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HISTORY
The Bretagne was a
large 110-gun three-decker French First-rate ship of the line,
built at Brest, which became famous as the flagship of the Brest
Fleet during the American War of Independence.
She was one of 17 ships of the line ordered in 1762 as a result
of the Duc de Choiseul’s campaign to raise funds for the navy
from the cities and provinces of France. She was completed at
Brest in 1766.
She fought at the Battle of Ushant in 1778 as flagship of the
Comte d'Orvilliers.
During the French Revolution she was renamed Révolutionnaire. In
May 1794 she fought in the skirmishes before the Battle of the
Glorious First of June, dropping to the rear of the French fleet
to drive off the pursuing British ships. In action against five
or six 74-gun ships she was badly damaged, lost all her masts,
and was only saved from capture by confusion among her
opponents. She was towed to Rochefort by the battleship
Audacieux and escorted by the corvette Unité.
Too damaged by the battle to be repaired, she was broken up
between January and May 1796. |
