British career
In October 1781, off Cape of Good Hope, Hannibal encountered the French frigate Bellone, escorting the transports Neker and Sévère. She captured the transports and brought them to Saint Helena.
On 7 December 1781, a French fleet under d'Orves sortied Isle de France, with 11 ships of the line, 3 frigates and 3 corvettes. On 19 January, the 64-gun Sévère detected HMS Hannibal, under Captain Christy. D'Orves detached the 74-gun Héros and the 64-gun Artésien, under Suffren, to investigate. Suffren closed in, making signals according to tables captured at Porto Praya on the East Indiaman Hinchinbrooke, until Hannibal made signals that he was unable to answer. A chase ensued, and with the night Suffren abandoned the pursuit to rejoin his fleet. On 21, the fleet encountered Hannibal again, and again detached Héros, Artésien and Vengeur, but this time with other ships deploying as to ensure communication between the pursuers and the main body of the fleet, allowing Suffren to press on his chase. Suffren caught up with his quarry on 22 around noon and forced her to surrender.
French career
Hannibal was brought into French service as Petit Annibal, to distinguish her from the 74-gun Annibal that was serving in d'Orves' fleet. [Note 1] Lieutenant de Ruyter, first officer of Héros, was given command; all the warships in the French fleet were required to contribute personnel to constitute Annibal's crew. The French corvette Lawriston provided a company of the Régiment de hussards de Lauzun. After Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves died on 9 February 1782 and he assumed command of the French forces in the Indian Ocean, Suffren put Captain Morard de Galles in command, while De Ruyter took command of Pourvoyeuse.
Annibal saw service in his five battles with British Admiral Sir Edward Hughes in 1782 and 1783.
At the Battle of Providien, Petit Annibal was third in the French line, behind Artésien (Captain de Maurville). She came within pistol range of his opposite number, HMS Eagle (Captain Reddel) before opening fire. Her captain, Morard de Galles, was wounded but kept his station.
In January 1783, she was under Beaulieu.
Annibal was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She was designed by Jacques-Noël Sané, and was one of the earliest of his works. She was built at Brest in 1778.
The Battle of Porto Praya was a naval battle that took place during the American Revolutionary War on 16 April 1781 between a British squadron under Commodore George Johnstone and a French squadron under the Bailli de Suffren.
Justin-Bonaventure Morard de Galles was a French navy officer and admiral.
Bellone was an Iphigénie-class 32-gun frigate of the French Navy on plans by Léon-Michel Guignace. She took part in the American Revolutionary War in the Indian Ocean with the squadron under Suffren, and later in the French Revolutionary Wars. She was present at the Glorious First of June.
The Illustre was a 74-gun Magnanime class ship of the line of the French Navy. She took part in the War of American Independence and in the French Revolutionary Wars. Damaged beyond repairs during the Expédition d'Irlande, she was scuttled on 30 December 1796.
Admiral comte Pierre André de Suffren de Saint Tropez, bailli de Suffren, Château de Saint-Cannat) was a French Navy officer and admiral. Beginning his career during the War of the Austrian Succession, he fought in the Seven Years' War, where he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lagos. Promoted to captain in 1772, he was one of the aids of Admiral d'Estaing during the Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War, notably taking part in the Siege of Savannah.
Pierre Servan René Bouvet de Maisonneuve was a French naval officer. He served in several notable battles, notably the action of 17 June 1778, and the battles conducted by Suffren in the Indian Ocean. He was wounded at the Battle of Porto Praya.
The Pourvoyeuse was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She is notable as one of the earliest attempts at building a frigate armed with 24-pounders on the artillery deck, rather than the 18-pounders typical of the day.
Brillant was a 64-gun Solitaire-class ship of the line of the French Navy.
Ajax was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.
Saint Michel was a 64-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.
Fine was a Sybille class 32-gun, copper-hulled, frigate of the French Navy.
HMS Fortune was a British 14-gun sloop launched in 1778 that was captured by the French in April 1780 and served with the French navy under the same name.
Étienne-François de Cillart de Villeneuve was a French aristocrat and Navy officer, brother to Armand-François Cillart de Surville and Jean-Marie de Villeneuve Cillart.
Louis-Hyacinte de Cavelier, chevalier de Cuverville was a French Navy officer.
Jean André de Pas de Beaulieu was a French Navy officer.
René Joseph Bouvet de Précourt was a French Navy officer. He was captain of the 64-gun Ajax in Suffren's squadron in the Indian Ocean during the War of American Independence, and fought at the Battle of Sadras on 17 February 1782.
Paul de Cardaillac de Lomné was a French Navy officer.
Louis-Esprit d'Aymar was a French Navy officer. He fought in the Indian Ocean under Suffren during the War of American Independence, captaining the 64-gun Saint Michel at the Battle of Trincomalee from 25 August to 3 September 1782, and the 74-gun Annibal at the Battle of Cuddalore on 20 June 1783.
Jean-Paul de Ruyter-Werfusé was a French Navy officer. He notably captained the 40-gun frigate Pourvoyeuse and the 50-gun Petit Annibal in Suffren's squadron during the Anglo-French War.
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