List of single-ship actions
A single-ship action is a naval engagement fought between two warships of opposing sides, excluding submarine engagements; called so because there is a single ship on each side. The following is a list of notable single-ship actions.
HMS Leopard (right) fires upon the USS Chesapeake during the Chesapeake–Leopard Affair.
Single-ship actions
Anglo Spanish War
- 1579 March 1 - Golden Hind captures the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de la Concepción.
Golden Age of Piracy
- 1720 October 20 - British sloop Tyger under Jonathan Barnet captures the pirate sloop William and its owner Calico Jack.
War of the Austrian Succession
- 1743 June 20 - HMS Centurion captures the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de la Covadonga
American Revolutionary War
- 1778 April 24 - USS Ranger captures HMS Drake. (details)
- 1779 May 7 USS Providence captures HMS Diligent
- 1779 September 10 - USS Morris defeats HMS West Florida in the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain.
- 1779 September 14 - HMS Pearl defeats the Spanish frigate Santa Mónica. (details)
- 1779 November 11 - HMS Tartar captures the Spanish frigate Santa Margarita. (details)
- 1780 June 1 - USS Trumbull engages the British privateer Watt; both ships withdraw
- 1780 August 11 - HMS Flora defeats the French ship Nymphe in the first engagement thought to involve the carronade.
- 1781 May 1 - HMS Canada captures the Spanish frigate Santa Leocadia. (details)
- 1781 September 6 - American privateer Congress captures the British sloop HMS Savage. (details)
- 1782 April 8 - Pennsylvania Privateer Hyder Ally captures HMS General Monk. (details)
- 1782 August 12 - Frigate HMS Coventry inconclusively engages the French frigate Bellone
- 1782 December 6 - HMS Ruby defeats the French ship Solitaire. (details)
- 1783 January 22 - HMS Hussar captures the French frigate Sybille. (details)
Russo-Swedish War
- 1789 May 21 - Cutter Mercury under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Roman Crown captures Swedish 40-gun frigate Venus which, according to tradition, joins Russian navy under the same name
French Revolutionary Wars
- 1793 June 18 - HMS Nymphe captures the French frigate Cléopâtre (details)
- 1793 December 1 - His Majesty's packet ship Antelope captures the French privateer Atlante.
- 1794 May 29 - HMS Carysfort recaptures HMS Castor (details)
- 1795 January 4 - HMS Blanche captures Pique
- 1795 March 13 - HMS Lively captures the French frigate Tourterelle
- 1796 June 6 - HMS Unicorn captures French frigate Tribune
- 1797 March 13 - HMS Viper captures Nuestra Señora de la Piedad.
- 1797 December 22 - HMS Phoebe captures the French frigate Néréide
- 1798 January - 11 HMS Racoon captures the French privateer Policrate
- 1798 April 2 - HMS Mars captures the French ship Hercule
- 1798 April 17 - HMS Recovery captures the French privateer Revanche
- 1798 July 4 - French brig Lodi in an inconclusive engagement with the English privateer brig Acquila (probably Eagle)
- 1798 June 21 - His Majesty's packet ship Princess Royal repels the French privateer Avanture.(details)
- 1798 August 7 - HMS Espoir captures the Genoese pirate Liguria
- 1798 October 20 - HMS Racoon captures the French privateer Vigilante
- 1798 December 12 - HMS Perdrix captures the French privateer L'Armée d' Italie
- 1799 March 18 - HM hired brig Telegraph captures French privateer Hirondelle
- 1799 November 23 - Hired cutter Courier captures French privateer Guerrier
- 1799 December 2 HMS Racoon captures French privateer Intrepide
- 1799 December 26 - HMS Viper captures the French privateer Furet
- 1800 March 5 - HMS Phoebe captures the privateer Heureux
- 1800 August 20 - HMS Seine captures the French ship Vengeance
- 1800 October 8 - HMS Gipsy captures the French privateer Quidproquo
- 1800 November 13 - HMS Milbrook defeats and drives off the French privateer Bellone
- 1800 October 7 - French privateer Confiance captures British East Indiaman Kent
- 1801 February 19 - HMS Phoebe captures the French frigate Africaine (details)
- 1801 May 6 - HMS Speedy captures Spanish xebec frigate El Gamo
- 1801 August 18 - HMS Guachapin captures Spanish letter of marque Theresa
- 1801 September 25 - HMS Pickle has an inconclusive engagement with a privateer flying the Spanish colors off Hispaniola.
