The action of 14 December 1798 was fought between the 32-gun British frigate HMS Ambuscade and the 24-gun French corvette Bayonnaise during the War of the Second Coalition.

On 14 December, as she sailed about 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) off Ré, Bayonnaise met the 32-gun frigate Ambuscade, cruising off Oléron under Captain Henry Jenkins.

Bayonnaise was a 24-gun corvette with a strong crew augmented by a 40-soldier detachment from the Régiment d'Alsace, under Army captain Nicolas Aimé.

The bowsprit of Bayonnaise cut down Ambuscade's mizzen, wounding part of the crew standing on the poop deck, and entangling the two ships.

Having grappled the corvette to the frigate, the French used Bayonnaise's bowsprit to bridge the gap between the ships and climb onto the taller Ambuscade.

[2][3] Captain Jenkins was later court-martialled, accused of letting his ship, crewed by young sailors, be boarded by a stronger party, while he had a strong advantage at gunnery and manoeuvre.