French ship Saint-Esprit

The Saint-Esprit ("Holy Ghost") was an 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.[1] She was funded by a don des vaisseaux donation from the Order of the Holy Spirit, and named in its honour.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Scipion.
The Saint-Esprit in action.
(Detail of an English painting of 1784)
History
French Navy Ensign French Navy Ensign French Navy EnsignFrance
NameSaint-Esprit[1]
NamesakeOrder of the Holy Spirit
Ordered11 January 1762[1]
BuilderArsenal of Brest[1]
Laid downMay 1762[1]
Launched12 October 1765[1]
Christened20 January 1762 [1]
Commissioned1766[1]
Decommissioned26 January 1795[1]
RenamedScipion in April 1794[1]
FateWrecked off Brest on 26 January 1795[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeSaint-Esprit class ship of the line
Displacement1754 tonnes[1]
Length59.8 m (196 ft)[1]
Beam14.9 m (49 ft)[1]
Draught7.5 m (25 ft)[1]
Complement970
Armament

Career

She took part in the Battle of Ushant under La Motte-Picquet, and to the Armada of 1779.[1]

In 1781, on 29 April, she took part in the Battle of Fort Royal under Chabert-Cogolin.[2][3]

She was renamed Scipion in April 1794, and took part in the Bataille du 13 prairial an 2 under Huguet, where she was totally dismasted.[1] She was wrecked on 30 January 1795, during the Croisière du Grand Hiver.[1] Most of her crew were rescued by Trente-et-un Mai.[1][4]

Citations
  1. Roche, p.394
  2. Troude (1867), p. 100—101.
  3. Kerguelen (1796), p. 182-183.
  4. Levot, p.207

References
  • Levot, Prosper (1866). Les gloires maritimes de la France: notices biographiques sur les plus célèbres marins (in French). Bertrand.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
  • Kerguelen, Yves-Joseph (1796). Relation des combats et des évènements de la guerre maritime de 1778 entre la France et l'Angleterre (in French). Imprimerie de Patris.
  • Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 2. Challamel ainé. OCLC 836362484.

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