Quasi-War
- 1799 February 9 - USS Constellation captures the French frigate L'Insurgente (details)
- 1800 February 1 - USS Constellation defeats the French frigate La Vengeance (details)
- 1800 October 12 - USS Boston captures the French corvette Berceau (details)
- 1800 October 25 - USS Enterprise captures French privateer Flambeau (details)
Napoleonic Wars
- 1803 May 18 - HMS Doris captures the French lugger Affronteur on the first day of the war.
- 1803 July 16 - HMS Racoon captures French brig-corvette Lodi.
- 1803 August 13 - French privateer Bellone captures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson
- 1803 August 17 - HMS Racoon destroys French naval brig Mutine.
- 1803 August 27 - HMS Seagull recaptures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson.
- 1804 February 5 - HMS Eclair engages the 22-gun French privateer Grande Decide.
- 1804 March 21 - French privateer Blonde captures and sinks HMS Wolverine.
- 1804 March 25 or 28 - HMS Hippomenes captures French privateer Egyptienne
- 1804 June 21 - HMS Hippomenes unsuccessfully engages the Guadeloupe privateer Buonaparte.
- 1804 July 15 - French privateer Dame Ambert captures HMS Lilly
- 1804 July 31 - HMS Tartar captures French privateer Hirondelle
- 1805 February 8 - HMS Curieux captures French privateer Dame Ernouf
- 1805 February 13 - HMS San Fiorenzo captures French frigate Psyche
- 1805 March 10 - Private ship of war Kitty captures the Spanish private ship of war Felicity
- 1805 March 20 - French privateer Général Ernouf explodes during an engagement with HMS Renard
- 1805 July 19 - French frigate Topaze captures HMS Blanche
- 1805 August 10 - HMS Phoenix captures Didon
- 1805 August 16 - HMS Raisonable vs French frigate Topaze
- 1805 November - HMS Wolverine vs HMS Amethyst
- 1806 January 23 - French privateer captures and sinks HMS Unique
- 1806 May 11 - French ship Abeille captures HMS Alacrity
- 1806 May 14 - HMS Pallas vs French Minerve
- 1806 July 19 - HMS Blanche captures French Guerrière
- 1806 October 26 - HMS Pitt captures the French privateer Superbe
- 1806 December 29 - HMS Spitfire captures French privateer Deux Frères
- 1807 January 3 - HMS Pickle captures the French privateer Favorite.
- 1807 August 19 - HMS Comus captures the Danish frigate Frederickscvaern.
- 1807 October 1 - British packet ship Windsor Castle captures the French privateer Jeune Richard. (details)
- 1807 October 17 - HMS Superieure captures the French privateer schooner Tape a L’Oeil.
- 1807 December 3 - HMS Curieux vs French privateer Revanche
- 1808 March 2 - HMS Sappho captures Danish privateer Admiral Yawl
- 1808 March 6–8 - HMS San Fiorenzo captures French frigate Piémontaise
- 1808 March 14 - - HDMS Lougen engages in an inconclusive action with HMS Childers
- 1808 May 11 and 12 - HMS Wizard vs French 16-gun brig of war Requin, later captured by HMS Volage
- 1808 June 24 - HMS Salsette captures the Russian cutter Opyt
- 1808 July 5 and 6 - HMS Seahorse captures Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer[1]
- 1808 August 11 - HMS Comet captures French corvette Sylphe
- 1808 September 6 - HMS Recruit vs French corvette Diligente
- 1808 September 29 - French navy corvette Départment-des-Landes captures HMS Maria[2]
- 1808 October 3 - French brig Palinure captures HMS Carnation
- 1810 January 11 - HMS Scorpion captures French brig Oreste
- 1810 August 10 - His Majesty's Hired armed cutter Queen Charlotte drives off a substantially larger and more heavily armed French vessel.
