First Battle of Ushant

27 July 1778, Atlantic, about 100 miles west of Ushant

Indecisive

The first fleet action after France entered the war. Admiral Keppel's Channel Fleet met d'Orvilliers' Brest fleet, about thirty ships of the line a side, and the two lines passed each other on opposite tacks firing as they went. Keppel's signal to re-form and attack again was not obeyed by Sir Hugh Palliser in the rear, and the French slipped back into Brest. No ship was lost, but the quarrel between the two admirals became a political storm: both were court-martialled, and both were acquitted.

Royal Navy

39 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
HMS Monarch	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Hector	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Centaur	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Exeter	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Duke	Ship of the line Second rate, 98 guns	Survived
HMS Queen Harland's flagship, in the van	Ship of the line Second rate, 98 guns	Survived
HMS Shrewsbury	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Cumberland	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Berwick	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Stirling Castle	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Courageux	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Thunderer	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Sandwich	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Valiant	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Bienfaisant	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Victory Keppel's flagship	Ship of the line First rate, 100 guns	Survived
HMS Foudroyant	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
HMS Prince George	Ship of the line Second rate, 98 guns	Survived
HMS Vigilant	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Terrible	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Vengeance	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Worcester	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Elizabeth	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Robust	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Formidable Palliser's flagship, in the rear	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Ocean	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS America	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Defiance	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Egmont	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Ramillies	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates, fireships and cutter Arethusa, Proserpine, Milford, Fox, Andromeda, Lively, the fireships Pluto and Vulcan, and the cutter Alert.	9	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates, fireships and cutter

Arethusa, Proserpine, Milford, Fox, Andromeda, Lively, the fireships Pluto and Vulcan, and the cutter Alert.

French Navy

43 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Diadème	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Conquérant Monteil's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Solitaire	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Intrépide	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Saint-Esprit The Duc de Chartres' flagship, commanding the rear	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Zodiaque	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Roland	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Robuste De Grasse's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Sphinx	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Artésien	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Orient	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Actionnaire	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Fendant	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Bretagne d'Orvilliers' flagship	Ship of the line First rate, 110 guns	Survived
Magnifique	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Actif	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Ville de Paris Flagship of the Comte de Guichen	Ship of the line First rate, 104 guns	Survived
Réfléchi	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Vengeur	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Glorieux Beausset's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Indien	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Palmier	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Couronne Du Chaffault's flagship; he was wounded	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Bien-Aimé	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Éveillé	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Amphion	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 50 guns	Survived
Dauphin Royal	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Triton	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Saint-Michel	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 60 guns	Survived
Fier	Ship of the line Fourth rate, 50 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates, corvettes and lugger Junon, Sibylle, Fortunée, Résolue, Sensible, Nymphe and Danaé; the corvettes Sylphide, Hirondelle, Lunette, Curieuse and Favorite; and the lugger Espiègle. Duc de Bourgogne and Alexandre had lost touch with the fleet before the battle.	13	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates, corvettes and lugger

Junon, Sibylle, Fortunée, Résolue, Sensible, Nymphe and Danaé; the corvettes Sylphide, Hirondelle, Lunette, Curieuse and Favorite; and the lugger Espiègle. Duc de Bourgogne and Alexandre had lost touch with the fleet before the battle.

Map

D'Orvilliers sails from Brest July 1778
Keppel takes the Channel Fleet to sea July 1778