French ship Robuste (1758)

Robuste was an 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, built by Antoine Groignard.[2]

Detail of Edward Moran's First Recognition of the American Flag by a Foreign Government
History
France
Name:	Robuste
Namesake:	"Robust"
Ordered:	10 September 1755[1]
Builder:	Lorient[1]
Laid down:	September 1757[1]
Launched:	2 September 1758[1]
Fate:	Retired in 1783
General characteristics
Class and type:	74-gun ship of the line
Type:	ship of the line
Tons burthen:	1600 tonnes
Length:	56.8 metres
Beam:	14.4 metres
Depth of hold:	7 metres
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	866
Armament:	80 guns 28 × 36-pounders 30 × 18-pounders 16 × 8-pounders

Career

Initially intended as a 64-gun ship, Robuste was built in the Lorient shipyard of the French East India Company. She was launched on 2 September 1758, and admitted to active service in April 1759.[1]

On 18 November 1759, she collided with frigate Hébé.[1]

In June 1777, she was under Lamotte-Picquet, and received the visit of Emperor Joseph II.[1]

On 14 February 1778, Robuste fired a nine-gun salute for USS Ranger, marking the first time a foreign warship recognised the US flag.[3]

Robuste took part in the campaign in 1779 and 1780[1] as De Grasse's flagship.[4] She was notably at the Battle of Grenada.[5]

In 1780, she was under Chateauvert.[6]

In July 1782, under Nieuil, she was part of the Franco-Spanish fleet under Córdova.[7] She took part in the Battle of Cape Spartel on 20 October 1782.[8] The same year, she was at Brest under Croiset de Retz.[9]

She was eventually struck in 1783, and broken up in Brest the next year.[1]

Sources and references

Notes

Citations

1. Roche (2005), p. 384.
2. Binet (1911). "La construction du vaisseau de 100 canons "La Bretagne"". Annales de Bretagne et des pays de l'Ouest. 27–2: 218. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
3. "Centre d'études stratégiques de la Marine - CESM". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
4. Archives nationales (2011), p. 258.
5. Troude (1867), p. 39.
6. Taillemite (1982), p. 28.
7. Troude (1867), p. 133.
8. Contenson (1934), p. 235.
9. Archives nationales (2011), p. 319.

Bibliography

• Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778-1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
• 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)
• Taillemite, Étienne (1982). Dictionnaire des Marins français. Paris: Éditions maritimes et d'Outre-Mer. ISBN 9782707000316. OCLC 239744936.
• Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). 2. Challamel ainé.

External links

• Archives nationales (2011). "Fonds Marine, sous-série B/4: Campagnes, 1571-1785" (PDF). Retrieved 29 April 2020.