- 1812 July 21 - HMS Sealark captures the French privateer Ville de Caen
- 1813 September 10 - French privateer cutter Renard destroys the schooner HMS Alphea
- 1814 March 27 - HMS Hebrus captures French frigate Étoile
First Barbary War
- 1801 August 1 - United States Navy warship USS Enterprise captures Tripolitanian corsair Tripoli near Malta. (details)
War of 1812
- 1807 June 22 Chesapeake–Leopard Affair - HMS Leopard boards the USS Chesapeake
- 1811 May 16 Little Belt Affair - USS President fires on HMS Little Belt
- 1812 June 18 - USS Essex captures HMS Alert
- 1812 August 19 - USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerriere
- 1812 August 22 - HMS Barbados defeats US Revenue Cutter James Madison
- 1812 September 8 - French privateer brig Diligent (or Diligente or Diligence) captures the schooner HMS Laura
- 1812 September 16 - American privateer Rossie captures the packet Princess Amelia
- 1812 October 18 - USS Wasp defeats HMS Frolic
- 1812 October 18 - HMS Poictiers defeats USS Wasp
- 1812 October 25 - USS United States captures HMS Macedonian
- 1812 November 22 - HMS Southampton captures USS Vixen
- 1812 December 11 - American privateer Saratoga captures the British letter of marque Rachel in the Battle of La Guaira
- 1812 December 29 - USS Constitution destroys HMS Java
- 1813 January 17 - HMS Narcissus captures USS Viper
- 1813 February 24 - USS Hornet defeats HMS Peacock
- 1813 May 23 - HMS Highflyer vs. Virginia privateer schooner Roger
- 1813 June 1 - HMS Shannon captures USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Boston Harbor
- 1813 August 5 - Privateer Decatur captures HMS Dominica
- 1813 August 14 - HMS Pelican captures USS Argus
- 1813 September 5 - USS Enterprise captures HMS Boxer
- 1813 September 23 - USS President captures HMS Highflyer
- 1813 December 25 - HMS Belvidera captures USS Vixen II
- 1814 February - HMS Epervier captures American privateer-brig Alfred
- 1814 February 14 - USS Constitution destroys HMS Pictou
- 1814 March 28 - HMS Phoebe captures USS Essex in the Battle of Valparaiso
- 1814 April 20 - HMS Shelburne, with HMS Orpheus approaching, captures USS Frolic
- 1814 April 29 - USS Peacock captures HMS Epervier
- 1814 June 22 - HMS Leander captures USS Rattlesnake
- 1814 June 28 - USS Wasp captures HMS Reindeer
- 1814 July 12 - Privateer Syren captures HMS Landrail
- 1814 July 12 - HMS Medway captures USS Syren
- 1814 September 1 - USS Wasp sinks HMS Avon
- 1814 October 11 - HMS Dispatch defeats US Revenue Cutter Eagle
- 1815 January 15 - HMS Endymion defeats USS President
- 1815 March 23 - USS Hornet captures HMS Penguin
- 1815 June 15 - USS Peacock captures the Nautilus of the Bombay Marine of the East India Company
Suppression of the slave trade
- 1828 April 2 - HMS Black Joke captures Providentia
- 1828 May 1 - HMS Black Joke captures Presidenté
- 1829 February 1 - HMS Black Joke captures Almirante
- 1830 September 7 - HMS Primrose captures Veloz Passagera (details)
Texas
- 1835 June 15 - USRC Ingham engages the Mexican schooner Montezuma.
- 1836 March 6 - Texas schooner Liberty captures the Mexican schooner Pelicano
- 1836 April 3 - Texas schooner Invincible sinks the Mexican schooner Montezuma.
