HMS Surprise (1796)

"L'Unité" was a corvette of the French Navy built in 1794, lead ship of her class. She was captured by the Royal Navy in 1796 and renamed HMS "Surprise". In 1799 she famously recaptured HMS "Hermione" and was sold out of the service in 1802.

Construction

She was designed by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait, who was in charge of her construction at Le Havre. She was launched on 16 January 1794, and was armed with 24 eight-pound and 8 four-pound long guns.

French Service

"L'Unité" took part in the battle of the Glorious First of June by escorting the dismasted "Révolutionnaire" as she was towed by the "Audacieux".

Capture by the Royal Navy

She was captured by surprise on 20 April 1796 at Annaba by HMS "Inconstant". Her commanding officer, Frigate Captain Le Drézénec was incapable of directing resistance through an attack of smallpox.

"Unité" was rechristened HMS "Surprise" and re-classed by the British as a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate. She was initially re-armed with 24 nine-pound long guns on her upper deck, plus 4 twelve-pound carronades and 8 four-pound long guns on her quarterdeck, and 2 twelve-pound carronades and 2 four-pound long guns on her forecastle. She was later re-armed with 24 32-pound carronades instead of the nine-pounders on her upper deck, and eight more of the same on her quarterdeck and forecastle, as well as 4 six-pound long guns as chasers.

Recapture of HMS "Hermione"

She gained fame for the cutting-out expedition in 1799 of HMS "Hermione". "Hermione"'s crew had mutinied, and had sailed her into the Spanish possession of Puerto Cabello. Captain Edward Hamilton of "Surprise" led a boarding party to retake "Hermione" and, after an exceptionally bloody action, sailed her out of danger under Spanish gunfire.

Disposal

She was sold out of the Service at Deptford in February 1802.

"Surprise" in fiction

HMS "Surprise" was the ship chosen by author Patrick O'Brian to restore Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey of the Aubrey–Maturin series to his place as a Captain, and eventually see him raise his flag as an Admiral of the Royal Navy. HMS "Surprise" is an important element of the series, both because of her importance to the running plotline, and because of the emotional attachment she has earned among fans of the series.

For the 2003 film "", the role of HMS "Surprise" was filled by the replica of HMS "Rose", which was purchased by the film studio and modified for the role. The film relates that Aubrey had served aboard her as a midshipman in 1785, which is impossible since the real "Surprise" had not yet been launched. The book "HMS Surprise" by O'Brian also mentions Aubrey being a midshipman aboard "Surprise" [O'Brian, Patrick. "HMS Surprise", William Collins Sons & Co Ltd, 1973, Chapter 4, ISBN 0-00-614181-1.] , but does not indicate a date for that event - which is still unlikely given the chronology of the series.

External links

* [http://www.tallshiprose.org/ Travels with the Tall Ship Rose]
* [http://www.sdmaritime.com/contentpage.asp?ContentID=152 HMS Surprise at the San Diego Maritime Museum]
* [http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/Research_Surprise_01.htm A wealth of research by JoTiKa Ltd for an accurate kit production]

References