Battles of the Quasi-War
1798–1800 · 6 battles covered, in date order. Click a battle on the map for its summary.
Battle (size: ships engaged)
American movement
French movement
Routes are approximate.
1798
7 July 1798 · Off Egg Harbor, New Jersey
Capture of La CroyableAmerican success; the privateer captured
The new US Navy's first capture. The armed merchant ship Delaware, under Stephen Decatur Sr., found the French privateer schooner Croyable, which had been taking American ships off the coast, near Egg Harbor and took her without a fight. She was taken into the navy as Retaliation.
1
vs
1 (1 lost)
20 November 1798 · Off Guadeloupe
Capture of USS RetaliationFrench success; Retaliation captured
Cruising off Guadeloupe with two other American ships, Lieutenant William Bainbridge's schooner Retaliation mistook the French frigates Insurgente and Volontaire for British and closed with them. Trapped and hopelessly outgunned, she surrendered; Bainbridge then talked the French into thinking his consorts were too strong to chase. Retaliation was the only American warship lost in the war, and was retaken the next year.
1 (1 lost)
vs
2
1799
9 February 1799 · Off Nevis, Leeward Islands
USS Constellation vs L'InsurgenteAmerican victory; Insurgente captured
Thomas Truxtun's Constellation sighted the French frigate Insurgente off Nevis. Captain Barreaut tried to escape, but a squall carried away his main topmast, and Constellation came up and fought him broadside to broadside, then crossed his bow and raked him. After about an hour and a quarter, with 29 killed and 41 wounded against two American dead, Barreaut struck. Truxtun took his prize into Basseterre, St Kitts. It was the first victory of the new US Navy over an enemy warship.
1
vs
1 (1 lost)
1800
1–2 February 1800 · West of Guadeloupe
USS Constellation vs La VengeanceIndecisive; Vengeance badly damaged but escaped
Truxtun sighted the big frigate Vengeance, carrying 52 guns and passengers for France, west of Guadeloupe and chased her all day. In the evening Constellation came up on her quarter and the two fought for five hours through the night, the French firing high to cripple her pursuer and the Americans into the hull. Vengeance was shot to pieces and twice tried to surrender, but her signals went unseen in the dark. Then Constellation's mainmast, its rigging shot away, went over the side, taking Midshipman James Jarvis and the men in the maintop with it, and Vengeance got away. She ran ashore at Curaçao to save herself from sinking.
1
vs
1
12 October 1800 · North-east of Guadeloupe
USS Boston vs BerceauAmerican victory; Berceau captured
George Little's frigate Boston met the French corvette Berceau about 600 miles north-east of Guadeloupe. Outgunned, Berceau fought for some two hours before she was dismasted and struck. The Convention of 1800 ending the war had already been signed, and Berceau was later repaired and returned to France.
1
vs
1 (1 lost)
25 October 1800 · Off Dominica
USS Enterprise vs FlambeauAmerican victory; Flambeau captured
The schooner Enterprise, under Lieutenant John Shaw, was the most successful American ship of the war, taking eight privateers. Her hardest fight was against the French brig Flambeau near Dominica, which she took after a sharp action.
1
vs
1 (1 lost)