List of single-ship actions

Single-ship actions

Anglo-Spanish War

• 1579, March 1 – Golden Hind captures the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de la Concepción.

  Golden Age of Piracy

• 1720, October 20 – British sloop Snow-Tyger under Jonathan Barnet captures the pirate sloop William and its owner Calico Jack.

  War of the Austrian Succession

• 1743, June 20 – HMS Centurion captures the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de la Covadonga

  Seven Years War

• 1761, 1 January – captures the French merchant frigate Bien Aimé.

  American Revolutionary War

• 1776, July 27 – and have an inconclusive engagement
• 1777, 12 July = British merchantman Pole repulses the privateer American Tartar
• 1778, April 24 – captures
• 1779, May 7 captures
• 1780, September 9 – has an inconclusive, three-hour engagement with
• 1779, September 10 – defeats HMS West Florida in the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain.
• 1779, September 14 – HMS Pearl defeats the Spanish frigate Santa Mónica.
• 1779, November 11 – HMS Tartar captures the Spanish frigate Santa Margarita.
• 1780, June 1 – USS Trumbull engages the British privateer Watt; both ships withdraw
• 1780, August 10 – HMS Flora defeats the French ship Nymphe in the first engagement thought to involve the carronade.
• 1781, March 23 – British privateer, of 14 guns, captures American letter of marque Tom Lee, of 12 guns.
• 1781, May 1 – captures the Spanish frigate Santa Leocadia.
• 1781, September 6 – American privateer Congress captures the British sloop.
• 1782, April 6 – American privateer Tartar captures
• 1782, April 8 – Pennsylvania privateer Hyder Ally captures HMS General Monk.
• 1782, 9 August – HMS Duc de Chartres captures the French brig Aigle
• 1782, August 12 – Frigate inconclusively engages the French frigate Bellone
• 1782, December 6 – defeats the.
• 1783, January 20 – captures the Dutch privateer Flushinger
• 1783, January 22 – HMS Hussar captures the French frigate Sybille.

  French Revolutionary Wars

• 1793, May 13 – and Citoyenne Française conduct an inconclusive but sanguinary engagement
• 1793, June 18 – captures the
• 1793, December 1 – The British packet ship Antelope captures the French privateer Atlante.
• 1794, May 29 – recaptures
• 1794, September 5 – Merchantmen repulses Républicaine
• 1794, September 25 – Merchantman repulses a French privateer
• 1795, January 4 – captures Pique
• 1795, March 13 – captures the French frigate Tourterelle
• 1796, November 20 – Merchantman engages a French privateer that blows up during the engagement
• 1796, May 25 – HMS Suffisante captures the privateer Revanche
• 1796, June 6 – captures French frigate Tribune
• 1796, November 28 – The slave ship repels two different French privateers on the same day, each engagement representing a single-ship action
• 1797, March 13 – HMS Viper captures Nuestra Señora de la Piedad.
• 1797, August 15 – captures French privateer Coq
• 1797, October – captures French privateer Epicharis
• 1797, December 22 – captures the French frigate Néréide
• 1797, December 27 – captures the Spanish ship St Raphael
• 1798, January – 11 captures the French privateer Policrate
• 1798, April 2 – HMS Mars captures the French ship Hercule
• 1798, April 17 – HMS Recovery captures the French privateer Revanche
• 1798, July 4 – French brig Lodi in an inconclusive engagement with the English privateer brig Acquila
• 1798, June 21 – His Majesty's packet ship Princess Royal repels the French privateer Avanture.
• 1798, August 7 – captures the Genoese pirate Liguria
• 1798, October 20 – HMS Racoon captures the French privateer Vigilante
• 1798, December 12 – HMS Perdrix captures the French privateer L'Armée d' Italie
• 1798, February 24 – French frigate Forte captures the East Indiaman Osterley, but then allows her to proceed.
• 1798, March 1 – HMS Sybille captures French frigate Forte.
• 1799, February 25 – French privateer Democrat captures merchantman
• 1799, March 18 – HM hired brig Telegraph captures French privateer Hirondelle
• 1799, April 13 – HMS Amaranthe captures the French letter of marque Vengeur.
• 1799, November 23 – Hired cutter Courier captures French privateer Guerrier
• 1799, November 26 – Merchant ship repels attack by a French privateer
• 1799, December 2 HMS Racoon captures French privateer Intrepide
• 1799, December 2 the British merchantman captures the French privateer corvette Entreprenante
• 1799, December 26 – HMS Viper captures the French privateer Furet
• 1800, March 5 – captures the privateer Heureux
• 1800, August 20 – captures the French ship Vengeance
• 1800, October 8 – captures the French privateer Quidproquo
• 1800, October – American merchant ship Rebecca repels French privateer Malartic
• 1800, November 11 – East Indiaman Phoenix captures French privateer Malartic.
• 1800, November 13 – defeats and drives off the French privateer Bellone
• 1800, October 7 – French privateer Confiance captures British East Indiaman Kent
• 1801, February 19 – captures the French frigate Africaine
• 1801, March 5, French privateer Gironde captures merchantman
• 1801, March 23 — captures the French privateer
• 1801, April – British merchantman Union Island repels a Spanish privateer
• 1801, May – French privateer captures the British merchantman Union Island
• 1801, May 6 – captures Spanish xebec frigate El Gamo *
• 1801, August 18 – captures Spanish letter of marque Theresa
• 1801, September 25 – has an inconclusive engagement with a privateer flying the Spanish colors off Hispaniola.

