French frigate Cybèle (1789)

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Cybele and Prudente vs English ship and frigate 22 dec 1794-Durand Brager img 3104.jpg
History
Flag of French-Navy-Revolution.svg Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg France
NameCybèle
Namesake Cybele
BuilderPierre-Augustin Lamothe (fils), Brest [1] [2]
Laid downJuly 1788 [1]
Launched7 July 1789 [1]
CommissionedMay 1790 [1]
FateWrecked 24 February 1809 [1]
General characteristics
Class and type Nymphe-class frigate [1]
Displacement750 tonnes [1]
Length46.9 m (153 ft 10 in) [1]
Beam11.9 m (39 ft 1 in) [1]
Draught5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) [1]
PropulsionSail
Armament
ArmourTimber

Cybèle was a Nymphe-class 40-gun frigate of the French Navy.

Contents

Career

Sunda Strait campaign of January 1794

In May 1792, under Captain Armand de Saint-Félix, Cybèle departed Brest, bound for Port Louis, where she arrived in December 1792. She cruised off the Malabar, Mahé and Pondichéry. [1]

In 1794, Cybèle was part of a frigate division under Jean-Marie Renaud, along with Prudente. She took part in the Sunda Strait campaign of January 1794. During the Sunda Strait campaign the squadron captured the East Indiaman Pigot.

She also participated in the action of 22 October 1794 off Ile de France under Pierre Julien Tréhouart. [1] Robert Surcouf volunteered to serve as an officer for the action and earned his first command for his behaviour on that day.

In 1796 she took part in patrols in the Indian Ocean in Admiral Sercey's squadron, notably taking part in the action of 8 September 1796. [1]

Returned to France, she was twice refitted in Rochefort, first from 29 April 1798 and later from 19 November 1802. [1] In 1803, her armament was increased to 44 guns, with 28 18-pounders in the battery, 12 8-pounders and 4 36-pounder obusiers de vaisseau, [2] under Captain Louis-André Senez. [3]

L'Hermite's expedition

In 1806 Cybèle, was attached to a squadron under Commodore Jean-Marthe-Adrien L'Hermite, along with the 74-gun Régulus, the frigate Président and the brig-corvette Surveillant. During L'Hermite's expedition, she took part in the capture of the brig HMS Favourite and of about 20 merchantmen, notably the slave ships Otway and Plowers (Plover). [1]

On 18 August, a hurricane scattered the squadron between Saint Domingue and Bermuda, and Cybèle lost 38 men before taking shelter in the Chesapeake. [1] Cybèle then returned by 1807. [1]

Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne

On 24 February 1809, under Captain Raymond Cocault, she took part in the Battle of Les Sables-d'Olonne, [1] where she had eight killed and 16 wounded. [2] The battle left her aground and the hull so badly damaged that she was broken up. [2]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Roche, vol. 1, p. 138
  2. 1 2 3 4 Demerliac, p. 31, n°87
  3. Quintin, p. 341

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References