Quasi-War
1798–1800
An undeclared war at sea between the United States and France. Angry that the Americans had made a treaty with Britain, the French Republic let its privateers prey on American merchant ships, taking hundreds of them in the West Indies, and when American envoys sent to Paris were asked for bribes in the XYZ Affair, Congress built a navy. Its new frigates and converted merchantmen convoyed trade and hunted privateers in the Caribbean, working from British islands. Thomas Truxtun's Constellation beat two French frigates, and smaller ships took dozens of privateers; in May 1800 Isaac Hull led a party from Constitution that cut out a French privateer from under the guns of a Spanish fort at Puerto Plata. The Convention of 1800 ended the fighting in September.
How the fleets moved
Click a route to see which ships made it, or a battle for its summary. Routes are approximate.
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American movement
French movement
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Routes are approximate.
Major battles
The 4 biggest of the 6 battles covered here, by ships engaged.
7 July 1798
Capture of La CroyableOff Egg Harbor, New Jersey
American success; the privateer captured
1
vs
1 (1 lost)
20 November 1798
Capture of USS RetaliationOff Guadeloupe
French success; Retaliation captured
1 (1 lost)
vs
2
9 February 1799
USS Constellation vs L'InsurgenteOff Nevis, Leeward Islands
American victory; Insurgente captured
1
vs
1 (1 lost)
1–2 February 1800
USS Constellation vs La VengeanceWest of Guadeloupe
Indecisive; Vengeance badly damaged but escaped
1
vs
1
Fleets
Each navy's ships in the war, from its biggest down.