The authorities in Leghorn, alarmed by the…
October 1793 CE
The frigate had sailed north and taken shelter at Fezzano, near the port of La Spezia.
The French had decided that since capture was inevitable, the frigate should be destroyed, and beached the ship in order to remove guns and stores.
Six days after the capture of Modeste, Captain had reached La Spezia, acting on reports that Impérieuse was in the bay.
Reeve had discovered the French ship under the guns of the Santa Maria shore battery, and the following morning, October 12, uses his ship's boats to tow Captain alongside Impérieuse.
At 08:00 boat parties from the ship of the line board the frigate, discovering that the remaining French crew had abandoned their disarmed ship during the night and scuttled it in shallow water.
The British are able to take possession of Impérieuse without opposition from the battery.
Reeve instructs his carpenters to make the frigate seaworthy again, refloating the ship and completing temporary repairs on October 13 before sailing back to Toulon with his prize.
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Austria, Archduchy of
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Holy Roman Empire
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Habsburg Monarchy, or Empire
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Spain, Bourbon Kingdom of
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Britain, Kingdom of Great
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Netherlands, Southern (Austrian)
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Sardinia, Kingdom of (Savoy)
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Naples and Sicily, Bourbon Kingdom of
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French First Republic
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