HMS Tonnant (1792)
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HMS Tonnant was a 3rd rate ship of the line, mounting 80 guns, which was originally built in 1792 as the French ship Tonnant ("Thundering"). She fought in the battles of Genoa on 14 March 1795 and the Nile on 1 August 1798, in which she was captured by the British. During the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805), under the command of Captain Charles Tyler, she captured the French ship Algesiras of 74 guns.
In the War of 1812, under the command of Captain Wainwright, HMS Tonnant was the flagship for Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane during most of the campaign in Chesapeake Bay, directing attacks on Washington and Baltimore, and the Battle of New Orleans. It was aboard the Tonnant that the Americans, Colonel John Stuart Skinner and Francis Scott Key dined with Vice Admiral Cochrane, Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn and Major General Robert Ross, and negotiated the release of the prisoner Dr. William Beanes. After his release, Skinner, Key and Beanes were allowed to return to their own sloop, but were not allowed to return to Baltimore because they had become familiar with the strength and position of British units and knew of the British intention to attack Baltimore. As a result, Key witnessed the bombarding of Fort McHenry and was inspired to write a poem called The Defense of Ft. McHenry, later named The Star Spangled Banner.
HMS Tonnant was also the flagship for Admiral Lord Keith when she took part in the exiling of Napoleon to St. Helena in 1815.
She was broken up in 1821.
