Battle of October 10

Battle of October 10
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War
Date:	October 10, 2552
Location:	Sol system
Outcome:	Covenant victory Loss of the Template:UNSCship Most Covenant and UNSC vessels retreat.
Details Belligerents United Nations Space Command Covenant Commanders Vice Admiral Williams Captain W. Murray Strength UNSC Navy Third Fleet Battle Group Rhino 1 Covenant warship Casualties UNSC Totem Lake

The Battle of October 10, aptly named, was a short engagement between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant on October 10, 2552. It involved Battle Group Rhino of the UNSC Navy's Third Fleet and a single unidentified Covenant ship. On that date, Battle Group Rhino, a battle group in the Third Fleet, detected twelve unidentified large vessels in the Sol system broadcasting outdated civilian IFF codes. Upon approach, eleven of the vessels made unauthorized slipspace transits from the Sol system. Pursuant to standing orders to engage vessels not positively identified as friendly, Battle Group Rhino moved to engage the remaining ship. The Template:UNSCship was subsequently lost with all hands after reportedly suffering multiple hull breaches and boarding parties. The battle group, under the direction of Captain W. Murray, then disengaged and regrouped at Phase Line Alpha above Enceladus. Vice Admiral Williams, requested permission from Fleet Admiral Harper to attack the ship, but permission was denied.