French ship Hercule (1778)

Scipion, sister-ship of Hercule raking HMS London during the action of 18 October 1782.
History
Ensign of the French Royal NavyFrance
NameHercule
Launched5 October 1778
Honours and
awards
FateBroken up 1799
General characteristics
Class and typeScipion class
Tons burthen1500 tonnes
Length53.8 m (176 ft 6 in)
Beam14.1 m (46 ft 3 in)
Draught7.3 m (24 ft)
PropulsionSails
Armament74 to 78 guns of various weights of shot

Hercule was a Scipion-class 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort.

In 1781, under Captain Turpin du Breuil, Hercule was in the Blue squadron of the fleet under De Grasse.[1][2] She took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781,[3] and in the subsequent Siege of Yorktown.

Under Captain Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie in the Battle of the Saintes.

Hercule was razéed in 1794. In May 1795, she was renamed to Hydre.

She was eventually broken up in 1799.

  1. ^ Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 649.
  2. ^ Troude (1867), p. 100.
  3. ^ Troude (1867), p. 107.