Océan was a 118-gun
first-rate three-decker
ship of the line of the
French Navy, lead ship of
her class.
She was ordered as
États de Bourgogne and was launched at
Brest in 1790. Like many French ships of the line during the Revolutionary period, she was renamed several times, becoming
Côte d'Or in January 1793,
Montagne in October 1793, and finally
Océan in 1795. She served until 1855.
A large model at the 1/16th scale can be seen at the
Musée de la Marine in
Paris.
Career
As the largest ship of the line in the Brest fleet, the ship spent much of her early career as the fleet
flagship.
As
Montagne, the ship was the flagship of Rear-Admiral
Villaret-Joyeuse in the
Combat de Prairial (known in English literature as the
Glorious First of June) in 1794. She was badly damaged by the
HMS Royal Sovereign, losing 313 men and receiving 233 round shots in her hull.
On 17 May 1795, she was renamed
Peuple; a month later, on the 23 of June she fought in the
Battle of Groix as
Villaret's flagship. Returning to
Lorient three days later, she was (officially, since 30 of May the name
Océan was used) renamed to
Océan.
She was refitted in Brest in 1797.
In 1801, she once again served as
Villaret's flagship, ferrying troops of
Leclerc's expedition to
Saint-Domingue.
Océan was
Allemand's flagship at the
Battle of the Basque Roads.
She was decommissioned on 2 August 1850, and used as a floating
artillery battery from May 1851.
See also
Category:French Navy ships of the lineCategory:Océan class ships of the lineCategory:1790s shipsfr:L'Océan (1790)ja:エタ・ド・ブルゴーニュ (戦列艦)pl:Océan (1793)
