French brig Voltigeur (1804)
Encyclopedia
The French brig Voltigeur was a Palinure-class brig launched in 1804. The British captured her in 1806 and renamed her HMS Pelican. She was sold in 1812.
when she encountered two French navy brigs. At 1pm, Pique began firing at long range, and by 2pm had caught up with them. After an intensive cannonade that lasted some 20 minutes, Pique was able to send a boarding aboard one of the two French vessels. A terrible struggle ensued before the French vessel struck. The French crew had concealed themselves under sails and in the wreckage, emerging once the boarding party arrived and subjecting it to a devastating fusillade that killed or wounded most of the boarding party. Ross then sent over more men, before returning to the chase of the second brig. After the exchange of several more broadsides, the second French vessel struck.
The two vessels turned out to be the sister-ships Phaeton and Voltigeur, both armed with 16 guns and having crews of 120 men and 115 men. They were under the command of Lieutenants de Vaisseau Freyanet and M. St. Craig. Pique had one man wounded during the chase, and nine men killed and 13 wounded during the boarding of Phaeton. Ross estimated that the French vessels had lost half their crews dead and wounded.
Later reports suggested that although French casualties on Phaeton had been heavy, those on Voltigeur were slight. (The two brigs had encountered the day before and engaged in a four-hour exchange of fire before escaping. During that engagement they had suffered damage and possibly casualties.)
The British took Phaeton into service as Mignonne
, and Voltigeur as Pelican. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp “Pique 26 March 1806" to all surviving claimants from the action.
On 26 October 1806, Tsar Alexander I of Russia
declared war on Great Britain. The official news did not arrive there until 2 December, at which time the British declared an embargo on all Russian vessels in British ports. Pelican was one of some 70 vessels that shared in the seizure of the 44-gun Russian frigate Speshnoy (Speshnyy), then in Portsmouth harbour. The British seized the Russian storeship Wilhelmina (Vilghemina) at the same time. The Russian vessels were carrying the payroll for Vice-Admiral Dmitry Senyavin
’s squadron in the Mediterranean. Between 20 March and 13 June 1807 Pelican was in Portsmouth, undergoing refitting.
Pelican participated in the capture of Copenhagen
. Before the battle, on 19 August, Pelican captured the Danish merchant vessel Christian Tonder. Then after the battle, on 10 September, Pelican was in company with and at the capture of the Danish merchant vessel Fredeus Forsward. Pelican and Comus were together on 29 September, with Defence in sight, at the capture of the Danish merchant vessel Elizabeth Vonder Pahlen. The same three British warships were together on 2 October at the capture of the Danish vessel Anna Catharina. Lastly, on 4 November Pelican captured the Danish brig Charlotta Amelia. Pelican then returned to the West Indies.
On 29 March 1808 , in company with , Pelican, Express, Swinger and Mosambique
, sailed from Marie-Galante to attack the island of La Désirade
. They arrived on 30 March and sent in a landing party of seamen and marines from the vessels of the squadron, all under the overall command of Captain Sherriff of Lily. As the boats approached they exchanged fire with a battery of 9-pounder guns covering the entrance to the harbour. The ships' guns silenced the battery and the French surrendered.
In June 1808 Commander Isaac Morrison replace Ward. In December Commander Edward A’Court replaced Morrison. On 9 December 1809, was some nine leagues
from Beachy Head
when she sighted two luggers. She gave chase and after a fight captured one. While this was going on Pelican came on the scene and chased the second lugger, but without success. The captured lugger was the Grand Rodeur, four days out of Dieppe. She was armed with 16 guns and had a crew of 80.
Capture
On 6 March 1806, , under the command of Captain Charles B.H. Ross, was sailing from Santo Domingo to CuracoaCuraçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
when she encountered two French navy brigs. At 1pm, Pique began firing at long range, and by 2pm had caught up with them. After an intensive cannonade that lasted some 20 minutes, Pique was able to send a boarding aboard one of the two French vessels. A terrible struggle ensued before the French vessel struck. The French crew had concealed themselves under sails and in the wreckage, emerging once the boarding party arrived and subjecting it to a devastating fusillade that killed or wounded most of the boarding party. Ross then sent over more men, before returning to the chase of the second brig. After the exchange of several more broadsides, the second French vessel struck.
