French ship Brutus (1798)

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the Achille
Scale model of the Achille, sister-ship of the Brutus, on display at the Musée de la Marine in Paris
Career (France) French Navy Ensign
Name: Brutus
Namesake: Brutus
Ordered: 31 may 1798
Builder: Lorient
Laid down: 22 September 1798
Launched: 24 January 1803
Commissioned: March 1803
Decommissioned: 14 September 1806
Renamed: Impétueux on 5 February 1803
Fate: beached and set ablaze by the British in Chesapeake on 14 September 1806
General characteristics
Class and type: Téméraire class ship of the line
Displacement:

2 966 tonnes

5 260 tonnes fully loaded
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:

  • Lower gundeck: 28 x 36-pdr long guns
  • Upper gundeck: 30 x 24-pdr long guns
  • Forecastle and Quarter deck:
16 x 8-pdr long guns
4 x 36-pdr carronades
Armour: Timber

The Brutus was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.

She served in the Caribbean under Willaumez during the Atlantic campaign of 1806.

On 19 August 1806, she was dismasted in a tempest and drifted until 10 September. On 14, she was chased by Strachan's squadron comprising HMS Belleisle, HMS Bellona and HMS Melampus; unable to fight, she beached herself in Chesapeake Bay. The wreck was set ablaze by the British and the crew was taken prisoners.

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