French ship Impétueux (1787)
| the Achille Scale model of the Achille, sister-ship of the Impétueux, on display at the Musée de la Marine in Paris | |
| Career (France) |   |
|---|---|
| Name: | Impétueux |
| Namesake: | Impetuous |
| Builder: | Rochefort |
| Laid down: | 1786 |
| Launched: | 25 August 1787 |
| Commissioned: | 1788 |
| Decommissioned: | 1 June 1794 |
| Career (UK) |  |
| Name: | HMS Impétueux |
| Acquired: | 1 June 1794 |
| Fate: | Destroyed by fire on 24 August 1794 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Téméraire class ship of the line |
| Displacement: |
2 966 tonnes |
| Length: | 55.87 metres (172 French feet) |
| Beam: | 14.90 metres (44' 6) |
| Draught: | 7.26 metres (22 French feet) |
| Propulsion: | Up to 2 485 m² of sails |
| Complement: | 678 men |
| Armament: |
74 guns:
|
| Armour: | Timber |
The Impétueux was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.
She took part in the Glorious First of June. During the battle, HMS Marlborough. Marlborough became tangled with Impétueux. Badly damaged and on the verge of surrender, Impétueux received a brief reprieve when Mucius appeared through the smoke and collided with both ships.[1] The three entangled ships continued exchanging fire for some time, all suffering heavy casualties with Marlborough and Impétueux losing all three of their masts. This combat continued for several hours. Captain Berkeley of Marlborough had to retire below with serious wounds, and command fell to Lieutenant John Monkton, who signalled for help from the frigates in reserve.[2] Robert Stopford responded in HMS Aquilon, which had the assignment of repeating signals, and towed Marlborough out of the line as Mucius freed herself and made for the regrouped French fleet to the north. Impétueux was in too damaged a state to move at all, and sailors from HMS Russell soon seized her.[3]
The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Impetueux. She was destroyed in an accidental fire at Portsmouth on 24 August 1794.
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