page_title: French frigate Hermione (1779)
section_title: Operations off America
hierarchical_section_title: French frigate Hermione (1779) / Career / Operations off America
caption_attribution_description: Hermione_au_combat_de_Louisbourg_1781
context_page_description: Hermione was a 32-gun Concorde-class frigate of the French Navy. Designed for speed, she was one of the first ships of the French Navy to receive a copper sheathing. At the beginning of the Anglo-French War of 1778, she patrolled in the Bay of Biscay, escorting convoys and chasing privateers. She became famous when she ferried General La Fayette to the United States in 1780 in support of the rebels in the American Revolutionary War. She took an incidental role in the Battle of Cape Henry on 16 March 1781, and a major one in the Action of 21 July 1781.
  Hermione grounded and was wrecked in 1793. In 1997, construction of a replica ship started in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France; the new ship is likewise named Hermione.
context_section_description: On 24 late February 1780, Latouche was tasked with ferrying General La Fayette to America. La Fayette was to return as an emissary of Louis XVI to George Washington, and announce that France was sending a 6-ship squadron and 5,000 soldiers in support of the independence of the Thirteen Colonies. Hermione was also to carry 4,000 uniforms for the Continental Army, but these could not be found by the time of departure.
  General La Fayette embarked at Rochefort on 10 March 1780. Hermione sailed to the open sea, but in the night of 13, a gale ruptured the spar of her mainsail and she had to anchor off Ile d'Aix to effect repairs. She sailed again on 20, evading any encounter en route, and arrived at Boston on 27 April. Official celebration ensued, complete with gun salutes to political and military authorities of France and of the Thirteen Colonies.
  On 2 May, Latouche offered to patrol the Bay of Boston and secure it against British privateers and frigates, which the authorities of Massachusetts approved on the next day. On 14, Hermione set sail and cruised to the North, trying to lure smaller British warships, but she did not catch anything and on 21 May,  she returned to Rhode Island. 
  On 28 May, Latouche received instructions from Ambassador La Luzerne to patrol the mouth of the Delaware River from 26 June. Latouche decided to take advantage of the free time this left him to cruise off New York and intercept British communications. On 2 June, Hermione captured the 100-ton brigantine Thomas, laden with butter, candles and soap. On 6, she intercepted Rewrery, laden with salt. Latouche sent them both to Providence.
  The next morning, Hermione detected a Sloop-of-war, a schooner, a snow and a frigate. As Hermione closed in, the snow and the frigate slowed down to cover the retreat of the sloop and the schooner. The frigate was the 32-gun HMS Iris, under James Hawker. Hermione and Iris hoisted their flags, and the Action of 7 June 1780 ensued. After 90 minutes of gunnery and musketry exchange, the ships disengaged. Hermione sustained significant damage to her sails, and had 10 killed and 37 wounded.
  After the battle, Hermione returned to Newport, where she arrived on 8. She disembarked her wounded, effected repairs, and returned to the sea on 15.  on 4 July, she fired a 13-gun salute for Independence Day. 
  On 11 June 1780, the French fleet of the Expédition Particulière, Admiral Ternay started arriving, first with 32-gun frigate Amazone, under Captain Lapérouse, followed by 36 transports, 7 ships of the line and 3 other frigates. From then on, Hermione was attached to the Ternay's squadron as part of a frigate division under Captain Jean-Marie de Villeneuve Cillart, with his flag on Surveillante, and also comprising Amazone. The division attempted a sortie on 21, but immediately detected a British fleet blockading Newport and returned to harbour. Until October, the frigates remained a anchor and the crew helped reinforce coastal defences.
  On 28 October 1780, Hermione and Surveillante departed Newport, escorting Amazone which was bound for France. The next day, off New York, they captured the merchantman Phillipe, with 28 men and 16 4-pounders, laden with oranges, wine and candied fruit.
  Ternay died on 15 December 1780, and Captain Sochet Des Touches replaced him as commander of the French squadron. He decided to prepare a sortie against the British blockade. After preparations, the squadron set sail on 8 March 1781, with Hermione as vanguard. In the morning of 16, Hermione detected a strange sail. Chasing the unknown ship let her to detect the entire British squadron. Des Touches formed his battle line and engaged, leading to the Battle of Cape Henry. After the battle, Hermione returned to reconnaissance duty, capturing the merchantman Union on 19,  until 22 when Des Touches detached her to bring news of the battle to the US Congress. Hermione arrived near Philadelphia on 25. 
  After transmitting despatches to La Luzerne, Latouche retrieved 30 French sailors who had been loaned to USS Ariel. He also loaded a cargo of flour for the
caption: Hermione in action at the Naval battle of Louisbourg, 21 July 1781
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