Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue

Battles Of Barfleur And La Hogue

The related naval battles of Barfleur and La Hogue took place between 29 May and 4 June New Style (NS), 1692 (19–24 May in the Old Style (OS) Julian calendar then in use in England). The first action took place near Barfleur; later actions were at Cherbourg and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue in the Cotentin peninsula, Normandy, France. It was the decisive naval battle of the Nine Years' War, known to the British as the War of the English Succession.

In May 1692 the French fleet of 44 ships of the line under the command of Admiral Anne Hilarion de Costentin, Comte de Tourville (by virtue of his title, widely known in English sources as "Tourville"), was preparing to transport an invading army of Franco-Irish troops to restore James II to the English throne. Despite being in command of the fleet, strategic decisions were to be taken by James II, François d'Usson de Bonrepaus and Bernardin Gigault de Bellefonds. The French victory at the Battle of Beachy Head two years earlier, in June 1690, had opened up the possibility of destroying the allied fleet and landing an invading army. Tourville boldly engaged the 82 strong Anglo-Dutch fleet at Barfleur. After a fierce but indecisive clash, which left many ships on both sides damaged, Tourville was able to disengage. He slipped off into light fog and for several days tried to escape the superior forces. The French fleet was scattered, and 15 were lost, 3 at Cherbourg and a further 12 at La Hougue. The threat of invasion of England was lifted.