Coup de grâce Coup de grâce A coup de grâce (; French for "blow of mercy") is a death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal. It may be a mercy killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the sufferer's consent. Examples of "coup de grâce" include shooting the heart or head (typically the back of the skull) of a wounded, but still living, person during an execution or by humanely killing a suffering, mortally wounded soldier, in war, for whom medical aid is not available. In pre-firearms eras the wounded were finished with
Troude's expedition to the Caribbean joining "Pompee", "Castor" and "Latona". "Hautpoult" had fought hard during the engagement and was badly damaged, suffering between 80 and 90 casualties. "Pompee" was also badly damaged, losing nine killed and 30 wounded, including Fahie wounded. Other casualties were suffered on "Castor", with one killed and five wounded; "Neptune" one killed and four wounded and "Recruit" one wounded. In total, British losses were 11 killed and 40 wounded. Cochrane ordered "Pompee" and the newly captured French ship back to port, promoting Napier to command the ship of the line for his service on "Recruit" and despatching "York" and "Captain" to