  Quasi-War

• 1799, February 9 – USS Constellation captures the French frigate L'Insurgente
• 1799, October 24 – Merchantman Washington drives off the French privateer frigate Bellone
• 1800, February 1 – USS Constellation defeats the French frigate La Vengeance
• 1800, October 12 – USS Boston captures the French corvette Berceau
• 1800, October 25 – USS Enterprise captures French privateer Flambeau

  First Barbary War

• 1801, August 1 – United States Navy warship USS Enterprise captures Tripolitanian corsair Tripoli near Malta.

  Napoleonic Wars

• 1803, May 18 – captures the on the first day of the war.
• 1803, July 7 – French privateer captures the British privateer
• 1803, July 16 – captures French brig-corvette Lodi.
• 1803, August 13 – French privateer Bellone captures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson
• 1803, August 17 – HMS Racoon destroys French naval brig Mutine.
• 1803, August 27 – recaptures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson
• 1804, January 24 – repels an attack by a French privateer
• 1804, February 5 – engages the 22-gun French privateer Grande Decide.
• 1804, March 21 – French privateer Blonde captures and sinks HMS Wolverine.
• 1804, March 9 – French privateer Grande Decide captures British merchantman
• 1804, March 25 or 28 – captures French privateer Egyptienne
• 1804, April – A French privateer captures the slave ship and takes her and her cargo of slaves into Guadeloupe
• 1804, June 21 – unsuccessfully engages the Guadeloupe privateer Buonaparte.
• 1804, July 15 – French privateer Dame Ambert captures HMS Lilly
• 1804, July 31 – captures French privateer Hirondelle
• 1804, August 14 – captures English merchantman
• 1804, August 5 – Merchantman repels attack by French privateer General Ernouf
• 1804, January 26 – Merchantman Scarborough repels attack by a French privateer
• 1804, September 12 – captures Dutch merchantman Swift
• 1804, December 27 – Slave ship repels an attack by a French privateer
• 1805, February 8 – captures French privateer Dame Ernouf
• 1805, February 13 – captures French frigate Psyche
• 1805, March 10 – Private ship of war captures the Spanish private ship of war Felicity
• 1805, March 20 – French privateer Général Ernouf explodes during an engagement with
• 1805, July 19 – French frigate Topaze captures HMS Blanche
• 1805, August 10 – captures
• 1805, August 16 – vs French frigate Topaze
• 1805, November – vs
• 1805, November 4 – French privateer Creole captures slaver and merchantman Esther
• 1805, November 28 – Inconclusive engagement between the French privateer Bellone and the East Indiaman
• 1805, November 30 – a French privateer captures the slave ship
• 1806, January 23 – French privateer captures and sinks
• 1806, February 15 – captures the French letter of marque Princess Murat
• 1806, February – French privateer Hebe captures British merchantman
• 1806, March 3–4 – French brig Observateur vs. an unknown British post ship
