The Aréthuse was a French frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

, launched in 1757 during the Seven Years' War

Seven Years' War

The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...

. She was subsequently captured by the Royal Navy and became the fifth-rate

Fifth-rate

In Britain's Royal Navy during the classic age of fighting sail, a fifth rate was the penultimate class of warships in a hierarchal system of six "ratings" based on size and firepower.-Rating:...

 HMS Arethusa.

Aréthuse was built at Le Havre

Le Havre

Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...

 for privateer

Privateer

A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...

 warfare, as Pélerine. Soon after her launch, she was bought by the King, and commissioned as Aréthuse on 21 January 1758.

In June, under captain Vauquelin, she sailed through the British blockade of Louisbourg

Siege of Louisbourg (1758)

The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the...

. She helped defend the place, and later departed, again forcing the blockade.

On the 18th of May 1759, she was in transit from Rochefort

Rochefort, Charente-Maritime

Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...

 to Brest

Brest, France

Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...

, under the command of the Marquis Vandrenil, when she was intercepted near Audierne Bay (Baie d'Audierne) by three Royal Navy ships - HMS Thames

HMS Thames (1758)

HMS Thames was a 32-gun Richmond-class fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy built by Henry Adams and launched at Bucklers Hard in 1758. She served in several wars, including for some four years in French service after her capture. She was recaptured in 1796 and was broken up in 1803.-British...

, HMS Venus

HMS Venus (1758)

HMS Venus was the name ship of the 36-gun Venus-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1758 and served for more than half a century until paid off in 1809, although she was reduced from 36 guns to 32 guns in 1792....

 and HMS Chatham

HMS Chatham (1758)

HMS Chatham was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Portsmouth Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1752, and launched on 25 April 1758....

. She attempted to escape but after two hours, she lost her top-masts and was overtaken by her pursuers. The Thames and Venus engaged her with heavy fire, causing 60 casualties before she surrendered.

She entered service with the Royal Navy. For the rest of the war, she was in service in British home waters and was responsible for the capture of several French, privateer

Privateer

A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...

 cutters.

In 1777, a Scotsman, James Hill
, known as "Jack the Painter", was hanged from her mizzenmast for burning the Rope House at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard on 7 December 1776, to aid the cause of American independence
. The mast was struck from the ship and re-erected at the dockyard entrance so as many as possibly could watch the execution.

On 17 June 1778, she fought a famous duel against the French, 26-gun frigate, Belle Poule

French ship Belle Poule (1765)

Belle Poule was a French frigate of the Dédaigneuse class, designed and built by Léon-Michel Guignace, famous for her duel with the English frigate Arethusa on 17 June 1778, which began the French involvement in the American War of Independence....

. The Belle-Poule was on a reconnaissance mission, along with the 26-gun frigate Licorne, the corvette Hirondelle and the smaller Coureur when she encountered a large British squadron that included the Arethusa.

The Arethusa was the first to reach the French ships. A furious battle between her and the Belle Poule resulted in the deaths of the French second captain and 30 of the crew. But the Arethusa was crippled by the loss of a mast and had to withdraw, allowing the Belle Poule and the Licorne to escape the approaching British, although the two smaller French ships were captured.

This battle was the first between British and French forces during the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 
and was widely celebrated in France as a victory, even inspiring a hair-style
in court circles that included a model of the Belle Poule.
It was also viewed as a victory in Britain and became the subject of a traditional Sea shanty

Sea shanty

A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...

, The Saucy Arethusa

The Saucy Arethusa

The Saucy Arethusa is a nautical song which, although usually considered 'traditional', was possibly written by 'Prince Hoare', a comic opera librettist, in around 1832....

 (Roud # 12675). The Arethusa is also the subject of a song on the Decemberists

The Decemberists

The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...

' album Her Majesty the Decemberists.

On the 18 March 1779, under captain Charles Holmes Everitt, the Arethusa engaged the French Aigrette, sustaining considerable damage in the fight. Arethusa was wrecked the next day off Ushant

Ushant

Ushant is an island at the south-western end of the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and is in the traditional region of Bro-Leon. Administratively, Ushant is a commune in the Finistère department...

, at a point 48°27′4"N 5°4′4"W.

It was apparently the fame which this Arethusa which induced the Royal Navy, during the following two centuries, to bestow the name on a further seven cosecutive individual ships (see HMS Arethusa

HMS Arethusa

Nine ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Arethusa or HMS Arethuse, after the Greek mythological nymph Arethusa who was transformed by Artemis into a fountain....

) and two consecutive classes of cruisers (see Arethusa class cruiser

Arethusa class cruiser

Two classes of cruiser of the Royal Navy are known as the Arethusa class:* The Arethusa class of eight light cruisers built in 1912–1914 that served in World War I....

).