Quasi-War

Quasi-War
	; USS Constellation in combat with French Insurgente
Date	7 July 1798 – 30 September 1800
Location	Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea
Result	American victory Convention of 1800;
Belligerents
United States; Great Britain	French First Republic
Commanders and leaders
John Adams; Benjamin Stoddert; Thomas Truxtun; Silas Talbot; William Bainbridge; Stephen Decatur;	Napoléon Bonaparte; Paul Barras; Edme Desfourneaux; Victor Hugues; André Rigaud;
Strength
Maximum 9 frigates, 4 sloops, 2 brigs, 3 schooners ; 5,700 sailors and Marines, up to 365 privateers	Unknown
Casualties and losses
c. 160 killed or wounded ; 22 privateers, up to 2000 merchant ships captured	c. 100 killed or wounded, 517 captured ; 1 frigate, 2 corvettes, 1 brig and 118 privateers sunk or captured

The Quasi-War^[b] was an undeclared war fought between 1798 to 1800 by the United States and the French First Republic. It took place at sea, primarily the Caribbean and East Coast of the United States.

In 1793, Congress unilaterally suspended repayment of French loans incurred during the American Revolutionary War. France, then engaged in the 1792–1797 War of the First Coalition, also viewed the 1794 Jay Treaty between the USA and Great Britain, as incompatible with those treaties. They retaliated first by seizing American ships trading with Britain, and in October 1796, French privateers began attacking merchant ships sailing in American waters, regardless of nationality.

The dissolution of Federal naval forces following independence left the US unable to mount an effective response and by October 1797, over 316 American ships had been captured. In March 1798, Congress reformed the United States Navy, and in July authorized the use of military force against France. In addition to a number of individual ship actions, by 1799 American commercial losses had been significantly reduced through informal cooperation with the Royal Navy, whereby merchant ships from both nations were allowed to join each other's convoys.

The replacement of the French First Republic by the Consulate in November 1799 led to the Convention of 1800, which ended the war. The right of Congress to authorize military action without a formal declaration of war was later confirmed by the Supreme Court and formed the basis of many similar actions since, including American participation in the Vietnam War and the 1991 Gulf War.^[6]^[c]

^ Eclov 2013, pp. 223-224: "British and American warships shared coded signals to identify each other as friendly, sailed in concert, and sometimes chased the enemy together. The commanders often entertained their opposite numbers aboard their ships, and shared intelligence on enemy strength, and disposition. Without compunction, they convoyed the other nation's merchantmen. The British governors allowed American men of war to use their islands as bases of operations and to board prisoners of war captured in theatre.".
^ Kraska, James; Pedrozo, Raul A. (15 June 2018). The Free Sea: The American Fight for Freedom of Navigation. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-68247-117-3. Tactically, however, the Quasi-War was an American victory. The United States captured some eighty-five French privateers, losing only the Retaliation... Strategically, the war also redounded to the benefit of the United States, as France, absorbed in the Napoleonic Wars, would later relinquish the Louisiana Territory.
^ Center, Naval Education and Training Program Development (1977). Naval Orientation. Department of Defense, Navy Department, Naval Education and Training Support Command. p. 22. A naval war, this conflict was waged for the most part of the Caribbean. The cost to France proved so high that the French Directory was ready to sue for peace by 1801. American victory was largely due to another leader who endowed the Navy with great traditions.
^ Greenfield, Daniel (30 April 2024). Domestic Enemies: The Founding Fathers' Fight Against the Left. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-63758-448-4. America was in the midst of the Quasi-War with France that, despite American victories at sea, was devastating the international trade on which the state and the little island at the bottom depended.
^ Clodfelter 2002, pp. 136–137.
^ ^a ^b Fehlings 2000, p. 18.

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[FOOTNOTEEclov2013223-224:_"British_and_American_warships_shared_coded_signals_to_identify_each_other_as_friendly,_sailed_in_concert,_and_sometimes_chased_the_enemy_together._The_commanders_often_entertained_their_opposite_numbers_aboard_their_ships,_and_shared_intelligence_on_enemy_strength,_and_disposition._Without_compunction,_they_convoyed_the_other_nation's_merchantmen._The_British_governors_allowed_American_men_of_war_to_use_their_islands_as_bases_of_operations_and_to_board_prisoners_of_war_captured_in_theatre."-1] Eclov 2013, pp. 223-224: "British and American warships shared coded signals to identify each other as friendly, sailed in concert, and sometimes chased the enemy together. The commanders often entertained their opposite numbers aboard their ships, and shared intelligence on enemy strength, and disposition. Without compunction, they convoyed the other nation's merchantmen. The British governors allowed American men of war to use their islands as bases of operations and to board prisoners of war captured in theatre.".

[3] Kraska, James; Pedrozo, Raul A. (15 June 2018). The Free Sea: The American Fight for Freedom of Navigation. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-68247-117-3. Tactically, however, the Quasi-War was an American victory. The United States captured some eighty-five French privateers, losing only the Retaliation... Strategically, the war also redounded to the benefit of the United States, as France, absorbed in the Napoleonic Wars, would later relinquish the Louisiana Territory.

[4] Center, Naval Education and Training Program Development (1977). Naval Orientation. Department of Defense, Navy Department, Naval Education and Training Support Command. p. 22. A naval war, this conflict was waged for the most part of the Caribbean. The cost to France proved so high that the French Directory was ready to sue for peace by 1801. American victory was largely due to another leader who endowed the Navy with great traditions.

[5] Greenfield, Daniel (30 April 2024). Domestic Enemies: The Founding Fathers' Fight Against the Left. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-63758-448-4. America was in the midst of the Quasi-War with France that, despite American victories at sea, was devastating the international trade on which the state and the little island at the bottom depended.

[FOOTNOTEClodfelter2002136–137-6] Clodfelter 2002, pp. 136–137.

[FOOTNOTEFehlings200018-8] Fehlings 2000, p. 18.

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