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French schooner Impériale (1805)

The French schooner Impériale was a 3-gun mercantile schooner-aviso of the French Navy commissioned at Guadeloupe on 23 September 1805. The Royal Navy captured her on 24 May 1806 and named her HMS Vigilant. The Navy renamed her HMS Subtle on 20 November 1806. She wrecked at Bermuda on 20 October 1807.

HMS Vigilant
History
France
NameImpériale (or Impériale)
Commissioned23 September 1805
Captured24 May 1806 by the Royal Navy
United Kingdom
NameHMS Vigilant
Acquired24 May 1806
RenamedHMS Subtle (20 November 1806)
FateWrecked 26 October 1807
General characteristics [1][2]
Tons burthen102 (bm)
PropulsionSails
Sail planSchooner
Complement
  • At capture:65
  • British:50
Armament
  • At capture: 7 guns
  • British service: 12 guns

Capture edit

On 23 May 1806, Impériale left Saintes to capture some merchant vessels at Roseau. The former British cutter HMS Dominica, which mutineers had taken four days earlier and delivered to the French at Basse-Terre, joined her. (The French had immediately commissioned Dominica under the name Napoléon, and put 75 men aboard her. At Roseau they managed to take one vessel that the British later recaptured.[3]

The next day, His Majesty's sloop Cygnet was anchored at Prince Rupert's Bay, Dominica, when Robert Bell Campbell, Cygnet's captain, received information that a cutter and a schooner were nearby. He immediately made the appropriate signals to HMS Wasp, which was entering the bay.[3]

By 2p.m. Wasp had recaptured Dominica. As Cygnet chased Impériale, the packet ship Duke of Montrose joined the chase and at 8pm engaged Impériale. As Cygnet came up, Impériale surrendered to Duke of Montrose. Impériale was armed with three guns and had a crew of 65 men under the command of a lieutenant de vaisseau.[3]

Impériale was carrying General Hortrade, not in uniform, and 50 soldiers of the 26th Brigade. Duke of Montrose, Captain Birt Dynely (or Dyneley), which had been with the convoy in Roseau roads, and had sailed out in pursuit of the two French vessels, had taken on board Lieutenant Wallis and 40 soldiers from the 46th Regiment of Foot.[3][4][a][b]

Loss edit

The Royal Navy took Impériale into service as HMS Vigilant, and commissioned her under the command of Lieutenant William Dowers. However, there was already a schooner Vigilant in service, so on 20 November the Navy renamed the ex-Impériale HMS Subtle.[2]

Subtle was sailing from the Delaware Capes to Barbados when Lieutenant Dowers decided to make for Bermuda as she was short of fresh water and had developed an annoying leak in her breadroom. On 25 October 1807, as Subtle sailed through the St George's Channel, sounding her way continuously, she nevertheless grounded. Despite attempts to lighten her, Subtle was soon on her side. She had run onto a reef 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) west-northwest of Somerset Island, Bermuda. A current had driven her some 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) from where Dowers had believed her to be.[9] The wreck occurred at approximately 32°16′40″N 65°02′20″W / 32.27778°N 65.03889°W / 32.27778; -65.03889. The crew used Subtle's boats to save themselves and there were no deaths.[10][11]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Lloyd's Patriotic Fund awarded Dynely with a silver vase worth £50.[5] However, he was killed in 1808 in an engagement with the French privateer Confiance, which captured Duke of Montrose.[6] The vase ended up in the ownership of the Falmouth Town Council and now is on display in the Falmouth Packet Gallery at the National Maritime Museum of Cornwall.[7]
  2. ^ Other accounts give the soldiers as 23 men from the 46th Foot, and 13 from the 3rd West India Regiment.[8]

Citations edit

  1. ^ Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 259.
  2. ^ a b Winfield (2008), p. 365.
  3. ^ a b c d "No. 15937". The London Gazette. 15 July 1806. p. 886.
  4. ^ Naval Chronicle, Vol. 16, pp.84-85.
  5. ^ Long (1895), p. 431.
  6. ^ National Register, (6 March 1808), p.159.
  7. ^ National Maritime Museum of Cornwall - The Dyneley Vase,[1] - accessed 10 May 2015.
  8. ^ The Scots Magazine ..., Vol. 68, p.557.
  9. ^ Hepper (1994), p. 120.
  10. ^ Grocott (1997), p. 244.
  11. ^ Gosset (1986), p. 60.

References edit

  • Gosset, William Patrick (1986). The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793–1900. Mansell. ISBN 0-7201-1816-6.
  • Grocott, Terence (1997). Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary & Napoleonic Eras. London: Chatham. ISBN 1861760302.
  • Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
  • Long, William H. (1895). Medals of the British navy and how they were won: with a list of those officers, who for their gallant conduct were granted honorary swords and plate by the Committee of the Patriotic Fund. London: Norie & Wilson.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.

