The action of 4 August 1800 was a highly unusual naval engagement that took place off the Brazilian coast during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Supposing his target to be a fleet of powerful warships he turned to escape and the British commander, Captain Rowley Bulteel, immediately ordered a pursuit.

Believing himself outgunned, Captain Jean-Daniel Coudin, of Médée, surrendered, only discovering his assailant's true identity when he came aboard Exeter.

These huge ships sailed from Britain with general cargo, or often military stores and troops, to India or other ports in the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, or China.

[3] East Indiamen were well-protected, armed with up to 30 guns, and generally travelled in large convoys in which the ships could provide one another with mutual protection.

There Landolphe's ships began an extended commerce raiding operation, inflicting severe damage on the West African trade during the rest of the year.

[6] Eventually the strain of serving in tropical waters told on the ships and all three were forced to undergo an extensive refit in the nearest available allied shipyards, which were located in the Spanish-held River Plate in South America.

The British convoy consisted of the East Indiamen Bombay Castle, Exeter, Dorsetshire, Coutts, and Neptune, the Botany Bay ships Royal Admiral and Anne, and the whaler Seringapatam.

From there the East Indiamen would catch the westerly trade winds that would carry them to Saint Helena, the Cape of Good Hope, and their destinations.

[5] By 19:00, Franchise had dumped her lifeboats and a large quantity of guns and supplies overboard, lightening the ship enough for her to far outstrip the pursuit.

Meriton was aware that the French warship was much stronger than his own merchant vessel, but realized that as the frigate had made no effort to fight, her commander must believe Exeter to be a ship of the line.

To reinforce this image in the rapidly approaching darkness, Meriton arranged lights behind every gunport, whether or not it contained a cannon, creating an effect described as "a fearsome, leering jack-o'-lantern".

Intimidated by this large and seemingly powerful enemy, Coudin decided that his only option was to strike his flag and come aboard the British ship to surrender formally.

[11] In the engagement on 4 August 1800  neither side had a single man killed or wounded; the action still inflicted a severe naval defeat on a powerful French frigate force, ending its successful raiding career.