Frigate action of 29 May 1794

Capture of the Castor, May 29th 1794, Thomas Whitcombe, 1816

Date	29 May 1794
Location	Approximately 220 nautical miles (410 km) north of Cape Finisterre, Atlantic Ocean
Result	British victory

Belligerents

Great Britain

French Republic

Commanders and leaders

Captain Francis Laforey

Captain L'Huillier

Strength

Frigate HMS Carysfort, 28 guns, sixth rate

Frigate Castor, 32 guns, fifth rate

Casualties and losses

1 killed, 4 wounded

16 killed, 9 wounded, Castor captured

Coordinates: 46°38′N 9°40′W / 46.633°N 9.667°W / 46.633; -9.667

The frigate action of 29 May 1794—not to be confused with the much larger fleet action of 29 May 1794 that took place in the same waters at the same time—was a minor naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars between a Royal Navy frigate and a French Navy frigate. The action formed a minor part of the Atlantic campaign of May 1794, a campaign which culminated in the battle of the Glorious First of June, and was unusual in that the French ship Castor had only been in French hands for a few days at the time of the engagement. Castor had previously been a British ship, seized on 19 May by a French battle squadron in the Bay of Biscay and converted to French service while still at sea. While the main fleets manoeuvered around one another, Castor was detached in pursuit of a Dutch merchant ship and on 29 May encountered the smaller independently cruising British frigate HMS Carysfort.

Captain Francis Laforey on Carysfort immediately attacked the larger ship and in an engagement lasting an hour and fifteen minutes successfully forced its captain to surrender, discovering a number of British prisoners of war below decks. Castor was subsequently taken back to Britain and an extended legal case ensued between the Admiralty and Captain Laforey over the amount of prize money that should be awarded for the victory. Ultimately Laforey was successful, in part due to testimony from the defeated French captain, proving his case and claiming the prize money. The lawsuit did not harm Laforey's career and he later served at the Battle of Trafalgar and became a prominent admiral.

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