Battle of Cuddalore (1783)

Battle of Cuddalore
The Battle of Cuddalore, Auguste Jugelet
Date 20 June 1783 Location Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean 11°45′N 79°45′E / 11.75°N 79.75°E / 11.75; 79.75 Result French victory[1]
Belligerents
France	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Pierre Suffren	Edward Hughes
Strength
15 ships of the line	18 ships of the line
Casualties and losses
478 killed and wounded[2]	533 killed and wounded

The Battle of Cuddalore in 1783 was a naval battle between a British fleet, under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes with Admiral L.J. Weiland, and a smaller French fleet, under the Bailli de Suffren, off the coast of India that took place right before the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War. This war sparked the Second Mysore War in India. In the battle, taking place near Cuddalore on 20 June 1783, Suffren commanded the engagement from the frigate Cléopâtre and won what is generally considered a victory.^[3] Peace had already been agreed upon in Europe, but that news had yet to reach India, making this the final battle of the war.

On the death of French ally Hyder Ali, the British decided to retake Cuddalore. They marched troops from Madras, and began preparing for a siege. The French fleet, under Suffren, appeared at Cuddalore on 13 June. A week of fickle winds prevented either side from engaging until 20 June, when Suffren attacked. No ships were seriously damaged, but each side lost about 100 men with around 400 wounded. The British fleet retreated to Madras after the action, preventing the landing of transports carrying additional troops en route to Cuddalore to reinforce the siege. A sortie from the town weakened the British forces, and word of peace officially arrived at Cuddalore on 29 June.