Battle of Beachy Head (1690)

Battle of Beachy Head
	Part of the Nine Years' War
	; An illustration of the battle by Théodore Gudin
Date	10 July 1690
Location	Off Beachy Head, English Channel50°44′15″N 0°14′52″E / 50.73743°N 0.24768°E
Result	French victory
Belligerents
France	England ; Dutch Republic
Commanders and leaders
Tourville ; Châteaurenault ; D'Estrées ; Forbin	Earl of Torrington ; Ralph Delaval ; Cornelis Evertsen
Strength
75 ships; 28,000 crewmen	56 ships; 23,000 crewmen
Casualties and losses
No ships lost	2,350 killed and wounded ; 4,000 total casualties ; 7-15 ships captured, sunk or destroyed

The Battle of Beachy Head, also known as the Battle of Bévéziers, was a fleet action fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the most significant French naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war.^[2] The Dutch lost a number of ships of the line and three fireships; their English allies also lost one ship of the line, whereas the French did not lose a vessel. Control of the English Channel temporarily fell into French hands but Vice-Admiral Anne Hilarion de Tourville failed to pursue the Anglo-Dutch fleet with sufficient vigour, allowing it to fall back to the Thames.

Tourville was criticised for not following up his victory and was relieved of his command. Royal Navy Admiral Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington, who had advised against engaging the superior French fleet but had been overruled by Queen Mary II of England and her ministers, was court-martialled for his performance during the battle. Although he was acquitted, King William III of England dismissed him from the service.

^ All dates in the article are in the Gregorian calendar (unless otherwise stated). The Julian calendar as used in England in 1690 differed by ten days. Thus, the battle of Beachy Head was fought on 10 July (Gregorian calendar) or 30 June (Julian calendar). In this article (O.S) is used to annotate Julian dates with the year adjusted to 1 January. See the article Old Style and New Style dates for a more detailed explanation of the dating issues and conventions.
^ ^a ^b Lynn: The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667–1714, p. 83
^ listed in Rif Winfield and Stephen Roberts, French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626-1786, p.30 (the total of 75 includes 5 ships not in the line of battle, but excludes 18 fireships); also 75 ships according to N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 145: Dupuy also puts the French strength at 75, Lynn states a strength of 77 (with 23 fireships): Aubrey states 76 (with 18 fireships).
^ ^a ^b ^c Clodfelter 2017, p. 49.
^ listed in Rif Winfield and Stephen Roberts, French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626-1786, p.30; also N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 145: Lynn puts Allied strength at 57. Dupuy 59; Aubrey 55.
^ Bodart 1908, p. 112.
^ Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 146: 1 captured and 2 sunk during the battle; another 8 later burnt by the Allies to avoid capture. Aubrey states 15 in total; Dupuy states 12 ships lost. Warnsinck states 7 Dutch ships lost while Lynn states 6 ships lost with only 1 Dutch ship sunk during the battle. Clodfelter states 12 ships

[1] All dates in the article are in the Gregorian calendar (unless otherwise stated). The Julian calendar as used in England in 1690 differed by ten days. Thus, the battle of Beachy Head was fought on 10 July (Gregorian calendar) or 30 June (Julian calendar). In this article (O.S) is used to annotate Julian dates with the year adjusted to 1 January. See the article Old Style and New Style dates for a more detailed explanation of the dating issues and conventions.

[Lynn_1714,_p._83-2] Lynn: The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667–1714, p. 83

[3] sted in Rif Winfield and Stephen Roberts, French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626-1786, p.30 (the total of 75 includes 5 ships not in the line of battle, but excludes 18 fireships); also 75 ships according to N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 145: Dupuy also puts the French strength at 75, Lynn states a strength of 77 (with 23 fireships): Aubrey states 76 (with 18 fireships).

[FOOTNOTEClodfelter201749-4] Clodfelter 2017, p. 49.

[5] sted in Rif Winfield and Stephen Roberts, French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626-1786, p.30; also N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 145: Lynn puts Allied strength at 57. Dupuy 59; Aubrey 55.

[FOOTNOTEBodart1908112-6] Bodart 1908, p. 112.

[7] Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815, p. 146: 1 captured and 2 sunk during the battle; another 8 later burnt by the Allies to avoid capture. Aubrey states 15 in total; Dupuy states 12 ships lost. Warnsinck states 7 Dutch ships lost while Lynn states 6 ships lost with only 1 Dutch ship sunk during the battle. Clodfelter states 12 ships

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]