|
FORTUNEE
|
(36) |
|
Built in 1800, Blackwall.
Sold in 1818. |
|
|
- 1801 Capt. Lord Amelius BEAUCLERK, Channel.
On 5 April he captured the French privateer schooner MASCARADE (12) four days out of Cherbourg and brought her in to Portsmouth on the 9th.
On the 20th., in company with TRENT and the DOLPHIN cutter, the French privateer lugger RENARD (10) was captured after a ten hour chase into St. Aubin's Bay.
They came in to Portsmouth with their prize on 2 May and TRENT sailed the next day with a large convoy for the Downs.
FORTUNEE remained at Portsmouth until the 17th., when she sailed for a cruise off Le Havre. - In August 1801 FORTUNEE was in attendance on the King at Weymouth.
- 1802 Capt. John CLEMENTS.
On 8 September she sailed from the Downs for the Texel with Dutch troops in the British service who were being repatriated.
On the 10th. the pilot mistook a buoy and FORTUNEE ran on to a sand bank where she was bilged and lost her masts and rudder.
The next morning she was got into the Texel and, by the efforts of her officers and crew and the assistance of the other ships, she was repaired sufficiently for her to return to England under the escort of another frigate. - At the renewal of the war in 1803 FORTUNEE was commissioned by Capt. Henry VANSITTART for service off the rivers Weser and Elbe.
- General Sir C. Green and Brig. Gen. Hughes arrived at Portsmouth late at night on Friday 20 January 1804, to take passage to Barbados in FORTUNEE.
They embarked on the morning of the 23rd., but the wind was foul and she did not sail until 2 February. - On 10 August 1804, while running down the south side of San Domingo, she was chased by the privateer felucca VAUTOUR mounting one 9-pounder gun.
The enemy were nearly in gun shot before they discovered they were chasing a man-of war and were captured after a two hour chase. - Yellow fever appeared on board FORTUNEE as she was about to return to Jamaica from a cruise off the Havana.
Six men died before she cleared the Gulf of Florida but Capt. VANSITTART pushed on and landed the sick on an uninhabited island in the Bermudas.
Although the fever went through the whole crew there were no more deaths. - On 5 May 1806 Vice Ad. DACRES ordered FORTUNEE to cruise off Cuba to protect trade and annoy the enemy.
Her boats destroyed two Spanish feluccas and captured a small schooner and then fell in with and captured the French privateer schooner GRANDE JUGE BERTOLIO with one long brass 12-pounder gun, two fours and and four 12-pounder carronades. She had only 51 on board and was bound for San Domingo to complete her complement - In the summer of 1806 a large convoy of merchant ships sailed for England escorted by HERCULE (74) Capt. John BLIGH, FORTUNEE, SURVEILLANTE and an armed schooner.
Off the Havana FORTUNEE and the schooner were detached to attack some Spanish ships under the protection of a 74 and two gunboats.
The line-of-battle ship managed to escape but more than 20 vessels laded with sugar were taken and then destroyed so that the convoy would not be delayed.
(Although the Spaniards offered a ransom the following day) Six French ships-of-the line cruising to intercept the fleet were later sighted and successfully avoided. - FORTUNEE was later employed on the Channel and Irish stations.
At the end of 1810 she sailed for the Mediterranean with Rear Ad. FREEMANTLE and served for some weeks with the inshore squadron off Toulon before sailing for Algiers to embark an ambassador. - On 11 October 1811 FORTUNEE and SALDANHA captured the French privateer ship VICE-AMIRAL MARTIN of 18 guns and 140 men which, due to her superior sailing, had always escaped from other British cruisers.
- 1812 Capt. George Francis SEYMOUR commanded FORTUNEE from the summer of 1812 until he removed to LEONIDAS in January 1813.
- 1814 Capt. William GOATE, 04/5/1813, Channel service.
By the end of the year she was out of commission at Portsmouth.
|
|
|
