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PIQUE
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A French vessel taken by Capt. Robert FAULKNER in BLANCHE off Guadaloupe in the West Indies on 6 January 1795.
Wrecked in 1798. |
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- Capt. FAULKNER was shot through the heart just after he had lashed the enemy's bowsprit to the capstan with his own hands.
Blanche lost 8 killed and 21 wounded out of only 198 men on board.
La PIQUE had 360 men of whom 67 were killed and 110 wounded.
As the boats of both ships had been destroyed or damaged, BLANCHE's 2nd Lieutenant, David MILNE boarded La PIQUE, after her surrender, with 10 men along a hawser and took possession.
The weight putting the bight into the water they had to swim part of the distance.
He was advanced to the rank of commander for his conduct. - After commanding ALARM, David MILNE, who had been posted on 2 October, was appointed to command La PIQUE.
In the spring of 1796 he assisted in the reduction of Demerara, Issiquibo and Berbice by the forces under Commodore PARR and Major General White.
About this time he captured the French brig, LACEDEMONIAN. - On 29 June 1798 La PIQUE was cruising off the French coast with JASON and MERMAID.
They gave chase to a French frigate, la SEINE (42), and captured her after a running fight of about five hours.
Out of 610 men (including soldiers) on board the Frenchman, 170 were killed and 100 wounded.
La PIQUE and JASON lost 8 men killed and 18 wounded, the former bearing the brunt of the action.
MERMAID could not get up in time.
All the contestants took the ground near Pointe de la Trenche and La PIQUE was bilged so it was necessary to destroy her.
Captain MILNE, his officers and crew were removed into the prize, to the command of which he was afterwards appointed by the Admiralty.
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