail |
| Armament: |
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Loire was a 44-gun frigate of the French Navy. She was captured following the Battle of Tory Island by a Royal Navy frigate squadron and subsequently taken into British service as HMS Loire.
She took part in the Expédition d'Irlande, and in the Battle of Tory Island, where she battled Kangaroo, Robust, and Anson . After the battle, Loire and Sémillante escaped into Black Cod Bay, where they hoped to hide until they had a clear passage back to France. However, late on 15 October, a British frigate squadron under James Newman Newman rounded the southern headland of the bay, forcing the French ships to flee to the north. Pressing on sail in pursuit, Newman ordered Révolutionaire to focus on Sémillante whilst he pursued Loire in Mermaid, accompanied by the brig Kangaroo under Commander Edward Brace. Loire and Sémillante separated to divide their pursuers; Mermaid and Kangaroo lost track of Loire in the early evening, and Sémillante evaded Révolutionaire after dark. Mermaid and Kangaroo eventually found Loire on 17 October, but after an inconclusive fight that left the British unable to pursue, Loire broke off the engagement and escaped. The next day Loire again engaged Kangaroo and Anson, and was forced to strike after she ran out of ammunition. Out of the 664 men, including three artillery regiments and their Etat-Major, carried on board Loire, 48 were killed and 75 wounded. She was also found to be carrying a large store of clothing, weapons, ammunition and tools for her troops' intended operations.Anson had two men killed and 13 wounded, while the Kangaroo appears to have suffered no casualties.
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Wikipedia