Battle of Ushant (1778)

Battle of Ushant
Part of the Anglo-French War

Combat d'Ouessant juillet 1778, Théodore Gudin
Date27 July 1778
Location48°33′37″N 7°22′58″W / 48.56028°N 7.38278°W / 48.56028; -7.38278
Result Indecisive
Belligerents
 Great Britain  France
Commanders and leaders
Augustus Keppel
Hugh Palliser
Comte d'Orvilliers
Comte de Guichen
Strength
29 ships-of-the-line 30 ships-of-the-line
Casualties and losses
407 killed
789 wounded[1]
126 killed
413 wounded[1]

The Battle of Ushant (also called the First Battle of Ushant) took place on 27 July 1778,[2] and was fought during the American Revolutionary War between French and British fleets 100 miles (160 km) west of Ushant, an island at the mouth of the English Channel off the westernmost point of France. "Ushant" is the anglicised pronunciation of "Ouessant".

The French commander was under orders to avoid battle if possible, in order to maintain a fleet in being.[3] The commanders of the two squadrons of the British fleet were already personally and politically at odds with each other, and failed to make a concerted attack on the French.[4]

The battle, which was the first major naval engagement in the Anglo-French War of 1778, ended indecisively with no ships lost on either side and led to recriminations and political conflicts in both countries.

  1. ^ a b Chack 2001, p. 398.
  2. ^ "1st Battle of Ushant, 27th July 1778". Three Decks' Forum. Simon Harrison.
  3. ^ Mahan 1913, p. 83.
  4. ^ "The indecisive Battle of Ushant 1778". The Dawlish Chronicles. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2020.