Entreprenant (74)
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Origin and History
Built by J.L. Coulomb in 1749 in Brest. Launched in 1751.
Commanded by M. du Bois de la Mothe in 1755.
The ship was burned on July 21 1758, during the siege of Louisbourg.
Service during the War
In 1755, she took part to the expedition to reinforce Canada.
In the Spring of 1758, the ship was part of Beaussier's squadron which was left at Louisbourg for the defence of the place by du Chaffault when he sailed for Québec. On July 21, during the siege of Louisbourg, a bomb fell on the Célèbre (64) and set her on fire. An explosion followed. The few men on board could not save her, and she drifted from her moorings. The wind blew the flames into the rigging of the Entreprenant (74), and then into that of the Capricieux (64). At night all 3 were in full blaze; for when the fire broke out the British batteries turned on them a tempest of shot and shell to prevent it from being extinguished. The glare of the triple conflagration lighted up the town, the trenches, the harbour, and the surrounding hills, while the burning ships shot off their guns at random as they slowly drifted westward, and grounded at last near the Barachois. In the morning of July 22, the 3 French ships were consumed to the water's edge
Characteristics
| Guns | 74
| ||||||
| Crew | 700 | ||||||
| Length | 165' (53.59 m) in French feet | ||||||
| Width | 43' (13.99 m) | ||||||
| Depth | 20' 4" feet (6,60 m) | ||||||
| Displacement | 1500 tons |
References
Deschênes, Ronald, Répertoire des vaisseaux de ligne français 1682-1780
Vial J. L., Nec Pluribus Impar
N.B.: the section Service during the War is derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
