French ship Tonnant (1743)

Tonnant was an 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Tonnant.

Vaisseau de 80 canons
Ship of 80 guns. Text and drawings made by Nicolas Ozanne (1764)
History
France
NameTonnant
NamesakeThundering
Ordered12 June 1740
BuilderToulon
Laid down18 October 1740
Launched17 November 1743
In serviceJune 1744
StrickenApril 1780
FateBroken up November 1780
General characteristics
Displacement1700 tonnes
Length54.6 m (179 ft 2 in)
Beam14.9 m (48 ft 11 in)
Draught7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
PropulsionSail
Armament
  • 80 guns:
  • 30 × 36-pounders
  • 32 × 18-pounders
  • 18 × 8-pounders
ArmourTimber

She was the flagship of the French fleet at the Second battle of Cape Finisterre, and later took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay, and in the American War of Independence.

She was broken up in 1780.[1]

Construction

Constructed in Toulon between 1740 and 1744, she was armed with 80 cannons.

Involvements

Tonnant was the flagship of Louis XV's fleet, and thus served as Admiral vessel to Marquis de l'Estenduère during the Second battle of Cape Finisterre in 1747. During this naval battle, eight French vessels were sacrificed when they took on the fourteen British ships by Admiral Hawke, to protect the merchant ships. The Tonnant was involved in fierce combat. Partly dismasted, she escaped by being towed by the Intrépide of Vaudreuil, who crossed British lines to secure the ship.

The Tonnant also participated at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759; on board was the Chevalier de Bauffremont. The ship escaped and took refuge at Rochefort.

She was refurbished in 1770, and participated in the campaign of Admiral Estaing in America in 1778–1779 including the attack on Newport in 1778 and the Battle of Grenada on 6 July 1779. The ship was broken up in 1780.

See also

Citations
  1. Winfied & Roberts p.74

References
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671–1870. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2017). French warships in the age of sail, 1626-1786: design, construction, careers and fates. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781473893511.


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