• 1806, May 11 – French ship Abeille captures
• 1806, May 14 – vs French Minerve
• 1806, May 25 – Merchant ship repels attack by French privateer Fairey
• 1806, June 21 – French frigate Piémontaise captures the East Indiaman at
• 1806, July 19 – HMS Blanche captures French Guerrière
• 1806, August 2 – The fireship repels an attack by the French privateer lugger Elize
• 1806, October 25 – Spanish privateer mistico Generalísimo captures HM gunboat Hannah
• 1806, October 26 – captures the French privateer Superbe
• 1806, December 29 – captures French privateer Deux Frères
• 1807, January 3 – captures the French privateer Favorite.
• 1807, April 25 – French privateer Dame Villaret captures
• 1807, August 19 – captures the Danish frigate Fredericksvaern.
• 1807, October 1 – British packet ship captures the French privateer Jeune Richard.
• 1807, October 17 – captures the French privateer schooner Tape a L’Oeil.
• 1807, December 3 – has an inconclusive engagement with French privateer Revanche
• 1808, March 2 – HMS Sappho captures Danish privateer Admiral Yawl
• 1808, March 6–8 – HMS San Fiorenzo captures French frigate Piémontaise
• 1808, March 7 – A French privateer captures the slave ship
• 1808, March 14 - HDMS Lougen engages in an inconclusive action with
• 1808, May 11 and 12 – vs French 16-gun brig of war Requin, later captured by
• 1808, June 24 – captures the Russian cutter Opyt
• 1808, July 5 and 6 – captures Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer
• 1808, August 11 – HMS Comet captures French corvette Sylphe
• 1808, September 6 – HMS Recruit vs French corvette Diligente
• 1808, September 29 – French navy corvette Départment-des-Landes captures
• 1808, October 3 – French brig Palinure captures HMS Carnation
• 1809, August 7 – The Liverpool merchantman repels an attack by a French privateer
• 1810, January 11 – captures French brig Oreste
• 1810, August 10 – His Majesty's Hired armed cutter Queen Charlotte drives off a substantially larger and more heavily armed French vessel.
• 1810, November 1 – The French privateer captures the merchant ship Leander.
• 1811, early – captures an Ottoman polacca off Samos
• 1811, September 11 – captures the Dutch brig Zephyr off Manado
• 1812, July 21 – captures the French privateer Ville de Caen
• 1812, December 1 – French privateer Sans Souci captures the South Seas whaler Frederick
• 1812, December 18 – repels an attack by a French privateer
• 1812, December 29 – captures the French privateer lugger Rusé
• 1813, February 7 – and the French frigate Aréthuse engage in an inconclusive but sanguinary four-hour night battle
• 1813, September 10 – French privateer cutter Renard destroys the schooner
• 1813, October 9 – captures the French privateer Neptune
• 1814, January 6 – the West Indiaman repels an attack by a Carthaginian privateer just outside Havana
• 1814, March 27 – captures French frigate Étoile

