HMS Furieuse (1809)

HMS "Furieuse" was a 38-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was initially built for service with the French Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars, but was captured, and spent the rest of her career sailing with the British, were she participated in the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name, though other ships have borne the English spelling, HMS|Furious.cite book |last=Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy |pages=134]

French career and capture

"Furieuse" was built at Cherbourg in 1797 to a design by P.-A. Forfait.cite book |last=Lyon & Winfield |title=Sail and Steam |pages=Chap. 1; p. 48] The design was not a conventional frigate one, but a "frégate-bombarde". By 1809 she was in the Caribbean, sailing from Îles des Saintes on 1 April, carrying sugar and coffee to France.cite web |url=http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0362 |title= BONNE CITOYENNE (20)|accessdate=2008-10-05] She was capable of carrying 48 guns, but was armed en flûte, carrying only 20 at the time. Despite this she had a large crew, with 200 sailors, 40 soldiers, and a detachment of troops from the 60th regiment of the line. On her voyage to France she came across a large English merchant on 5 July, and began to take possession of her. Whilst this was happening, the 20-gun sloop HMS|Bonne Citoyenne|1796|6, commanded by Commander William Mounsey, came upon the scene.

The "Bonne Citoyenne" was returning to a convoy she was escorting, but on seeing what was happening, Mounsey ordered the "Bonne Citoyenne" to close on the ships. On her approach, "Furieuse" abandoned her prize and began to flee northwards. Emboldened by this Mounsey ordered a full pursuit, and after an 18 hour chase the much smaller "Bonne Citoyenne" had closed the range and brought her target to battle. The two ships exchanged broadsides for the next seven hours, with "Bonne Citoyenne" at an disadvantage early on, when three of her guns were dismounted. She nevertheless fired 129 broadsides to the enemy's 70. By the end of the battle "Bonne Citoyenne" had lost her top masts, her lower masts were badly damaged, and her rigging, sails and boats had been shot to pieces. Running out of powder Mounsey decided to force the issue and ordered his men to be prepared to board the French ship. Before he could do so, the French surrendered and Mounsey took possession.

The "Furieuse" had suffered heavy damage, with her masts shot away, five feet of water in the hold and 35 killed and 37 wounded. In contrast, "Bonne Citoyenne" had just one man killed and five wounded. The frigate was patched up and towed into Halifax, where both were repaired. The captured frigate was later commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS "Furieuse", and Captain John Simpson was appointed to her and ordered to sail her to Britain. On her arrival she underwent a more thorough repair, after which she was commissioned in November 1811 under her captor, now Captain William Mounsey.cite web |url=http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0977 |title= FURIEUSE (38)|accessdate=2008-10-05]

British career

"Furieuse" was initially employed in escorting a convoy to the Mediterranean, after which she joined the fleet blockading Toulon under Admiral Edward Pellew. The French fleet sailed out in May 1812, consisting of 12 sail of the line and seven frigates, of which one ship of the line and two frigates began to chase the British inshore squadron, consisting of the "Furieuse", and the frigates HMS|Menelaus|1810|6 and HMS|Havannah|1811|6, and the brig HMS|Pelorus|1808|6. The French gave up the chase when the British made clear their intention to fight.

On 9 November 1812 the "Furieuse" captured the French privateer "Nebrophonus", and on 10 January 1813 captured the privateer "Argus". In February 1813 Mounsey supported Charles John Napier in HMS|Thames|1805|6 in the capture of the island of Ponza. They landed troops on 26 February, under fire from shore batteries, which soon subdued resistance. The capture of the harbour eliminated an infamous corsair haven, and provided an anchorage for Royal Navy ships watching Naples. On 7 May boats from "Furieuse" captured the French "Conception", towing her out to sea under heavy fire. One man was killed and another five wounded in this operation. On 4 October a convoy was sighted off Civita Vecchia. Despite being heavily protected by two gunboats and a number of shore batteries, an operation was attempted. Marines from "Furieuse"′s boats stormed and captured a fort, under cover from "Furieuse"′s guns. The enemy retreated to a nearby castle and continued to fire on the British forces. Nevertheless the British were able to sink the gunboats, and bring out 16 of the merchant ships. The "Furieuse" kept up a steady fire, preventing reinforcements from Civita Vecchia from intervening. Two of the British party were killed and 10 wounded in the operation.

For the rest of 1813 "Furieuse" formed part of Admiral Sir Josias Rowley's squadron, and was present at the capture of Via Reggio, and the unsuccessful assault on Livorno in December. In early March 1814, still with Rowley, "Furieuse" assisted in the occupation of La Spezia and the surrounding areas. On 17 April a squadron consisting of "Furieuse", HMS|Aboukir|1807|6, HMS|Iphigenia|1808|6, HMS|Swallow|1805|6 and HMS|Cephalus|1807|6 supported the successful assault on Genoa. The end of the War of the Sixth Coalition in 1814 led to "Furieuse" transferring to the Caribbean, where she escorted transports. She conveyed the 62nd regiment to Halifax, and with the end of the War of 1812, remained in the area to support the troops.

HMS "Furieuse" was paid off in autumn 1815 and was sold for breaking up in October 1816 at Deptford.

Notes

References

*Colledge
* Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif, The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889, pub Chatham, 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9
* [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0977 Career of HMS Furieuse at ageofnelson.org]
* [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=0362 Career of HMS Bonne Citoyen at ageofnelson.org]