Shipwreck of the Human rights

The Naufrage of the Human rights is a naval battle of the Guerres of the French revolution. The Human rights , a Vessel of 74 guns of Bold Class built and launched with Lorient the May 29th 1794, ordered by the Captain Raymond de Lacrosse, was affected with the forwarding which was to unload a French Army on the coasts with the Ireland. It transported 549 soldiers of the Légion of the Francs, ordered by the general Humbert. The Human rights was taken in the storm which had destroyed the French fleet partly, but managed to rejoin the Ireland.

See also: Forwarding of Ireland (1796)

It patrolled 8 days, capturing the Brick S English Cumberland and Calypso , and did not want to move away without being itself assured that none the French vessels had been thrown on the coasts. Lacrosse then decided to rejoin the squadron while moving towards the coasts of France. The 22 nivôse year V (January 13rd 1797), the commander of the Human rights was estimated at a degree (25 miles) of Penmarch, when he saw with the wind the English Frégate Indefatigable , of 44 guns, accompanied by the Amazon , 36 guns, the Royal Navy. Lacrosse took hunting in front of the English to prepare with the combat. Around three hours, the Human rights was made cut the road by two new veils, and decided to start the combat with the frigates. When the combat starts, the heavy weather prevents the ships from making use of their artillery located on the lower bridge. One of the arm of large the Hunier of the Human rights broke, depriving it of its two topmasts, but the English neglected to benefit from it. The Indefatigable and the Human rights exchanged broadsides of artillery and Mousqueterie, and the frigate tried to take the vessel in row. Lacrosse reacts and trying to take the Indefatigable with the boarding, without success. At six hours three quarters, after one hour and half of combat, the Amazon arrived at range and drew a broadside in the hip from the Human rights , before moving away with the Indefatigable to repair. Over the eight hours and half of the evening, the English reopened fire. Benefitting from the superiority of their aerofoil, they turned around the Human rights by taking it in row. Cash on its infantry, Lacrosse tried to hang one of its two adversaries, hoping to take it with the boarding and to force the other to carry help to him and to also expose him to a boarding. The Human rights lost its Mizzenmast and the English frigates tried to approach, but were pushed back by the fire of the vessel. Around one hour of the morning, the lieutenant Châtelain had the arm crashed to pieces by a Biscaïen, and a few moments after, ordering it Lacrosse was reached with the left knee by the rebound of a dead ball. It made swear with its crew not to bring the French house, before entrusting the command to its second. The combat lasted four more hours; around six hours of the morning, the watchtower of the Human rights announced the coast, and the vessel tried to gain the ground, breaking its masts of Misaine and Beaupré damaged in the combat. Démâté, its anchors damaged and its destroyed rudder, the Human rights was thrown to the coast. The Amazon broke at the coast and its crew was made prisoner. The Indefatigable , to the state of pontoon, managed to circumvent the reefs of Penmarch and to escape. The Human rights failed in the bay of Audierne the 25 nivôse at seven o'clock in the morning. In the storm, the light boats were carried by the blades before being launched. Several of its sailors perished while trying to establish a to and from or to seek helps. In the night of the 25 to the 26, five launches come from Audierne could take along the casualties and approximately 400 sailors or soldiers; the storm stopped the rescue operations during 5 days. The 30, Lacrosse embarked on a Corvette that one had sent Brest to him after being oneself assured that there did not remain only one any more man on board. Lacrosse was high with the rank of general officer.

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