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Saint Michel was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} France | |
| Name | Saint Michel |
| Builder | Jean-Marie Helie,[1] Brest [2] |
| Laid down | November 1738 [2] |
| Launched | January 1741 [2] |
| In service | May 1741 [2] |
| Out of service | May 1786 [2] |
| Fate | Hulked 1788 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Saint Michel class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 950 tons [2] |
| Length | 46.6 metres [2] |
| Beam | 12.5 metres [2] |
| Draught | 6.3 metres [2] |
| Depth of hold | 5.9 metres [1] |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament | 64 guns |
Built for the Crown, Saint Michel was originally manned by officers of the French East India Company. During the War of the Austrian Succession, Saint Michel was part of a squadron under Admiral de Rochambeau; on 17 August 1744, she captured the 20-gun HMS Solebay near Gibraltar.[2] In 1747, her command was transferred to Navy officers.[2]
In 1761, she was recommissioned in Rochefort under Captain de Lizardais to serve in the Seven Years' War, to serve in the Caribbean theatre, but she never actually departed.[2] She was then refitted as a 60 gun ship in 1762.[1]
During the American Revolutionary War, Saint Michel took part in the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778,[1] under Mithon de Genouilly.[3] She and later took part in the capture of HMS Ardent off Plymouth on 17 August 1779.[2]
She took part in the Battle of Martinique in the Caribbean on 17 April 1780,[1] under Chevalier d'Aymar.[4]
On 11 December 1781, Bussy-Castelnau departed Cadiz with a squadron comprising Saint-Michel and the 74-gun Illustre, escorting three transports, to make his junction at Tenerife with another squadron under Guichen. the next day, they encountered a British squadron under Kempenfelt.[5] In the subsequent Second Battle of Ushant, most of the French transports were captured by the British, except Marquis de Castries and Neptune-Royal, which reached Sainte-Croix carrying siege artillery and an artillery company.[6]
Bussy sailed on towards the Indian Ocean, arriving to Table Bay in early April.[6] He landed his troops to reinforce the Dutch Cape Colony against a possible British attack, and on 2 May he sailed to Isle de France (Mauritius), where Saint-Michel and Illustre arrived on 31, the transports following a few days later. [7] Informed that Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves had left the island on 7 December 1781 with his squadron to attack Trincomalee, Bussy decided to attach the 40-gun frigate Consolante to his squadron, as well as 800 men from the garrison which he embarked on 9 transports, and go reinforce him. [8]
On 21 August 1782, Ilustre and Saint-Michel arrived at Batacalo, making their junction with the squadron under Suffren. They were escorting 8 transports and preceded by the corvette Fortune, under Lusignan.[9]
Appointed to Suffren's squadron in the Indian Ocean, she took part in the battles of Trincomalee.[10] After D'Aymar was promoted to Annibal, Suffren appointed Lieutenant Beaumont le Maître to replace him. Saint Michel took part in the Cuddalore,[11][12] before she returned to France in 1784.[2]
Saint Michel carried out another mission to the Indian Ocean in 1787 before returning to France to be hulked the next year.[2]
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