HMS Barfleur (1768)

The Battle of the Saintes, 12 April 1782: surrender of the Ville de Paris by Thomas Whitcombe, painted 1783, shows Hood's Barfleur, centre, attacking the French flagship Ville de Paris, right, at the Battle of the Saintes.
History
UK
Name:	HMS Barfleur
Ordered:	1 March 1762
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Launched:	30 July 1768
Fate:	Broken up, 1819
Notes:	Participated in: Battle of the Chesapeake Battle of St. Kitts Battle of the Saintes Battle of the Mona Passage Glorious First of June Battle of Groix Battle of Cape St. Vincent Battle of Cape Finisterre
General characteristics
Class and type:	Barfleur-class ship of the line
Tons burthen:	1947
Length:	177 ft 6 in (54.10 m) (gundeck)
Beam:	50 ft 3 in (15.32 m)
Depth of hold:	21 ft (6.4 m)
Sail plan:	Full-rigged ship
Complement:	750 officers and men
Armament:	90 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounders Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounders Forecastle: 2 × 9-pounders 98 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounders Middle gundeck: 30 × 18-pounders Upper gundeck: 30 × 12-pounders Quarterdeck: 8 × 12-pounders Forecastle: 2 × 9-pounders

HMS Barfleur was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Thomas Slade on the lines of the 100-gun ship Royal William, and launched at Chatham Dockyard on 30 July 1768, at a cost of £49,222. In about 1780, she had another eight guns added to her quarterdeck, making her a 98-gun ship; she possessed a crew of approximately 750. Her design class sisters were the Prince George, Princess Royal, and Formidable. She was a ship of long service and many battles.

In June 1773, King George III reviewed the British fleet at Spithead. Barfleur, under Captain Edward Vernon, was on this occasion the flagship of the fleet commander, Vice-Admiral Thomas Pye.

She distinguished herself as the flagship of Rear-Admiral Samuel Hood on the Leeward Islands station during the American War of Independence. Under Captain John Knight, she was flagship at the indecisive action of 28 April 1781 off Martinique against the French fleet of Rear-Admiral Comte de Grasse, at which Barfleur lost five men killed.

She next took part in the battles of the Chesapeake, St. Kitts and the Saintes. At the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781, under Captain Alexander Hood (later Lord Bridport), she was again the flag of Samuel Hood, second in command to Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves. The battle was lost to the French under de Grasse, which had a profound effect on the outcome of the American war.