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French frigate Sémillante (1792)
Encyclopedia
The Sémillante (French: "Shiny") was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy
, lead ship of her class
. She was involved in a number of multi-vessel actions against the Royal Navy
, particularly in the Indian Ocean. She captured a number of East Indiamen before the she became so damaged that the French disarmed her and turned her into a merchant vessel. The British captured her and broke her up in 1809.
, and notably the Battle of Tory Island.
On 9 April 1799, Sémillante, along with Vengeance and Cornélie, encountered and fought and off Belle Île
. The engagement was indecisive, with the French ships escaping up the Loire. The British suffered three men killed and 35 wounded.
In 1804, Sémillante was transferred to Île de France
to engage in commerce raiding. She captured the Honourable East India Company’s ships Fame and James Drumond.
Semillante and the frigate Atalante
were sailing in a squadron under the command of Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois
with the 74-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Marengo
. They fought one notable engagement, at the Battle of Pulo Aura
on 15 February 1804. Linois attacked the Honourable East India Company's China Fleet, a large convoy of well-armed merchant ships carrying cargo worth £8 million. Although the entire British fleet consisted of merchantmen, escorted by the East India Company's tiny gun-brig Ganges, Linois failed to press the attack. Instead, he withdrew with the convoy at his mercy, invoking the anger of Napoleon when the news reached France.
On 15 September 1804, under Léonard Motard
, together with Marengo and Atalanta, Semillante participated in the Battle of Vizagapatam
. During the battle the three French ships engaged the sole British warship, the 50-gun . Semillante also captured the East Indiaman Prince Charlotte. The French squadron caused a second East Indiaman, the Barnaby, to panic and run aground. Despite his overwhelming superiority in firepower, Linois once again withdrew his squadron, leaving Centurion to survive.
On 3 December, along with Berceau, Sémillante destroyed and captured seven British merchantmen off Paolo Bay.
On 8 June 1806, she captured the East Indiamen Acteon, Warren Hastings and Active. On 11 November, she encountered and ; an engagement developed on 13 November, which resulted in the retreat of the British ships.
Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, she fought a running battle with , and escaped to Île de France
. Terpsichore suffered 21 men killed and 20 wounded. Sémillante was so seriously damaged that the French decommissioned her removed her armament on 10 July.
In September Robert Surcouf
purchased Sémillante, after his own ship Revenant had been requisitioned for the defence of the island. He renamed her Charles and sailed with her to Saint Malo, laden with the spoils of his campaign. He reached there on 5 February 1809. He then did not go to sea again, though he did arm and fit out privateers.
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, lead ship of her class
Sémillante class frigate
The Sémillante class was a type of12-pounder 32-gun frigate of the French Navy, designed by Pierre-Joseph Pénétreau.* Sémillante...
. She was involved in a number of multi-vessel actions against the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, particularly in the Indian Ocean. She captured a number of East Indiamen before the she became so damaged that the French disarmed her and turned her into a merchant vessel. The British captured her and broke her up in 1809.
Active service
In 1798, she took part in the Expédition d'IrlandeExpédition d'Irlande
The Expédition d'Irlande was an unsuccessful attempt by the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars to assist the outlawed Society of United Irishmen, a popular rebel Irish republican group, in their planned rebellion against British rule...
, and notably the Battle of Tory Island.
On 9 April 1799, Sémillante, along with Vengeance and Cornélie, encountered and fought and off Belle Île
Belle Île
Belle-Île or Belle-Île-en-Mer is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 km from the Quiberon peninsula.Administratively, the island forms a canton: the canton of Belle-Île...
. The engagement was indecisive, with the French ships escaping up the Loire. The British suffered three men killed and 35 wounded.
In 1804, Sémillante was transferred to Île de France
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
to engage in commerce raiding. She captured the Honourable East India Company’s ships Fame and James Drumond.
Semillante and the frigate Atalante
Atalante
Atalante or similar terms can refer to:* Atalanta, a character of ancient Greek mythology* 36 Atalante, an asteroid* L'Atalante, a 1934 French film* L'Atalante basin, a deep hypersaline anoxic basin in the Mediterranean sea....
were sailing in a squadron under the command of Contre-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Durand Linois
Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand Linois
Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand, Comte de Linois was a French admiral during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. He won a victory over the British at the Battle of Algeciras in 1801 and was reasonably successful in a campaign against British trade in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea in...
with the 74-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
Marengo
French ship Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1795)
The Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In October 1796, under captain Racord, she was part of the Villeneuve's squadron that sailed from Toulon to Brest...
. They fought one notable engagement, at the Battle of Pulo Aura
Battle of Pulo Aura
The Battle of Pulo Aura was a minor naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on 14 February 1804, in which a large squadron of Honourable East India Company East Indiamen, powerful and well armed merchant ships, intimidated, drove off and chased a powerful French naval squadron...
on 15 February 1804. Linois attacked the Honourable East India Company's China Fleet, a large convoy of well-armed merchant ships carrying cargo worth £8 million. Although the entire British fleet consisted of merchantmen, escorted by the East India Company's tiny gun-brig Ganges, Linois failed to press the attack. Instead, he withdrew with the convoy at his mercy, invoking the anger of Napoleon when the news reached France.
On 15 September 1804, under Léonard Motard
Léonard-Bernard Motard
Léonard-Bernard Motard was a French naval officer and eventually contre-amiral.Motard enlisted in the French Navy in 1786. He was promoted to ensign in 1791, to lieutenant in 1793, and to capitaine de frégate in 1797...
, together with Marengo and Atalanta, Semillante participated in the Battle of Vizagapatam
Battle of Vizagapatam
The Battle of Vizagapatam was a minor naval engagement fought in the approaches to Vizagapatam harbour in the Coastal Andhra region of British India on the Bay of Bengal on 15 September 1804 during the Napoleonic Wars...
. During the battle the three French ships engaged the sole British warship, the 50-gun . Semillante also captured the East Indiaman Prince Charlotte. The French squadron caused a second East Indiaman, the Barnaby, to panic and run aground. Despite his overwhelming superiority in firepower, Linois once again withdrew his squadron, leaving Centurion to survive.
On 3 December, along with Berceau, Sémillante destroyed and captured seven British merchantmen off Paolo Bay.
On 8 June 1806, she captured the East Indiamen Acteon, Warren Hastings and Active. On 11 November, she encountered and ; an engagement developed on 13 November, which resulted in the retreat of the British ships.
Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, she fought a running battle with , and escaped to Île de France
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. Terpsichore suffered 21 men killed and 20 wounded. Sémillante was so seriously damaged that the French decommissioned her removed her armament on 10 July.
In September Robert Surcouf
Robert Surcouf
Robert Surcouf was a famous French corsair. During his legendary career, he captured 47 ships and was renowned for his gallantry and chivalry, earning the nickname of Roi des Corsaires .- Youth :...
purchased Sémillante, after his own ship Revenant had been requisitioned for the defence of the island. He renamed her Charles and sailed with her to Saint Malo, laden with the spoils of his campaign. He reached there on 5 February 1809. He then did not go to sea again, though he did arm and fit out privateers.