Action of 9 February 1799 (South Africa)

This article is about the French-British battle off Southern Africa. For the French-American battle in the Caribbean on the same day, see USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente.

Action of 9 February 1799
Part of the French Revolutionary Wars
Date9 February 1799
Location
100 nautical miles (190 km) off Southern Africa
32°20′S 33°20′E / 32.333°S 33.333°E / -32.333; 33.333
Result British victory
Belligerents
 Great Britain  France
Commanders and leaders
Captain Henry Lidgbird Ball Captain Emanuel-Hippolite Le Jolliff
Strength
Frigate HMS Daedalus Privateer frigate Prudente
Casualties and losses
2 killed
11 wounded		 27 killed
22 wounded
Prudente captured

The action of 9 February 1799 was a minor naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars between a British Royal Navy frigate and a French privateer frigate fought 100 nautical miles (190 km) west of the southeastern coast of what is now Natal in South Africa. The 32-gun French frigate Prudente had since the start of the war been part of a squadron operating from Île de France (now Mauritius). This squadron had dispersed during 1798, with the ships sent on independent commerce raiding operations across the British trade routes in the Indian Ocean. Prudente had subsequently been seized in the autumn of that year by Anne Joseph Hippolyte de Maurès, Comte de Malartic, the Governor of Île de France, and sold to a private raiding company.

In early 1799 Prudente was operating off South Africa, attacking British trade passing to or from the Cape Colony when the ship was discovered by British frigate HMS Daedalus under Captain Henry Lidgbird Ball. Prudente turned away and Ball gave chase, following the French ship closely. After five hours Daedalus caught Prudente and fired a raking broadside into the stern, disabling the French ship. For another hour the action continued at close range until Prudente was forced to surrender.