Battle of Trincomalee

3 September 1782, Off Trincomalee, Ceylon

Indecisive; Trincomalee stayed French

Joined by reinforcements under Bussy, Suffren landed troops at Trincomalee and took its forts on 31 August, two days before Hughes arrived to save it. With the harbour won, Suffren still went out to fight. His line was ragged, Héros lost her main and mizzen masts and had to be towed by the Sphinx, and Vengeur caught fire, and the van and rear hardly came into action. Hughes went back to Madras. Suffren now had the best harbour on that side of the Bay of Bengal, but on the way back into it the Orient ran on a reef and was lost, and a month later the Bizarre was wrecked near Cuddalore.

Royal Navy

19 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
HMS Superb Hughes's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Exeter	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Isis	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 50 guns	Survived
HMS Hero	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Sceptre	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Burford	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
HMS Sultan	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Monarca	Ship of the line Third rate, 68 guns	Survived
HMS Eagle	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Magnanime	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Monmouth	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Worcester	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Hannibal Also known as Petit Annibal	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 50 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates and smaller ships San Carlos, Active, Medea, Coventry, Seahorse and the fireship Combustion.	6	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates and smaller ships

San Carlos, Active, Medea, Coventry, Seahorse and the fireship Combustion.

French Navy

16 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Héros Suffren's flagship; dismasted and towed by Sphinx	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Damaged
Illustre Most casualties in the French line	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Damaged
Artésien	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Sévère	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Saint-Michel	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 60 guns	Survived
Orient Wrecked five days later	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Brillant	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Sphinx	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Flamand	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 56 guns	Survived
Ajax	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Annibal	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Vengeur Caught fire	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Damaged
Bizarre	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates and sloop Consolante, which Suffren put in the line of battle, Bellone and Fortune.	3	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates and sloop

Consolante, which Suffren put in the line of battle, Bellone and Fortune.

Map

Hughes sails to save Trincomalee August – September 1782