French ship Hercule (1778)

Hercule was a Scipion class 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Hercule.

Scipion, sister-ship of Hercule raking HMS London during the Action of 18 October 1782.
History
France
Name:	Hercule
Honours and awards:	Participated in: Battle of the Chesapeake Battle of the Saintes
Fate:	Broken up 1799
General characteristics
Class and type:	Scipion class
Tons burthen:	1500 tonnes
Length:	53.8 tonnes
Beam:	14.1 tonnes
Draught:	7.3 m (24 ft)
Propulsion:	Sails
Armament:	74 to 78 guns of various weights of shot

In 1781, under Captain Turpin du Breuil, Hercule was in the Blue squadron of the fleet under De Grasse.[1][2] She took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781,[3] and in the subsequent Siege of Yorktown.

Under Captain Jean Isaac Chadeau de la Clocheterie in the Battle of the Saintes.

Hercule was razéed in 1794. In May 1795, she was renamed to Hydre.

She was eventually broken up in 1799.

Sources and references

Notes

Citations

1. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 649.
2. Troude (1867), p. 100.
3. Troude (1867), p. 107.

References

• Lacour-Gayet, Georges (1910). La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI. Paris: Honoré Champion. pp. 431–434.
• Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). 2. Challamel ainé.
• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922. (1671-1870)