First Schleswig War
- 1849 June 27 - Prussian paddle steamer Preussischer Adler duels inconclusively with Danish brig St. Croix off Brusterort
Crimean War
- 1853 November 17 - Russian steam frigate Vladimir captures Turkish/Egyptian steam frigate Pervaz Bahri in the Black Sea (first battle between steamships)
American Civil War
- 1861 July 18 - USS St. Lawrence sinks privateer Petrel off Charleston, South Carolina
- 1863 January 11 - CSS Alabama sinks USS Hatteras off Galveston Island, Texas
- 1864 June 19 - USS Kearsarge sinks CSS Alabama off Cherbourg, France
- 1864 October 7 - USS Wachusett captures CSS Florida in Bahia Harbour, Brazil
Chincha Islands War
- 1865 November 26 - Battle of Papudo - Chilean corvette Esmeralda captures Spanish gunboat Virgen de Covadonga
- 1866 August 22 - Spanish frigate Gerona captures Chilean cruiser Pampero. (details)
War of the Pacific
- 1879 May 21 Battle of Iquique - Peruvian monitor Huáscar sinks Chilean corvette Esmeralda
- 1879 May 21 Battle of Punta Gruesa - Chilean schooner Covadonga defeats Peruvian ironclad Independencia
Franco-Prussian War
- 1870 November 7 - French aviso Bouvet fights German gunboat Meteor off Havana
Spanish-American War
- 1898 April 25 - Spanish gunboat Ligera repulses an attack by American torpedo boat USS Foote (details)
Mexican Revolution
- 1914 March 31 - Huerista gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Third Battle of Topolobampo
- 1914 June 16 - Huerista gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Fourth Battle of Topolobampo
World War I
- 1914 August 26 - British cruiser Highflyer defeats German auxiliary cruiser SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in the Battle of Río de Oro
- 1914 September 14 - British armed merchantman HMS Carmania sinks German auxiliary cruiser SMS Cap Trafalgar in an engagement off Trindade Island in the South Atlantic
- 1914 September 20 - In the Battle of Zanzibar, the German cruiser SMS Königsberg attacks and sinks the British cruiser HMS Pegasus while it is in harbour for repairs.
- 1914 November 9 - HMAS Sydney defeats SMS Emden in the Battle of Cocos.
- 1917 March 10 - German auxiliary cruiser SMS Möwe sinks New Zealand freighter Otaki and is seriously damaged
World War II
- 1940 November 5 - German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer sinks convoy escort Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Jervis Bay in the North Atlantic.
- 1940 November 9 - the Free French aviso Savorgnan de Brazza sinks her sistership, Vichy French aviso Bougainville, off Libreville
- 1941 February 27 - HMNZS Leander sinks Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I in a brief engagement off the Maldives
- 1941 April 4 - German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British armed merchant cruiser HMS Voltaire in an engagement 1200 km off the Cape Verde islands. (details)
- 1941 May 8 - the British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall sinks German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin. in an engagement off the Seychelles
- 1941 November 19 - the battle between the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran near Western Australia results in the loss of both ships.
- 1942 June 6 - German auxiliary cruiser Stier sinks the tanker SS Stanvac Calcutta in the South Atlantic.
- 1942 September 27 - German auxiliary cruiser Stier and American Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins sink each other in the South Atlantic.
Ecuadorian–Peruvian War
- 1941 July 25 - Ecuadorian gunboat Abdón Calderón duels inconclusively with Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar off Jambeli
Korean War
- 1950 June 25 - ROKS Baekdusan sinks a North Korean troop transport
- 1950 September 10 - ROKS PC-703 sinks North Korean minelayer
Vietnam War
- 1968 March 1 - USCGC Winona sinks North Vietnamese naval trawler T-A
Falklands War
- 1982 May 11 - HMS Alacrity (F174) sinks ARA Isla de los Estados
Sri Lankan Civil War
- 2003 March 10 - SLNS Sayura sinks LTTE logistic vessel MV Koimer off Mullaitivu
Anti-piracy in Somalia
- 18 November 2008 - INS Taber sinks the trawler Ekawat Nava 5 which had been captured by Somali pirates.
- 28 January 2008 - INS Cankarso sinks Somali pirate trawler Prantalay 14 off Minicoy Island. (details)
- 12 May 2011 - USS Stephen W. Groves sinks Somali pirate longliner Jih Chun Tsai 68 in the Indian Ocean off Somalia.
- 12 May 2011 - HDMS Esbern Snare sinks Somali pirate dhow NN Iran
- 12 January 2012 - SPS Patiño captures a Somali pirate skiff
See also
Further reading
Notes
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16194. pp. 1437–1438. 22 October 1808.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16215. p. 16. 3 January 1809.