Battle Of Cuddalore (1758)
The naval Battle of Cuddalore took place on 29 April 1758 during the Seven Years' War near Cuddalore off the Carnatic coast of India, and was an indecisive battle between a British squadron under Vice-Admiral George Pocock and French squadron under Comte d'Aché. British casualties were 29 killed and 89 wounded, while France lost 99 killed and 321 wounded. Although the battle itself was indecisive, the French fleet was able to achieve its primary objective of delivering the reinforcements that the defenders of Pondicherry were awaiting.
The two squadrons met again on 3 August in the Battle of Negapatam in 1758, and again on 10 September 1759 in the Battle of Pondicherry.
Ships involved
Britain (George Pocock)
| Ships | Guns | Commander | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger | 60 | Captain Thomas Latham | ||
| Salisbury | 50 | Captain John Stukley Somerset | ||
| Elizabeth | 64 | Commodore Charles Steevens Captain Richard Kempenfelt |
||
| Yarmouth | 64 | Vice-Admiral George Pocock Captain John Harrison |
||
| Cumberland | 56 | Captain William Brereton | ||
| Newcastle | 50 | Captain George Legge | ||
| Weymouth | 60 | Captain Nicholas Vincent | ||
| Queenborough | 24 | Captain James Colville | Not in line of battle | |
| Protector | – | Not in line of battle; storeship |
France (d'Aché)
| Ship | Guns | Commander | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bien-Aimé | 58 | Captain Jean Baptiste Christy de La Pallière | Wrecked 30 April | |
| Vengeur | 54 | Captain René Joseph Bouvet de Précourt | ||
| Condé | 44 | Captain François-Jacques Kerlero de Rosbo | ||
| Duc d'Orléans | 56 | Captain Jean-François de Surville | ||
| Zodiaque | 74 | Chef d'Escadre Anne Antoine, Comte d'Aché Captain Jacques-Antoine de Gotho |
||
| Saint-Louis | 50 | Captain Louis de Joannis | ||
| Moras | 44 | Captain Louis-Toussaint de Becdelièvre-du Bouéxic | ||
| Sylphide | 36 | Captain Étienne Mahé | ||
| Duc de Bourgogne | 60 | Captain Jean-Baptiste d’Aprèt de Mannevillette | ||
| Comte de Provence | 74 | Captain Jean-Jacques de La Chaise | Not in line of battle | |
| Diligente | 24 | Captain Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne | Not in line of battle |
See also
Notes
- ^ The 36-gun frigate Sylphide was added to the French line of battle despite not being a ship of the line.
References
- ^ Kronoskaf.com, Combat of Cuddalore, retrieved 21 May 2011
- ^ Clowes 1898, pp. 174–175
- ^ Archives Nationales, Série Colonies C4 « Résumé du combat du 29 avril 1758 fait par Monsieur le Comte d'Arché. » (Fr)
- ^ Clowes (1898), p. 174.