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FROLIC
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Built in 1806, Bridport (Cruizer class).
Broken up in 1813. |
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- First commissioned at Plymouth by Thomas WHINYATES, 03/OO, who removed to her from ZEBRA.
Fitting out for the West Indies. - On 12 September 1812 she left the Bay of Honduras with a home bound convoy.
The crew were in a poor condition after coping with a violent storm some 600 miles east of Cape Hatteras on the night of the 17th. when, on the following day while they were re-assembling the scattered ships of the convoy, a suspicious sail was sighted.
FROLIC dropped astern and hoisted Spanish colours to give the merchantmen time to escape while decoying the other under her guns.
At about 10 O'clock FROLIC identified the stranger as the American WASP, hauled to the wind and an action started between the two ships.
The WASP, Capt. Jacob JONES, although she had nearly 50 less in her crew, was only 5 days out of the Delaware river and her men were fresh. She succeeded in shooting away part of FROLIC's rigging so that the brig became unmanageable and WASP was able to rake her while FROLIC was unable to bring a gun to bear.
The action lasted fifty minutes and Capt. WHINYATES was forced to yield after 15 of his crew were killed and he, all his officers and 43 men had been wounded.
Lieut. Charles M'KAY and Mr STEPHENS, the master, later died of their wounds. - WASP was retaken the same afternoon by Capt. J. P. BERESFORD in POICTIERS and FROLIC restored to the Royal Navy.
Capt. BERESFORD appointed Lieut. Andrew MITCHELL of POICTIERS to command FROLIC, then POICTEERS also rounded up the convoy and saw them safely to Bermuda. - Cdr. WHINYATES was cleared of all blame at his subsequent court martial.
- 1814 Portsmouth.
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