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ALACRITY
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(18) |
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Built in 1806, Newcastle (Cruizer class).
Taken in 1811. |
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- In January 1807 she was fitting out at Chatham prior to being commissioned by William CROFT.
He commanded her at the siege of Copenhagen in August and was consequently made a Post Captain October. - 1807 Nisbet PALMER, North Sea.
On the afternoon of 14 December 1807 ALACRITY gave chase to a French lugger some 30 miles off Lowestoft.
Two hours later he came up with and captured her, killing one of her 42 man crew. She was the privateer FRIEDLAND (18) of Dunkirk, commanded by Francis Louis Beens, and on her second cruise.
During the two days she had been out she had only captured a Swedish galliot taking iron and tar from Stockholm to Plymouth. - ALACRITY was taken by the French corvette ABEILLE (20) off Bastia, Corsica, on 26 May 1811 after an action lasting half an hour in which she lost 15 killed and 20 wounded.
On 30 May 1814 the survivors were tried by court martial.
It was determined that her capture was caused by Capt. PALMER and nearly all her other officers being killed or wounded early in the action and the captain not returning to the deck after having his wound dressed.
No blame was imputed to the surviving officers and crew but that the conduct of Mr James FLEXMAN was marked by great zeal and courage.
He did not leave the deck although he was wounded.
They were all acquitted.
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