French frigate Sémillante (1792)

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Ship caption=Infobox Ship Career
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Ship country=France
Ship

Ship name="Sémillante"
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Ship builder=Lorient
Ship laid down=December 1790
Ship launched=25 November 1791
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Ship commissioned=
Ship decommissioned=
Ship in service=May 1792
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Ship captured=
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Ship fate=Sold in 1808
renamed "Charles"
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Ship notes=Infobox Ship Characteristics
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Ship class="Sémillante" class frigate
Ship tons burthen=600 tonnes
Ship length=45.5 metres
Ship beam=11.5 metres
Ship draught=5.5 metres
Ship draft=
Ship hold depth=
Ship sail plan=Ship
Ship propulsion=Sails
Ship complement=
Ship armament=32 guns

*26 12-pound long guns
*6 6-pound long guns
Ship notes=

The "Sémillante" ("Shiny") was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy.

In 1798, she took part in the Expédition d'Irlande, and notably the Battle of Tory Island.

On 9 April 1799, "Sémillante", along with "Vengeance" and "Cornélie", encountered and fought HMS "San Fiorenzo" and HMS "Amelia" off Belle Île.

In 1804, she was transferred to Île de France to engage in commerce raiding. She captured the Honourable East India Company’s ships "Fame" and "James Drumond", and on 8 June 1806, "Acteon", "Warren Hastings" and "Active".

Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, she fought a running battle with HMS "Terpsichore", and escaped to Île de France. Seriously damaged, her armament was removed on 10 July. In September Robert Surcouf purchased "Sémillante" after his own ship "Revenant" had been requisitioned for the defence of the island. She was renamed "Charles", and in her Surcouf returned to Saint-Malo laden with the spoils of his campaign.

In December 1809, she was captured by the British.Fact|date=February 2008.

External links

* [http://alain.aussedat.free.fr/originesDuburquois/deuxmarins.htm Histoire de Deux Marins Bretons]

References

*"The Naval History of Great Britain, 1793 - 1820", Volumes II and IV, by William James, R. Bentley, London, 1837.