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BEAULIEU
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(40) |
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Built in 1791, Buckler's Hard.
Broken up in 1806. |
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- 1793 Capt. The EARL OF NORTHESK. Capt. J. SALISBURY.
- 1794 Capt. E. RIOU, West Indies.
- 1795 Capt. Capt. H. W. BAYNTUN, 09/1795. Capt. F. LAFOREY, 12/1795. He commanded her for only a short time, moving to SCIPIO early in 1796.
- 1796 Capt. Lancelot SKYNNER. He captured the 26 gun MARSOUIN in the West Indies in March 1896.
- 1797 Capt. F. FAYERMAN, 08/1797. Channel.
- On 11 October 1797 she took part in the defeat of Ad de Winter off Camperdown and took possession of the MONNIKENDAM (40) but the prize was wrecked near West Capel and the British prize crew taken prisoners.
- 1800 Ditto, cruising in the Channel
- 1801 Capt. Stephen POYNTZ.
In July 1801 DORIS, BEAULIEU and URANIE were employed watching the combined fleets of France and Spain lying in the harbour of Brest. When the commander of the French corvette LA CHEVRETTE, of 20 guns and 300 men, lying in Camerat Bay sighted British boats on the 20th., he decided that he needed more protection than the fleet in Brest, so he moved under the batteries farther up the bay and brought troops off the shore. A vessel with two 32-pounders was moored across the entrance to the bay.
On the evening of the 21st. Lieut. Keith MAXWELL of BEAULIEU, who was preparing to take a fire-ship into Brest, with six of her boats manned by 90 volunteers joined seven others belonging to DORIS and URANIE and two from ROBUST, all under the command of Lieut. Woodley LOSSACK, and set off to attack LA CHEVRETTE.
A quarter of an hour later Lieut. LOSSACK with six boats went off in chase of a small boat he suspected was a lookout and, when he did not return, Lieut. MAXWELL took charge and led the remaining boats straight through the entrance towards the corvette 6 miles away.
The enemy opened fire on the boats with grape and musketry as soon as they approached, killing or wounding several men, but within three minutes men from the boats had managed to board and, although they lost all their firearms and had nothing but their swords when they reached the deck, cut LA CHEVRETTE adrift and loosen her sails. Many of the boarders were wounded by French tomahawks cutting at their arms, Lieut. BURKE of DORIS killed the French captain in single combat and Lieut. Sinclair of the marines was killed while defending a wounded midshipman.
When the French found that their vessel was under way and drifting out they panicked and some jumped overboard and others retreated below. Here they kept up a heavy fire of musketry and set off explosions under the quarter-deck
To clear the deck some 20 or 30 Frenchmen had to be forced overboard together with some of the bodies and, after a long period stationary under fire from the shore, a light breeze enabled them to run out of range. It took two hours firing down into the enemy below, using captured weapons, before they agreed to surrender. As LA CHEVRETTE came out she was met by Lieut. LOSSACK's boats returning. Eleven men in the boats were killed, fifty-seven wounded and one drowned.
On LA CHEVRETTE ninety-two, including her captain and six other officers were killed and sixty-two wounded.
The attack was first accredited to Lieut. LOSSACK but Lieut. MAXWELL's responsibility was decided by a Court of Inquiry held on board MARS on 9 August and led to a promotion to commander. - On 1 February 1802 a court martial was held on board MAGICIENNE at Sheerness to try Acting Lieut. PASLEY, late of BEAULIEU. He was charged with making scandalous remarks about Capt. POYNTZ and for absenting himself without leave when sent on duty to Plymouth Dock. He was sentenced to be dismissed for ever from his Majesty's service.
- 1803 Out of commission at Portsmouth.
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