The Frightening one (1791)

See also: Frightening the

Built according to the plans of the architect Jacques-Christmas Sané, the Redoutable was launched under the name of Suffren the May 31st 1791. Its crew took part in the Mutinerie of the vessel, attache to the squadron of the Vice-amiral Morard of Wales.

Following that, it was renamed the Redoutable the May 20th 1794. In March 1802, the Redoutable was the flagship of a squadron of two linerships and 4 frigate S under the orders of the admiral Bouvet sent in reinforcement in 1802, Guadeloupe and with Saint-Domingue in 1803.

At the time of the Battle of Trafalgar, the October 21st 1805, it was ordered by the captain Lucas. Engaged in a combat against HMS '' Victory '', to relieve the remainder of the Franco-Spanish fleet, it was run by this last.

The crew fought savagely against the Victory , inflicting extensive damage to him. The crew and the soldiers of the Redoutable managed to maintain a fire nourished on the back bridge of the Victory thanks to hand grenades and mousquets, a French marksman posted on a mast wounded the British admiral mortally Horatio Nelson.

The French crew was about to launch out to the boarding of the Victory when HMS '' Temeraire '' intervened, opening fire with bearing end on the French sailors. To 13:55, the Frightening , with seriously wounded the Lucas captain, more than 99 men still in a position to fight on the 643 of departure, starting to gently take water and without hope of reinforcement, went to the English fleet.

The Victory lost 160 men, and the Temeraire , 120 men. The Redoutable ran the following day, with still a big number of died and casualties on his board. Boats sent to bring back the men having been able to evacuate only 119 of them before the Redoutable does not sink.

See too

Suffren and
Frightening the for other boats of the same name.

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