The two vessels turned out to be the sister-ships Phaeton and Voltigeur, both armed with 16 guns and having crews of 120 men and 115 men. They were under the command of Lieutenants de Vaisseau Freyanet and M. St. Craig. Pique had one man wounded during the chase, and nine men killed and 13 wounded during the boarding of Phaeton. Ross estimated that the French vessels had lost half their crews dead and wounded.
Later reports suggested that although French casualties on Phaeton had been heavy, those on Voltigeur were slight. (The two brigs had encountered the day before and engaged in a four-hour exchange of fire before escaping. During that engagement they had suffered damage and possibly casualties.)
The British took Phaeton into service as Mignonne
French brig Phaeton (1804)
The French brig Phaeton was a Palinure-class brig launched in 1804. The British captured her in 1806 and renamed her HMS Mignonne. In 1807 they renamed her HMS Musette. She was sold in 1814.-Capture:...
, and Voltigeur as Pelican. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp “Pique 26 March 1806" to all surviving claimants from the action.
British service
The British commissioned Pelican under Commander William Ward. She then sailed to Portsmouth.On 26 October 1806, Tsar Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
declared war on Great Britain. The official news did not arrive there until 2 December, at which time the British declared an embargo on all Russian vessels in British ports. Pelican was one of some 70 vessels that shared in the seizure of the 44-gun Russian frigate Speshnoy (Speshnyy), then in Portsmouth harbour. The British seized the Russian storeship Wilhelmina (Vilghemina) at the same time. The Russian vessels were carrying the payroll for Vice-Admiral Dmitry Senyavin
Dmitry Senyavin
Dmitry Nikolayevich Senyavin or Seniavin was a Russian admiral who ranks among the greatest seamen of the Napoleonic Wars.- Service under Ushakov :...
’s squadron in the Mediterranean. Between 20 March and 13 June 1807 Pelican was in Portsmouth, undergoing refitting.
Pelican participated in the capture of Copenhagen
Battle of Copenhagen (1807)
The Second Battle of Copenhagen was a British preemptive attack on Copenhagen, targeting the civilian population in order to seize the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in turn originate the term to Copenhagenize.-Background:Despite the defeat and loss of many ships in the first Battle of Copenhagen in...
. Before the battle, on 19 August, Pelican captured the Danish merchant vessel Christian Tonder. Then after the battle, on 10 September, Pelican was in company with and at the capture of the Danish merchant vessel Fredeus Forsward. Pelican and Comus were together on 29 September, with Defence in sight, at the capture of the Danish merchant vessel Elizabeth Vonder Pahlen. The same three British warships were together on 2 October at the capture of the Danish vessel Anna Catharina. Lastly, on 4 November Pelican captured the Danish brig Charlotta Amelia. Pelican then returned to the West Indies.
On 29 March 1808 , in company with , Pelican, Express, Swinger and Mosambique
HMS Mosambique (1804)
HMS Mosambique was the French privateer schooner Mosambique, built in 1798, which the British captured in 1804. She served in the West Indies, engaging in several indecisive single-ship actions before she captured one French privateer...
, sailed from Marie-Galante to attack the island of La Désirade
La Désirade
La Désirade is a French West Indies island located at the eastern of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles.It has a land area of 20.64 km² and a population of 1,595 in 2006 , with a population density of 77 inh. per km² in 2006...
. They arrived on 30 March and sent in a landing party of seamen and marines from the vessels of the squadron, all under the overall command of Captain Sherriff of Lily. As the boats approached they exchanged fire with a battery of 9-pounder guns covering the entrance to the harbour. The ships' guns silenced the battery and the French surrendered.
In June 1808 Commander Isaac Morrison replace Ward. In December Commander Edward A’Court replaced Morrison. On 9 December 1809, was some nine leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from Beachy Head
Beachy Head
Beachy Head is a chalk headland on the south coast of England, close to the town of Eastbourne in the county of East Sussex, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. The cliff there is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m above sea level. The peak allows views of the south...
when she sighted two luggers. She gave chase and after a fight captured one. While this was going on Pelican came on the scene and chased the second lugger, but without success. The captured lugger was the Grand Rodeur, four days out of Dieppe. She was armed with 16 guns and had a crew of 80.