French brig Phaeton (1804)

Phaeton
Career (France)
Name: Phaeton
Ordered: 18 April 1803 (c0ntract)
Builder: Danet, Antwerp
Laid down: July 1803
Launched: 28 June 1804
Captured: 26 March 1806
Career (UK)
Name: Mignonne
Acquired: 26 March 1806 by capture
Renamed: HMS Musette 7 October 1807
Fate: sold 1814
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:Palinure-class
Type:Brig
Displacement:290 tons[2]
Tons burthen:328 79⁄94 (bm)
Length:97 ft 0 in (29.6 m) (overall)
77 ft 0 in (23.5 m) (keel)
Beam:28 ft 4 in (8.6 m)
Depth of hold:7 ft 0 in (2.1 m)
Propulsion:Sails
Sail plan:Brig
Complement:French service:120
British service:121
Armament:French service: 16 × 6-pounder guns[2]

Later: 14 x 24-pounder carronades + 2 x 6 or 8-pounder gunsref name=WR/>

British service: 14 × 32-pounder carronades + 2 × 6-pounder guns
For other ships of the same name, see HMS Mignonne and HMS Musette.

The French brig Phaeton was a Palinure-class brig launched in 1804. The British captured her in 1806 and renamed her HMS Mignonne. In 1807 they renamed her HMS Musette. She was sold in 1814.

Capture

On 6 March 1806, Pique, under the command of Captain Charles B.H. Ross, was sailing from Santo Domingo to Curacoa when she encountered two French navy brigs. At 1pm, Pique began firing at long range, and by 2pm had caught up with them. After an intensive cannonade that lasted some 20 minutes, Pique was able to send a boarding aboard one of the two French vessels. A terrible struggle ensued before the French vessel struck. The French crew had concealed themselves under sails and in the wreckage, emerging once the boarding party arrived and subjecting it to a devastating fusillade that killed or wounded most of the boarding party. Ross then sent over more men, before returning to the chase of the second brig.[3] After the exchange of several more broadsides, the second French vessel struck.[4]

The two vessels turned out to be the sister-ships Phaéton and Voltigeur, both armed with 16 guns and having crews of 120 men and 115 men. They were under the command of Lieutenants de Vaisseau Saulces de Freycinet and M. St. Craig. Pique had one man wounded during the chase, and nine men killed and 13 wounded during the boarding of Phaeton. Ross estimated that the French vessels had lost half their crews dead and wounded.[4] Phaéton was sailing on a mission to the Antilles when she was captured.[5] Later reports suggested that although French casualties on Phaeton had been heavy, those on Voltigeur were slight.

The two brigs had encountered Reindeer the day before and engaged in a four-hour exchange of fire before escaping.[4] During that engagement they had suffered damage and possibly casualties.

The British took Phaeton into service as Mignonne, and Voltigeur as Pelican.[1][Note 1] In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Pique 26 March 1806" to all surviving claimants from the action.[6]

British service

The British commissioned Mignonne under Commander Robert Nicholson. In August Commander George Gustavus Lennox replaced Nicholas.[7]

The Admiralty then renamed her HMS Musette and in October 1807 Commander Peter Douglas took command.[1] In 1808 Commander Henry Boys replaced Douglas. In 1809 Commander J. Lloyd assumed command.[8] In December Commander Thomas P.J. Parry replaced Lloyd. He sailed her to Britain and she arrived at Portsmouth on 30 June 1810. There she was placed in ordinary.[1]

Fate

The Admiralty offered Musette for sale at Portsmouth on 9 June 1814.[9] She was finally sold on 1 September 1814 for £400.[1]

Footnotes

Notes
  1. ↑ Some subsequent reports state that Phaeton became Mignonne, which is correct, and that Voltigeur became Musette, which is incorrect.[3]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Winfield (2008), p.317.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Winfield and Roberts (2015 forthcoming), Chap. 7.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 James (1837), Vol. 4, pp. 226-7.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The London Gazette: no. 15927. p. 731. 10 June 1806.
  5. ↑ Fonds Marine, Vol. 1, p.356.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 20939. p. 241. 26 January 1849.
  7. ↑ "NMM, vessel ID 371440". Warship Histories, vol ii. National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  8. ↑ "NMM, vessel ID 371799". Warship Histories, vol ii. National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 16901. p. 1085. 24 May 1814.

References

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