  War of 1812

• 1807, June 22 Chesapeake–Leopard affair – boards USS Chesapeake
• 1811, May 16 Little Belt affair – USS President fires on HMS Little Belt
• 1812, June 18 – USS Essex captures
• 1812, July – the American privateer Matilda captures the British merchantman Ranger
• 1812, August 19 – USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerriere
• 1812, August 22 – HMS Barbados defeats US Revenue Cutter James Madison
• 1812, September 8 – French privateer brig Diligent captures the schooner
• 1812, September 16 – American privateer captures the packet Princess Amelia
• 1812, October 18 – USS Wasp defeats
• 1812, October 18 – defeats USS Wasp
• 1812, October 25 – USS United States captures HMS Macedonian
• 1812, November 22 – captures USS Vixen
• 1812, December 11 – American privateer Saratoga captures the British letter of marque in the Battle of La Guaira
• 1812, December 29 – USS Constitution destroys
• 1813, January 17 – captures
• 1813, January 1 – The Falmouth packet repels an attack by an American privateer
• 1813, January 25 – The American privateer captures the merchantman
• 1813, February 24 – USS Hornet defeats
• 1813, March 11 — and the American privateer have an inconclusive engagement
• 1813, March 22 – The British letter of marque captures the American privateer Matilda
• 1813, April – The American letter of marque captures the British armed merchantman Malvina
• 1813, May 23 – vs. Virginia privateer schooner Roger
• 1813, May 28 – captures the whaler
• 1813, June 1 – captures USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Boston Harbor
• 1813, June 9 – The Falmouth packet repels an attack by an American privateer
• 1813, June 24 – American privateer Yorktown captures
• 1813, August 5 – Privateer Decatur captures
• 1813, August 14 – captures USS Argus
• 1813, September 5 – USS Enterprise captures
• 1813, September 23 – USS President captures
• 1813, October 22 – US Revenue Cutter Vigilant defeats Canadian privateer Dart
• 1813, December 14 – repels an attack by a 20-gun American privateer schooner
• 1813, December 25 – captures USS Vixen II
• 1814, January 11 – British merchantman drives off the American privateer Comet
• 1814, February – captures American privateer-brig Alfred
• 1814, February 14 – USS Constitution destroys
• 1814, March 14 – repels an attack by the American privateer Jacob Johns
• 1814, March 28 – captures USS Essex in the Battle of Valparaiso
• 1814, April 19 – The American privateer General Armstrong captures the British letter-of-marque
• 1814, April 20 –, with approaching, captures USS Frolic
• 1814, April 29 – USS Peacock captures
• 1814, May 1 – Falmouth packet repels attack by American privateer
• 1814, June 22 – captures USS Rattlesnake
• 1814, June 28 – USS Wasp captures HMS Reindeer
• 1814, July 12 – American privateer Syren captures
• 1814, July 12 – captures USS Syren
• 1814, August 17 – The transport repels an attack by the U.S. privateer York
• 1814, September 1 – USS Wasp sinks
• 1814, October – The packet ship repelled an attach by a U.S. privateer
• 1814, October 11 – defeats the US Revenue Cutter Eagle
• 1814, October 11 – American privateer Prince de Neufchatel resists
• 1815, January 15 – defeats USS President
• 1815, January 28 – American privateer Surprise captures the British merchantman Star
• 1815, February 11 – Post-office packet ship repels an American privateer
• 1815, March 15 – American privateer Roger captures the British packet ship
• 1815, March 23 – USS Hornet captures
• 1815, June 15 – USS Peacock captures Nautilus, a brig of the Bombay Marine of the East India Company

  Argentine War of Independence

• 1825, January 25 – Buenos Aires privateer Tupac Amaru captures the Spanish merchantman

  Suppression of the slave trade

• 1828, April 2 – captures Providentia
• 1828, May 1 – HMS Black Joke captures Presidenté
• 1829, February 1 – HMS Black Joke captures Almirante
• 1829, June 5 – captures Voladora
• 1829, June 26 – captures Midas
• 1830, September 7 – captures Veloz Passagera
• 1832, June 3 – captures the slaver Aquila off Cuba

  Texas Revolution

• 1835, June 15 – USRC Ingham engages the Mexican schooner Montezuma.
• 1836, March 6 – Texas schooner Liberty captures the Mexican schooner Pelicano
• 1836, April 3 – Texas schooner Invincible sinks the Mexican schooner Montezuma.

