Action of 13 January 1797

13–14 January 1797, Off Penmarch and Audierne Bay, Brittany

British victory; Droits de l'Homme wrecked, with Amazon

Coming home from the failed French expedition to Ireland, the Droits de l'Homme, crowded with General Humbert's soldiers, was caught off Brittany by Sir Edward Pellew's Indefatigable and the frigate Amazon. In a rising gale the 74 could not open her lower gunports without flooding, and the two frigates, rolling heavily, fought her through the night in the dark, raking her and bringing down her masts. At dawn breakers were seen ahead: all three ships were on a lee shore. Indefatigable just clawed her way off; Amazon ran aground and was wrecked, though almost all her crew got ashore; and the Droits de l'Homme struck the sands at Plozévet and broke up over several days, drowning hundreds of the men aboard.