This sub-page is for information relating to naval operations of the American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
Totals
editApproximate total ships lost to enemy action by the major combatants during the American Revolutionary War. This list does not include ships wrecked, foundered or accidentally burnt unless as a direct result of enemy action, but does include those scuttled to avoid capture.
Nation | First Rates 100 guns |
Third Rates 60-80 guns |
Frigates 28-56 guns | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Great Britain | 0 | 2 | 20 | |||||||
France | 1 | 10 | 18 | |||||||
Spain | 0 | 8 | 9 | |||||||
Dutch Republic | 0 | 2 | 5 | |||||||
United States | 0 | 0 | 14 | |||||||
Total | 1 | 20 | 46 |
List of Actions
editA list of naval actions during the American Revolutionary War that I think merit their own articles. The basic qualifying criteria of this list is that the engagement must have been between ships of frigate size at least. Other actions may merit articles on a case by case basis, but below this cut-off no action should be guaranteed an article. This list does not generally (at least initially) include major fleet actions or amphibious operations, many of which deserve their own articles.
- Frigates USS Hancock and USS Boston capture HMS Fox.
- Frigates HMS Flora and HMS Rainbow capture USS Hancock and prize HMS Fox.
- Frigate USS Randolph destroyed by ship of the line HMS Yarmouth.
- French frigates Belle Poule and Licorne captured by British fleet. French frigate Pallas captured by the same fleet on 19 June.
- Frigate HMS Mermaid driven ashore and captured by French squadron (unsure if significant enough)
- Actions of 13 August 1778
- Two related inconclusive engagements between British and French ships of the line.
- Frigate HMS Minerva captured by French frigate Concorde.
- French frigate Sartine captured by HMS Seahorse and HMS Coventry without a fight. (unsure if significant enough)
- Frigate HMS Active captured by French frigates Charmante and Dedaigneuse without a fight. (unsure if significant enough)
- Action of 10 September 1778
- Frigate HMS Fox captured by French frigate Junon.
- Frigate USS Raleigh captured by HMS Experiment and HMS Unicorn.
- Inconclusive engagement between French ship of the line Triton and frigates HMS Jupiter and HMS Medea.
- French frigate Lion captured by HMS Maidstone.
- French frigate Oiseau captured by HMS Apollo.
- French frigate Aigrett fought HMS Arethusa. Arethusa wrecked in the aftermath of the engagement.
- French frigate Lion captured by HMS Maidstone.
- Failed French attack on Jersey.
- French ships of the line Bourgogne & Victoire captured frigate HMS Montreal.
- Raid on Portsmouth, Virginia (10 May 1779)
- Successful British amphibious operation.
- French frigate Prudente captured by HMS Ruby.
- Battle of the Penobscot (13 August 1779)
- American squadron defeated in the Penobscot River by British squadron.
- Ship of the line HMS Ardent captured by French squadron.
- French frigate Prudente captured by HMS Ruby.
- French fleet captures several British warships off the American Eastern Seaboard. Includes the Siege of Tybee
- Spanish frigate Santa Monica captured by HMS Pearl.
- Battle of Flamborough Head (23 September 1779)
- USS Bonhomme Richard captured HMS Serapis.
- HMS Quebec destroyed by French frigate Surveillante.
- Siege of Omoa (15 September - 20 October 1779)
- British operation to capture the town of Omoa in Spanish Honduras.
- Spanish frigate Santa Margarita captured by HMS Tartar.
- En Flute Spanish ship of the line Nuestra Senora del Buen Confeso captured by HMS Hussar.
- 3 French frigates captured by a large British battle squadron off Guadeloupe.
- Dutch squadron surrenders to a British one although the countries are not at war. Dutch ships released but cargoes impounded.
- French ship of the line Protee captured by HMS Resolution and others.
- Inconclusive engagement between the French frigate Herminone and HMS Isis.
- French frigate Stanislas captured by HMS Apollo.
- French frigate Artois captured by HMS Romney.
- French frigate Capricieuse captured by HMS Prudente and HMS Licorne.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigate Montreal and HMS Porcupine.
- Destruction of 55 ships from British convoy by French fleet.
- French frigate Nymphe captured by HMS Flora.
- French privateer ship of the line Comte d'Artois captured by HMS Bienfaisant.
- Dutch 50 gun ship Princes Carolina captured by HMS Marlborough and HMS Bellona.
- French invasion of Jersey captures the island but is rapidly driven out.
- French frigate Minerve captured by HMS Courageux.
- Dutch 50 gun ship Rotterdam captured by HMS Apollo.
- HMS Romulus captured at some point in February.
- Action of 4 February 1781
- Dutch 60 gun ship Mars captured by HMS Monarch, HMS Panther, HMS Sibyl.
- Spanish frigate Grana captured by HMS Cerberus.
- Frigate USS Confederacy captured by HMS Roebuck and HMS Orpheus.
- French frigate Licorne captured by HMS Resource.
- Spanish frigate Stanta Leocadia captured by HMS Canada.
- Inconclusive engagement between French ship of the line Actif and HMS Nonsuch.
- Engagement Dutch frigates Castor and Briel and HMS Flora and HMS Crescent, Castor captured. Castor and Crescent captured on June 19 by two French frigates.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigate Surveillante and HMS Ulysses.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigate Fée and HMS Southampton.
- Battle of Saldanha Bay (1781) (21 July 1781)
- Four Dutch East Indiamen captured and one burnt off Saldanha Bay.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigates Astree and Hermione and HMS Charleston with associated small warships.
- French corvette Lively and HMS Perseverence.
- Frigate USS Trumbull captured by HMS Iris.
- French frigate Magicienne captured by HMS Chatham.
- Frigates HMS Iris and HMS Richmond captured by French fleet.
- French privateer frigate Necker and convoy captured by HMS Hannibal.
- Frigate HMS Hannibal captured by French ships of the line Heros and Artesien.
- Spanish frigate Santa Catalina captured by HMS Success and HMS Vernon.
- French ship of the line Pegase captured by HMS Foudroyant off Ushant.
- French frigate Amazone captured by HMS Santa Margarita.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigate Bellone and HMS Coventry.
- French frigate Hebe captured by HMS Rainbow.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigates Aigle and Gloire and ship of the line HMS Hector.
- French frigate Aigle captured in the Delaware River by a British squadron.
- Inconclusive engagement between French ship of the line Scipion and a British squadron.
- French ship of the line Solitaire captured by HMS Ruby.
- Frigate South Carolina captured by HMS Diomede and HMS Quebec.
- Inconclusive engagement between French frigate Sibylle and a HMS Magicienne.
- Inconclusive engagement between an unidentified French ship of the line and HMS Leander.
- French frigate Sibylle captured by HMS Hussar.
- French frigate Concorde captured by by HMS Magnificent.
- Frigate HMS Argo captured by French frigates Amphitrite and Nymphe