  War of the Confederation

• 1837, February 5 – Chilean brig Aquiles, which kept the port of Callao blocked, attacked the Confederate schooner Yanacocha and forced her to return to her anchorage.
• 1838, January 18 – Chilean corvette Libertad captured the Confederate corvette Confederación on the coast of Callao.

  First Schleswig War

• 1849, June 27 – Prussian paddle steamer duels inconclusively with Danish brig off Brusterort

  Crimean War

• 1853, November 17 – Russian steam frigate Vladimir captures Turkish/Egyptian steam frigate Pervaz Bahri in the Black Sea

  American Civil War

• 1861, July 18 – USS St. Lawrence sinks privateer Petrel off Charleston, South Carolina
• 1863, January 11 – CSS Alabama sinks USS Hatteras off Galveston Island, Texas
• 1864, June 19 – USS Kearsarge sinks CSS Alabama off Cherbourg, France
• 1864, October 7 – USS Wachusett captures CSS Florida in Bahia Harbour, Brazil

  Chincha Islands War

• 1865, November 26 – Chilean corvette Esmeralda captured the Spanish schooner Virgen de Covadonga.

  Franco-Prussian War

• 1870, November 7 – French aviso fights German gunboat off Havana.

  Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878

• 1877, July 23 – Ottoman central battery ironclad Feth-i Bülend duels inconclusively with Russian auxiliary cruiser Vesta in the Black Sea.

  War of the Pacific

• 1879, May 21 – Peruvian ironclad Huáscar sinks Chilean corvette.
• 1879, May 21 – Chilean schooner, in the midst of the struggle, caused the to run aground.
• 1879, July 10 – Inconclusive engagement in Iquique between the and the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar.
• 1880, April 4 – Inconclusive engagement in Tocopilla between the small Chilean steamer Taltal and the armed Peruvian transport Oroya.

  Spanish–American War

• 1898, April 25 – Spanish gunboat Ligera repulses an attack by American torpedo boat USS Foote

  Venezuelan Civil War

• 1902, February 7 - Rebel auxiliary cruiser Libertador sinks Venezuelan gunboat General Crespo.

  Mexican Revolution

• 1914, March 31 – Huertistas gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Third Battle of Topolobampo
• 1914, June 16 – Huertistas gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Fourth Battle of Topolobampo

  World War I

• 1914, August 26 – British cruiser defeats German auxiliary cruiser in the Battle of Río de Oro
• 1914, September 9 – British gunboat HMS Dwarf engages German armed yacht Herzogin Elisabeth in an action in the Wouri River
• 1914, September 14 – British armed merchantman HMS Carmania sinks German auxiliary cruiser in an engagement off Trindade Island in the South Atlantic
• 1914, September 16 – British gunboat HMS Dwarf sinks German customs cutter Nachtigal in an action in the Wouri River
• 1914, September 20 – In the Battle of Zanzibar, the German cruiser attacks and sinks the British cruiser while it is in harbour for repairs.
• 1914, November 9 – Australian light cruiser defeats German light cruiser in the Battle of Cocos.
• 1915, June 2 – - British gunboat HMS Odin damages Ottoman gunboat Marmaris which beaches itself off Amarah in the Tigris River.
• 1915, August 8 – German auxiliary cruiser SMS Meteor sinks British Armed Boarding Steamer Ramsey off Fair Isle
• 1917, February 26 – British gunboat HMS Mantis damages Ottoman gunboat Doğan which runs aground near Al Aziziyah.
• 1917, March 10 – German auxiliary cruiser sinks New Zealand freighter Otaki but is seriously damaged

  Russian Civil War

• 1920, May 3 – Soviet floating battery Krasnaya Zarya engages French sloop Le Scarpe off Ochakov, damaging her and forcing her surrender.

