French ship Bucentaure (1804)
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- For the Venetian vessel, see Bucentaur.
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| Career France |  |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Arsenal de Toulon |
| Laid down: | 1804 |
| Launched: | |
| Status: | Wrecked on the 23 October 1805 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1 630 tonnes |
| Length: | 51 m |
| Beam: | 14 m |
| Draught: | 6 m |
| Speed: | |
| Complement: | 840 |
| Armament: | 80 guns: Lower deck: 30 x 36 pounder (16 kg) |
| Armour: | timber |
The French sail battleship Bucentaure was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Latouche Tréville, who died on board on 18 August 1804.
Vice-Admiral Villeneuve hoisted his flag on November 6, 1804. At the Battle of Trafalgar, on October 21, 1805, she was commanded by Captain Jean-Jacques Magendie. Admiral Nelson's HMS Victory, leading the weather column of the British fleet, broke the French line just astern of Bucentaure and just ahead of Redoutable. The broadside fired by Victory raked her in the less protected stern and she lost 197 killed and 85 wounded (including Captain Magendie); Admiral Villeneuve was lucky to survive, but this effectively put Bucentaure out of most of the fight. After three hours of fighting, she surrendered to Captain James Atcherly of the Marines from HMS Conqueror.
In the following days, her crew rose up against the British prize crew, and recaptured the ship. However, Bucentaure was wrecked in the storm of October 23, 1805.
