Battle of Quiberon Bay, 20 November 1759 Orders of Battle       Ship Name Guns Captain Notes       Royal Navy (23 Ships of the line plus 9 smaller ships)           Royal George 100 Captain Campbell Flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Edward Hawke   Union 90 Captain J. Evans Flag of Sir Charles Hardy   Duke 90 Thomas Graves     Namur 90 M. Buckle     Mars 74 Commodore J. Young     Warspite 74 Sir John Bentley     Hercules 74 W. Fortescue     Torbay 74 Hon Augustus Keppel     Magnanime 74 Lord Viscount Howe ex-French   Resolution 74 H. Speke Lost at Four Shoals   Hero 74 Hon G. Edgecumbe     Swiftsure 70 Sir Thomas Stanhope     Dorsetshire 70 P. Denis     Burford 70 G. Gambier     Chichester 70 W.S. Willet     Temple 70 Hon W. Shirley     Revenge 64 J. Storr     Essex 64 Lucius O'Brien Lost at Four Shoals   Kingston 60 Thomas Shirley     Intrepid 60 J. Maplesden     Montague 60 Joseph Rowley     Dunkirk 60 R. Digby     Defiance 60 P. Baird     SOL (x4) 50   Not in Line   Frigate 36   Not in Line   Frigate (x2) 32   Not in Line   Frigate (x2) 28   Not in Line       Ship Name Guns Captain Notes         French Fleet (21 Ships of the line plus 5 small ships)           Soleil Royal 80 Captain B. de Chesac Flagship of Marshal de Conflans.  Captured.   Orient 80 Captain N. de la Filliere Flag of Chevalier de Guebridant Budes   Tonnant 80 Captain Saint-Victoret Flag of Chevalier de Bauffremont   Formidable 80 Captain Saint-Andre Flag of Saint-Andre du Verger, captured   Glorieux 74 Villars de la Brosse     Robuste 74 Fragnier de Vienne     Intrepide 74 Chasteloger     Thesee 74 Kersaint Coetnempren Lost at Cardinal Rocks   Magnifique 74 Bigot de Morogues     Heros 74 Vicomte de Sanzay Lost at River Vilaine   Dauphin Royal 70 Chevalier d'Urturbie Fragosse     Northumberland 70 Belingant de Kerbabut     Superbe 70 Montalais Lost at Cardinal Rocks   Juste 70 Saint Allouarn Lost off River Loire   Dragon 64 Vassor de la Touche     Solitaire 64 Vicomte de Langle     Eveille 64 Prevalais de la Roche     Brilliant 64 Keremar Boischateau     Inflexible 64 Tancrede Lost entering River Vilaine   Sphinx 64 de Goyon     Bizarre 64 Prince de Montbazon     Frigate 36   Not in Line   Frigate 34   Not in Line   Frigate 16   Not in Line   Corvettes (x2)     Not in Line         Casualties - British 300-400   French  2500

A Cold November Day Marshal Conflans' fleet left Brest on November 14, just as the weather improved enough for the blockading British fleet to reestablish their position after seeking shelter at Torbay.  It wasn't until November 17 that Hawke was made aware of Conflans' move, and the Vice-Admiral made haste to Belle Isle, where he expected to find the fugitive French fleet. "Concluding that their first rendezvous would be Quiberon, the instant I received the intelligence I directed my course tither with pressed sail.  At first, the wind was driving hard at south by east and south, and drove us considerably westward.  But on the 18th and 19th, though variable, it proved more variable." (Hawke, 1759) At 0830 on the 20th, the frigate Maidstone signaled that it had spotted the French fleet, which was indeed off of Belle Isle.  The French had engaged a small squadron of frigates and bombs under Commodore Duff which had been blockading French transports in the Gulf of Morbihan.  When the approaching British fleet was sighted, Duff's crew cheered in relief, and the French broke off pursuit. Marshal Conflans directed his fleet to retreat to Quiberon Bay.  The objective was for the French to take up defensive positions among the dangerous shoals abundant in the bay.   The French would use the rough seas and their own familiarity of the region to their advantage.   A sound theory to be sure, unfortunately, the French were not talented enough to execute the plan. When Hawke sighted the French fleet, he ordered his ships into line and began the pursuit.  In these conditions, the superior seamanship of the British allowed the Royal Navy to carry more sail than their French counterparts.  The French were caught before they could enter the bay and assume their defensive posture.

Battle Highlights (1) Hawke catches French fleet attempting to seek refuge in Quiberon Bay.  Formidable (80) strikes colors, Thesee (74) and Superbe (70) sunk. (2) "The Four Shoal."  Resolution (74) wrecked sometime during the evening or early morning on the 21st.  The Essex (64) is lost on the same shoal after being ordered to pursue a foundering Soleil Royal. (3) Mouth of the River Vilaine.  Soleil Royal (80) and Heros (74) run aground and are destroyed by raiders from Duff's frigates.  Inflexible (64) lost attempting to enter the Vilaine.  Other French ships jettison guns and other ballast and manage to enter the river itself, where they would remain for more than a year until environmental conditions once again allowed for their removal. (4) Badly damaged Juste (70) runs aground attempting to make port at St. Nazaire. (5)   Escape route of Bauffremont's squadron. Tonnant (80), Magnifique (74), Orient (80), Northumberland (70), Dauphin Royale (70), Solitaire (64), and Bizarre (64) reach Basque Roads, only to find no sign of Conflans' squadron.