Evolution (marine)

Evolution of the Navy, also called sea evolution , referred to in historical seafaring a military tactical movement of sailing ships of a war fleet under wind towards the enemy or away from him.

Typical evolutions of a fleet: Figure 13: jibe the fleet at the same time; Figure 14: The fleet in line with quite some Schot hold

More precise definition

Evolution in historical seafaring encompasses all movements of a (war) fleet or individual sailing ships in one's own fleet that are sailed to seek out the enemy in a sea battle or to avoid a sea battle or a sea battle.

An evolution was usually sailed out of a formation (marching order, battle order or withdrawal order) and could be carried out by all ships at the same time or by all ships one after the other. Transitions from no order to a formation could also represent an evolution. In any case, evolution changes the position of the ships in relation to the wind.

Overview of evolutions in sailing in the 18th and 19th centuries

The following ship movements represent an evolution:

Bring the fleet out of marching order into battle order (line)
Turn the fleet in line through the counter march

Jibe the fleet in line through the counter march

Turn or jibe the fleet in line at the same time

The fleet in line with quite some Schot hold

Bring the fleet, sailing in packs, out in line with a clearing sheet

Bring the fleet sailing in packs out of a stern wind in line

Bring the fleet in line with the wind blowing

Move the fleet sailing in line so that the Corps de Bataille becomes the barrier guard

Move the fleet sailing in line so that the Corps de Bataille becomes the avant-garde

Move the sailing fleet in such a way that, according to evolution, it continues to sail in a marching order of three columns

Turn the fleet in the fifth order of march through the counter march

Jibe the fleet out of the march order through the counter march

Turn the fleet out of the marching order in three columns at the same time

Jibe the fleet in the fifth order of march at the same time

Establishing the march order in case of a clear wind

Establishing the march order with the wind screeched

Let the line on the windward column become the avant-garde (vanguard)

Let the line on the central column become the Corps de Bataille

Let the line on the Lee column become the rear guard

Bringing the fleet sailing out of order into retirade order (order of retreat)

Bring the fleet out of the order of battle and into retirade order

Bring the fleet from the Retirade order to a battle line

A fleet to anchor bring

Bring a fleet in a convoy escort

Take away the enemy's wind advantage

Force the enemy into battle by moving the ship

Forcing the enemy between two fires by moving the ship

Prevent the enemy by moving the ship from getting parts of your own fleet between two fires

Break the line of the enemy fleet with your own fleet

Prevent the enemy from breaking your line by moving the ship

Cover a strait with the movement of ships in order to prevent the passage of an enemy fleet

Guide a convoy through a strait by moving ships

Lead a squadron through a strait defended by enemy ships

Move the engaged Lee Fleet to retreat

Attack a stronger leeward fleet with weak windward fleet parts

With the development and expansion of wind-independent steam shipping in the middle of the 19th century and the associated advantages over wind-dependent sailing shipping, evolutions that were common in the age of sailing ships finally became obsolete and gave way to more modern maneuvers.

Notes / evidence

↑ ^a ^b after Bobrik
↑ according to Jachmann p. 5 describes marching order a sailing order of the own fleet in order to wait or to visit the enemy
↑ after Jachmann
↑ according to Jachmann, the list is not exhaustive and here refers to Dutch tactics of naval warfare
↑ confirmed in larger parts in Von der Groeben by appropriate French tactics
↑ Jachmann describes the movement as the Contre March
According to Bobrik, p. 5 and Jachmann, Fig. 14, ↑ means that the wind, which previously fell on the sails from a different direction, now falls on the sails from obliquely aft directions after evolution
↑ According to Bobrik, p. 611, there is a sharp (a) wind when it falls slowly onto the sailing ship from the front in such a way that it is unfavorable for the ship's movement
↑ According to Jachmann page 1, a fleet is basically divided into three divisions: Avantgarde (vanguard), Corps de Bataille and Arrieregarde (rear guard)
↑ according to Jachmann p. 7, the fifth order of march is sailed in three columns, each composed of a division. If the fleet is very large, each division is divided into two columns.
↑ This includes ship movements of the own fleet, which force the enemy fleet to change course, so that the advantage of a favorable wind direction for a battle is lost
↑ This includes ship or fleet movements that force the enemy fleet to engage in combat, because evasive or retreat maneuvers are then no longer possible
↑ What is meant here is that the enemy can be taken under fire from two different positions or can be taken under fire from one position in both (shot) directions (port and starboard)

literature

Eduard Bobrik: General nautical dictionary with explanations, p. 264, p. 271 ff, Leipzig, 1850
Eduard Karl Edmanuel Jachmann : General principles of a fleet tactic: after the Dutch tactic of the Knight of Kingsbergen, Berlin, 1850
Georg Dietrich von der Groeben: New War Library or Collected Articles on War Studies, Volume 4, pp. 136 ff, Breslau, 1776
Konversations-Handlexikon, p. 197, Reutlingen, 1831,

[nach_Bobrik-1] ter Bobrik

[2] rding to Jachmann p. 5 describes marching order a sailing order of the own fleet in order to wait or to visit the enemy

[3] ter Jachmann

[4] rding to Jachmann, the list is not exhaustive and here refers to Dutch tactics of naval warfare

[5] rmed in larger parts in Von der Groeben by appropriate French tactics

[6] Jachmann describes the movement as the Contre March

[7] According to Bobrik, p. 5 and Jachmann, Fig. 14, ↑ means that the wind, which previously fell on the sails from a different direction, now falls on the sails from obliquely aft directions after evolution

[8] According to Bobrik, p. 611, there is a sharp (a) wind when it falls slowly onto the sailing ship from the front in such a way that it is unfavorable for the ship's movement

[9] According to Jachmann page 1, a fleet is basically divided into three divisions: Avantgarde (vanguard), Corps de Bataille and Arrieregarde (rear guard)

[10] rding to Jachmann p. 7, the fifth order of march is sailed in three columns, each composed of a division. If the fleet is very large, each division is divided into two columns.

[11] This includes ship movements of the own fleet, which force the enemy fleet to change course, so that the advantage of a favorable wind direction for a battle is lost

[12] This includes ship or fleet movements that force the enemy fleet to engage in combat, because evasive or retreat maneuvers are then no longer possible

[13] What is meant here is that the enemy can be taken under fire from two different positions or can be taken under fire from one position in both (shot) directions (port and starboard)