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For other ships with the same name see HMS Vigilant and HMS Subtle The French schooner Imperiale was a 3 gun mercantile schooner aviso of the French Navy commissioned at Guadeloupe on 23 September 1805 The Royal Navy captured her on 24 May 1806 and named her HMS Vigilant The Navy renamed her HMS Subtle on 20 November 1806 She wrecked at Bermuda on 20 October 1807 HMS VigilantHistory France NameImperiale or Imperiale Commissioned23 September 1805 Captured24 May 1806 by the Royal Navy United Kingdom NameHMS Vigilant Acquired24 May 1806 RenamedHMS Subtle 20 November 1806 FateWrecked 26 October 1807 General characteristics 1 2 Tons burthen102 bm PropulsionSails Sail planSchooner ComplementAt capture 65 British 50 ArmamentAt capture 7 guns British service 12 guns Contents 1 Capture 2 Loss 3 Notes 4 Citations 5 ReferencesCapture editOn 23 May 1806 Imperiale left Saintes to capture some merchant vessels at Roseau The former British cutter HMS Dominica which mutineers had taken four days earlier and delivered to the French at Basse Terre joined her The French had immediately commissioned Dominica under the name Napoleon and put 75 men aboard her At Roseau they managed to take one vessel that the British later recaptured 3 The next day His Majesty s sloop Cygnet was anchored at Prince Rupert s Bay Dominica when Robert Bell Campbell Cygnet s captain received information that a cutter and a schooner were nearby He immediately made the appropriate signals to HMS Wasp which was entering the bay 3 By 2p m Wasp had recaptured Dominica As Cygnet chased Imperiale the packet ship Duke of Montrose joined the chase and at 8pm engaged Imperiale As Cygnet came up Imperiale surrendered to Duke of Montrose Imperiale was armed with three guns and had a crew of 65 men under the command of a lieutenant de vaisseau 3 Imperiale was carrying General Hortrade not in uniform and 50 soldiers of the 26th Brigade Duke of Montrose Captain Birt Dynely or Dyneley which had been with the convoy in Roseau roads and had sailed out in pursuit of the two French vessels had taken on board Lieutenant Wallis and 40 soldiers from the 46th Regiment of Foot 3 4 a b Loss editThe Royal Navy took Imperiale into service as HMS Vigilant and commissioned her under the command of Lieutenant William Dowers However there was already a schooner Vigilant in service so on 20 November the Navy renamed the ex Imperiale HMS Subtle 2 Subtle was sailing from the Delaware Capes to Barbados when Lieutenant Dowers decided to make for Bermuda as she was short of fresh water and had developed an annoying leak in her breadroom On 25 October 1807 as Subtle sailed through the St George s Channel sounding her way continuously she nevertheless grounded Despite attempts to lighten her Subtle was soon on her side She had run onto a reef 8 nautical miles 15 km 9 2 mi west northwest of Somerset Island Bermuda A current had driven her some 20 nautical miles 37 km 23 mi from where Dowers had believed her to be 9 The wreck occurred at approximately 32 16 40 N 65 02 20 W 32 27778 N 65 03889 W 32 27778 65 03889 The crew used Subtle s boats to save themselves and there were no deaths 10 11 Notes edit Lloyd s Patriotic Fund awarded Dynely with a silver vase worth 50 5 However he was killed in 1808 in an engagement with the French privateer Confiance which captured Duke of Montrose 6 The vase ended up in the ownership of the Falmouth Town Council and now is on display in the Falmouth Packet Gallery at the National Maritime Museum of Cornwall 7 Other accounts give the soldiers as 23 men from the 46th Foot and 13 from the 3rd West India Regiment 8 Citations edit Winfield amp Roberts 2015 p 259 a b Winfield 2008 p 365 a b c d No 15937 The London Gazette 15 July 1806 p 886 Naval Chronicle Vol 16 pp 84 85 Long 1895 p 431 National Register 6 March 1808 p 159 National Maritime Museum of Cornwall The Dyneley Vase 1 accessed 10 May 2015 The Scots Magazine Vol 68 p 557 Hepper 1994 p 120 Grocott 1997 p 244 Gosset 1986 p 60 References editGosset William Patrick 1986 The lost ships of the Royal Navy 1793 1900 Mansell ISBN 0 7201 1816 6 Grocott Terence 1997 Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary amp Napoleonic Eras London Chatham ISBN 1861760302 Hepper David J 1994 British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail 1650 1859 Rotherfield Jean Boudriot ISBN 0 948864 30 3 Long William H 1895 Medals of the British navy and how they were won with a list of those officers who for their gallant conduct were granted honorary swords and plate by the Committee of the Patriotic Fund London Norie amp Wilson Winfield Rif 2008 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 1817 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 246 7 Winfield Rif Roberts Stephen S 2015 French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 1861 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 204 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title French schooner Imperiale 1805 amp oldid 1149125845, 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