French ship Sévère (1778)
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| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} France | |
| Name | Sévère |
| Builder | Lorient [1] |
| Laid down | December 1773 [1] |
| Launched | 17 January 1775 [1] |
| In service | November 1778 [1] |
| Out of service | 26 January 1784 [1] |
| Fate | Wrecked 26 January 1784 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Sévère class ship of the line |
| Displacement | 2,250 tonneaux |
| Tons burthen | 1,300 port tonneaux |
| Length | 51.2 metres [1] |
| Beam | 13.2 metres [1] |
| Draught | 6.7 metres [1] |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament | 64 guns |
Sévère was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.
Built as an Indiaman by Roth on the lines of a previous ship, Superbe, that had been sold to the Austrian East India Company, Sévère was purchased by the Crown in November 1778 and commissioned for the American Revolutionary War.[1]
She was incorporated into Suffren's squadron. She took part in the Battle of Negapatam in 1782, under Captain Villeneuve-Cillart; during the battle, Cillart panicked and attempted to strike, but was prevented from doing so by officers Dieu and Kerlero de Rosbo. Sévère ended up causing damage to HMS Sultan.[1][Note 1]
In July 1782, in the wake of the Battle of Negapatam, Suffren relieved Cillart from duty and sent him to France to be Court-martialled,[4] replacing him with Lieutenant Maurville de Langle.[5] Maureville de Langle then captained Sévère during the Battle of Trincomalee between 25 August and 3 September 1782,[6] and during the Battle of Cuddalore on 20 June 1783.[7]
Fate
Sévère was later armed en flûte, and was wrecked on 26 January 1784 at the Cape of Good Hope.[1] Consequently, Maurville de Langle was retired from the Navy on 25 July. [8]