View source for USS Boston vs Berceau

{{DISPLAYTITLE:USS ''Boston'' vs ''Berceau''}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
| conflict          = USS ''Boston'' vs ''Berceau''
| image             = Berceau vs USS Boston-h76555.jpg
| image_size        = 200px
| partof            = [[Quasi-War]]
| date              = 12 October 1800
| place             = off [[Guadeloupe]]
| result            = American victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|United States|1795}}
| combatant2        = {{flagicon|French First Republic}} [[French First Republic|France]]
| commander1        = {{flagicon image|Naval_jack_of_the_United_States_(1795–1818).svg}} [[George Little (naval officer)|George Little]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|France|naval}} [[Louis-André Senez]]
| strength1         = 1 [[Frigate]]<br>220 [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and [[United States Navy|Sailors]]<br>32 guns
| strength2         = 1 [[Corvette]]<br>180 [[Troupes de marine|Marines]] and [[French Navy|Sailors]] <br>24 guns
| casualties1       = 7 killed<br> 8 wounded<br>1 frigate damaged
| casualties2       = 50–80 killed<br>18 wounded<br>82–112 prisoners<br>1 corvette captured<br>'''French Claim:'''<br>4 killed<br>17 wounded|
}}
{{Campaignbox Quasi-War}}

The '''Action between the USS ''Boston'' and ''Berceau''''', was a [[single ship action]] off [[Guadeloupe]], during the [[Quasi-War]] with [[France]]. {{USS|Boston|1799|6}} (32 guns), Capt. George Little, captured the French [[corvette]] {{ship|French corvette|Berceau|1794|2}}, ''capitaine de frégate'' [[Louis-André Senez]]. Cruising 600 miles northeast of Guadeloupe in the morning of 12 October, ''Boston'', spotted two vessels that by 8:00 A.M. were determined to be warships, a schooner (not identified) and the 24-gun ''Berceau'', which then headed in different directions. 

Pursuing the latter, ''Boston'' gained steadily before catching her in the late afternoon (the American report gives the time as 4:30 P.M., French 3:30 P.M.). ''Berceau'' then shortened sail and the two began a stubborn engagement, each trying to wreck the spars, sails and rigging of the other until the damage to the tops of both made them unmanageable and they drifted apart. The crews then spent the next several hours repairing their damage so that they could rejoin the fight. Well after dusk, the two were again able to engage (the French report gives an additional intermediate engagement), which they did for more than an hour. The action was finally terminated (American, 10:20 P.M.; French 11:30 P.M.) when, losing her fore and main mast and already having had boarding attempts repulsed, ''Berceau'' was forced to strike her colors.

Following several days spent immobile, repairing spars, sails and rigging, ''Boston'' towed ''Berceau'' under prize-master [[Robert Haswell]] to its namesake home port of [[Boston]]. On arrival, it was discovered that the action had actually been fought two weeks after a peace agreement had formally ended hostilities. As a consequence ''Berceau'' was repaired at American expense and returned to France. The victory was also tainted by charges that the French officers had been plundered of their personal belongings and negro servants, with the active participation of most of their American counterparts. Acquitted in a resulting court martial proceeding, most of ''Boston{{'}}''s officers were nonetheless dismissed from the Navy.

==References==
* [[James Truslow Adams]], ''Dictionary of American History'', Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1940
* Frederick C. Leiner, ''Millions for Defense: The Subscription Warships of 1798'', Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1999

{{coord missing|France}}

[[Category:Naval battles of the Quasi-War]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1800]]
[[Category:1800 in France]]
[[Category:1800 in the United States]]
[[Category:October 1800]]