  World War II

• 1940, July 13 - German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis sinks British liner after a short action in the Indian Ocean.
• 1940, July 28 - German auxiliary cruiser Thor indecisively engages British auxiliary cruiser HMS Alcantara.
• 1940, November 5 – German heavy cruiser sinks convoy escort armed merchant cruiser in the North Atlantic.
• 1940, November 9 – The Free French aviso Savorgnan de Brazza sinks her sister ship, Vichy French aviso Bougainville, off Libreville
• 1940, December 5 - German auxiliary cruiser Thor drives off and mauls British auxiliary cruiser.
• 1941, February 27 – sinks Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I in a brief engagement off the Maldives
• 1941, April 4 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British armed merchant cruiser HMS Voltaire in an engagement off the Cape Verde islands.
• 1941, May 8 – The British heavy cruiser sinks German auxiliary cruiser. in an engagement off the Seychelles
• 1941, November 19 – The German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran sinks the Australian light cruiser near Western Australia, Kormoran sank a few hours after the battle.
• 1942, April 1 - German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British freighter Willesden after a brief action.
• 1942, June 6 – German auxiliary cruiser sinks the tanker SS Stanvac Calcutta in the South Atlantic.
• 1942, July 20 - German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British reefer Indus in a brief action.
• 1942, September 27 – German auxiliary cruiser and American Liberty ship sink each other in the South Atlantic.
• 1943, October 31 – November 1 – and engage in a pitched battle ending with Borie ramming the submarine. Both ships are lost.

  Ecuadorian–Peruvian War

• 1941, July 25 – Ecuadorian gunboat Abdón Calderón duels inconclusively with Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar off Jambeli

  Korean War

• 1950, June 25 – ROKS Baekdusan sinks a North Korean troop transport
• 1950, September 10 – ROKS PC-703 sinks North Korean minelayer

  Vietnam War

• 1968, March 1 – USCGC Winona sinks North Vietnamese naval trawler T-A

  Sri Lankan Civil War

• 2003, March 10 – sinks LTTE logistic vessel MV Koimer off Mullaitivu

  Anti-piracy off Somalia

• 18 November 2008 – INS Taber sinks the trawler Ekawat Nava 5, which Somali pirates had captured.
• 29 March 2009 - German naval tanker Spessart engages and repulses a Somali pirate skiff.
• 10 April 2010 – sinks a Somali pirate skiff in a brief action.
• 28 January 2011 – INS Cankarso sinks Somali pirate trawler Prantalay 14 off Minicoy Island.
• 22 March 2011 – HMAS Stuart destroys a Somali pirate skiff being towed by the pirated.
• 26 March 2011 - Indian off-shore patrol vessel INS Suvarna captures pirated trawler MV Mortaza
• 12 May 2011 – USS Stephen W. Groves sinks Somali pirate longliner Jih Chun Tsai 68 in the Indian Ocean off Somalia.
• 12 May 2011 – HDMS Esbern Snare sinks Somali pirate dhow FV NN Iran
• 22 November 2011 – Italian destroyer Andrea Doria duels inconclusively with a Somali pirate skiff.
• 12 January 2012 – captures a Somali pirate skiff

  Anti-piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

• 28 August 2012 – Pirated tanker Energy Centurian fights off a Togolese navy patrol vessel and escapes.
• 19 February 2016 – Nigerian frigate NNS Okpabana captures the pirated tanker Elvis-3 in the Gulf of Guinea in a contested boarding action.

  Second Libyan Civil War

• 6 April 2017 – A Libyan Coast Guard vessel captures a migrant smuggling vessel after an action off Zawiya.

  Anti-piracy off Venezuela

• 30 March 2020 – Cruise-liner RCGS Resolute inadvertently sinks Venezuelan Patrol Boat Naiguatá after being attacked by Naiguatá in international waters.