French ship Hercule (1778)

The Hercule was a 74-gun ship of the line in the French Royal Navy (later the French Navy), launched in 1778. She participated in several naval battles during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.

Built in Brest to a design by Jean-Denis Chevillard, Hercule saw early action under the command of various captains, often serving as part of larger squadrons. Notably, she fought in the Battle of Ushant in 1778 under the command of Captain de Ternay. This engagement, though tactically inconclusive, was a significant early battle of the Anglo-French War fought in conjunction with the American Revolutionary War.

Later, during the French Revolutionary Wars, Hercule participated in the Atlantic campaign of May 1794, also known as the Glorious First of June, under Captain Louis Lhermitte. In this major fleet action against the British Royal Navy, commanded by Admiral Lord Howe, Hercule engaged in fierce fighting, sustaining damage and casualties.

Hercule's service continued throughout the late 1790s. Her eventual fate is currently not well documented, but records suggest she remained active, contributing to French naval power until she was either decommissioned, lost in battle, or broken up. Further research is needed to determine the precise details of her later years and final disposition.