HMS Tonnant.html



Tonnant at the Battle of the Nile, by Louis Lebreton.
Career (France)
Name:	Tonnant
Launched:	1789
Honours and awards:	Participated in: Battle of Genoa Battle of the Nile
Fate:	Captured by the Royal Navy on 2 August 1798
Career (UK)
Name:	HMS Tonnant
Acquired:	Captured from the French on 2 August 1798
Honours and awards:	Participated in: Battle of Trafalgar Battle of Baltimore
Fate:	Broken up in 1821
General characteristics
Class and type:	Tonnant-class ship-of-the-line
Displacement:	1800 tonnes
Tons burthen:	2190 tons
Length:	59.3 m (195 ft) (gun deck length)
Beam:	15.3 m (50 ft)
Draught:	7.8 m (26 ft)
Depth of hold:	7.2 m (24 ft)
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Armament:	Rated as 80 guns Thirty 36-pounders Thirty-two 24-pounders Eighteen 12-pounders Four 36-pounder carronades

Tonnant (French: "Thundering") was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.

French Service

She fought in the battles of Genoa on 14 March 1795 and the Nile on 1 August 1798 under Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars. During the battle, she severely damaged HMS Majestic, causing nearly two hundred casualties, 50 men killed, including her captain, George Blagdon Westcott, and 143 wounded. Du Petit-Thouars had both legs and an arm shot off, and commanded his ship until he died. Tonnant was the only French ship still engaged in the morning, with her colors flying, though aground. It wasn't until the 3rd August that she finally hauled down her colours. Tonnant eventually surrendered and was recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Tonnant.

British Service

During the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805), under the command of Captain Charles Tyler, she captured the French ship Algésiras of 74 guns.

In the War of 1812, under the command of Captain Wainwright, HMS Tonnant was the flagship for Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane during most of the campaign in Chesapeake Bay, directing attacks on Washington and Baltimore, and the Battle of New Orleans. It was aboard Tonnant that the Americans, Colonel John Stuart Skinner and Francis Scott Key dined with Vice Admiral Cochrane, Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn and Major General Robert Ross, where they negotiated the release of a prisoner, Dr. William Beanes. After his release, Skinner, Key and Beanes were allowed to return to their own sloop, but were not allowed to return to Baltimore because they had become familiar with the strength and position of British units and knew of the British intention to attack Baltimore. As a result, Key witnessed the bombarding of Fort McHenry and was inspired to write a poem called The Defense of Ft. McHenry, later named The Star Spangled Banner.

HMS Tonnant was also the flagship for Admiral Lord Keith when she took part in the exiling of Napoleon to St. Helena in 1815.

Disposal

She was broken up in 1821.

References