Action of 18 September 1810

17–18 September 1810, Off Saint-Denis, Réunion (Île Bourbon)

British victory; Ceylon retaken and Hamelin captured in Vénus

Ceylon, a converted East Indiaman, was bringing troops to Réunion when Commodore Hamelin's flagship Vénus and the corvette Victor sighted her. Vénus caught her soon after midnight on the 18th and the two frigates fought for nearly four hours, until Vénus had lost her mizzen and two topmasts and Ceylon all of hers. At dawn Victor took up a raking position and Captain Gordon, wounded, surrendered. But they were in sight of Saint-Denis, and Rowley came out in Boadicea within minutes of the alarm. Victor tried to tow Ceylon away, the tow kept parting, and at 15:30 she cast her off to help Vénus; Ceylon's last officer then hoisted British colours again. Boadicea reached Vénus at 16:40 and Hamelin struck after ten minutes. Without its commander and its best frigate the French squadron stayed in port, and the British took Île de France in December with every ship in its harbours.