Action of 17 June 1778

On 13 June 1778, Admiral Augustus Keppel, with twenty-one ships of the line and three frigates, was dispatched by the Admiralty to keep watch over the French fleet at Brest; Keppel was to prevent a junction of the Brest and Toulon fleets, more by persuasion if he could since both nations were not at war. The French 26-gun frigate, was on a reconnaissance along with the 26-gun frigate , the corvette , and the cutter Coureur, when on 17 June she encountered a large British squadron that included at a point south of The Lizard. Admiral Keppel, commanding the British fleet, ordered that the French ships be pursued and returned to his flagship by any means since he did not want the French ships to see the British strength. ==Action==

Licorne did so, after being overhauled by two British ships , mounting 28 guns, and , of 64 guns. Licorne subsequently tried to escape during the night after having meditated on affairs, but surrendered after a brief combat with America, a vessel double her size. Thus a furious, two-hour battle between the two ships with Arethusa. Belle Poule was eager to escape and soon began to inflict serious damage upon Arethusa, which ended up with her topmasts hanging over the side and canvas torn. Soon after Arethusa lay shattered and then lost her main mast. Soon the wind fell and with it the shot-torn loftier sails of Belle Poule. However, they held enough wind to drift her out of the reach of Arethusas fire. Both ships were close under the French cliffs and Belle Poule struggled into a tiny cove in the rocks. Nothing remained for Arethusa but to cut away her wreckage, hoist what sail she could, and drag herself back under jury-masts to the British fleet. Meanwhile, Coureur was overtaken by the British cutter , and after some resistance finally cooperated with being taken to Keppel's flagship. Hirondelle escaped the engagement entirely. ==Aftermath==

Arethusa suffered 44 casualties from her 198-man crew, but the masts and rigging had been so severely damaged that the ship had to be towed by newly arrived British ships. This battle was the first between British and French naval forces during the Anglo-French War With the capture of Licorne and Hirondelle it was also viewed as a victory in Britain and became the subject of a traditional Sea shanty, The Saucy Arethusa. (Roud # 12675). Arethusa is also the subject of a song on the Decemberists' album Her Majesty the Decemberists. ==Notes==