History | |
---|---|
Great Britain | |
Name | HMS Alert |
Builder | Dover [1] |
Laid down | October 1778 [1] |
Launched | 1 October 1779 [1] |
Fate | Captured by France, 25 September 1780 |
France | |
Name | Alerte |
Acquired | by capture, 25 September 1780 |
In service | September 1780 [1] |
Fate | Recaptured by Great Britain, 28 November 1781 [2] |
Great Britain | |
Name | HMS Alert |
Fate | Sold to break up at Deptford, October 1792 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Tons burthen | 110 (bm) |
Length | 24.0 metres [1] |
Beam | 7.6 metres [1] |
Depth of hold | 3.4 metres [1] |
Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
Armament | 18 guns [1] |
HMS Alert was an 18-gun cutter of the Royal Navy. She took part in the War of American Independence, where she was captured by the French Navy and brought into their service. She was part on the squadron under Grasse until a British frigate recaptured her.
Alert was built at Dover in 1779. She patrolled in the Gulf of Biscay until Diligente captured her on 25 September 1780 off the Gironde. The French brought her into service as Alerte. [1]
Alerte was attached to the squadron of Grasse, under Ensign Gallien de Chabons. [1] She took part in the Battle of Fort Royal on 29 April and 30 April 1781. [3] [4] [5]
On 28 November 1781, the 36-gun frigate HMS Perseverance recaptured her after a long battle. [2] Auxiliary officer Galocheau was wounded and lost an eye. [6]
Notes
References
Bibliography
The Battle of Fort Royal was a naval battle fought off Fort Royal, Martinique in the West Indies during the Anglo-French War on 29 April 1781, between fleets of the British Royal Navy and the French Navy. After an engagement lasting four hours, the British squadron under Admiral Samuel Hood broke off and retreated. Admiral de Grasse offered a desultory chase before seeing the French convoys safe to port.
Solitaire was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, built by Antoine Groignard and launched in 1774, lead ship of her class. She was captured by the Royal Navy on 6 December 1782, and commissioned as the third rate HMS Solitaire. She was sold out of the Navy in 1790.
Sceptre was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. Built under the Ancien Régime, she took part in the naval operations in the American Revolutionary War. At the Revolution, she took part in the main actions of the French Revolutionary Wars, notably the so-called Glorious First of June and in Bruix' expedition of 1799. Showing her age by the rise of the First French Empire, she was hulked and eventually broken up.
Pandour was a French a 14-gun gun-brig launched in 1780 as a cutter. The Royal Navy captured her in December 1795 and took her into service as Pandora, but she foundered in June 1797.
Saint Michel was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.
Sagittaire was a 50-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.
Éveillé was an Artésien-class 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, launched in 1772.
Aimable was an Alcmène-class 26-gun frigate of the French Navy.
Augustin Etienne Gaspard Bernard de Marigny was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence.
Armand Le Gardeur de Tilly was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence.
Louis Augustin de Monteclerc was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence.
François-Aymar de Monteil was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence, earning membership in the Society of the Cincinnati. He was also a member and director of the Académie de Marine.
Actionnaire was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. Originally built for the French East India Company, she was purchased by the Navy and saw service during the War of American Independence
Triton was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy designed by François Coulomb the Younger. She took part in the Seven Years' War and in the War of American Independence.
Oiseau was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy.
Jean-François Gilart de Larchantel was a French Navy officer. He notably served during the War of American Independence.
Étienne Marc Antoine Joseph de Grasse-Limermont was a French Navy officer. He took part in the War of American Independence, earning a membership in the Society of Cincinnati. A Royalist, he betrayed France and was an aid to Trogoff when he surrendered Toulon and its fleet to the British. He remained employed by the British until 1814.
Victurnien-Henri-Elzéar de Rochechouart de Mortemart was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence, and became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.
Aigrette was a Blonde-class 30-gun frigate of the French Navy. She took part in the Seven Year War and in the War of American Independence.
Diligente was a 26-gun frigate of the French Navy. Originally built for the French East India Company, she was purchased by the Navy and took part in the War of American Independence.