French Brig Alerte (1787)

The French brig ''Alerte'' was launched in April 1787. The Royal Navy captured her at Toulon in August 1793, and renamed her HMS ''Vigilante''. The British set her on fire when they evacuated Toulon in December of that year. After the French rebuilt her as ''Alerte'', she served at the Battle of Aboukir Bay. The British recaptured her in June 1799 and took her into service as HMS ''Minorca''. ''Minorca'' was sold in 1802.

French brig ''Alerte'' (I)

''Alerte'' was built at Rochefort Dockyard and designed as an ''aviso'', under the designation ''Aviso No. 1''. Hubert Pennevert completed her as a ''bric'' of 10 guns.

In 1790 she was under the command of ''Sous-lieutenant de vaisseau'' D'Aujard in the Levant. In November 1791, still under the command of D'Aujard, she was cruising off the coast of Syria. In 1793 she cruised along the Ligurian coast, escorted a convoy from Villefranche to Toulon, and sailed from Tunis to Marseilles. Between 4 April and 17 May she was under the command of ''Lieutenant de vaisseau'' Courdouan; between 17 July and 5 August she was under the command of ''Lieutenant de vaisseau'' Marchand.

British brig

On 28 August 1793, the British occupied Toulon, where ''Alerte'' was among the many vessels they seized. The British renamed her HMS ''Vigilante'', before renaming her back to ''Alert'' or ''Alerte''. In September she was under the command of Commander William Edge.

The Siege of Toulon went badly for the Royalist, Spanish, and British forces, and they were forced to quit the city on 18 December. As they did so, they set fire to the "Frigate ''Alerte''", of "16 guns" and "in want of repairs".

French brig ''Alerte'' (II)

''Alerte'' burned to her waterline, but the French were able to rebuild her at Toulon during January and February 1794. She was in dry-dock at Venice between June and July 1797.

On 1 August 1798 ''Alerte'' was at the battle of Aboukir Bay (Battle of the Nile). Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys D'Aigalliers hoped to lure the British fleet onto the shoals at Aboukir Island, sending the brigs ''Alerte'' and ''Railleur'' to act as decoys in the shallow waters, but the plan failed. Then, as the British fleet approached, Brueys sent ''Alerte'' ahead, passing close to the leading British ships and then steering sharply to the west over the shoal in the hope that the ships of the line might follow and become grounded. None of Nelson's captains fell for the ruse and the British fleet continued undeterred.

After the French defeat, ''Alerte'' left Alexandria in the squadron under Contre-Admiral Jean-Baptiste Perrée, consisting of the 40-gun ''Junon'', 36-gun ''Alceste'', 32-gun ''Courageuse'', 18-gun ''Salamine'', and ''Alerte''. The squadron then carried artillery and munitions from Alexandria to Jaffa, and cruised the coast of Syria.Fonds, Vol. 1, p.230. Being almost completely bereft of ammunition, having left most of it at Jaffa, the squadron headed for Europe and then took shelter in Genoa.

On 17 June 1799 the squadron, still under Perrée, while en route from Genoa for Toulon, was south of Toulon when it ran into a British squadron under the command of Captain John Markham of . In the ensuing Action of 18 June 1799, the British captured the entire French squadron, with capturing the brig ''Alerte'' which was under the command of "Dumay, Lieutenant". French records show that she was under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Demay.

HMS ''Minorca''

The British took ''Alerte'' into service as ''Minorca''. They commissioned her in August 1800 under Commander George Miller. On 26 January was in company with ''Minorca'' and when she recaptured the Ragusean brig ''Annonciata'', Michele Pepi, master.

''Minorca'' served with the British blockade of Malta. Between 29–31 March ''Minorca'' played an important role in the capture of the French ship of the line ''Guillaume-Tell'' by sailing to bring up ships of the blockading squadron while the frigate harried her.

''Minorca'' was among the many ships that shared in the proceeds of the capture of the French frigate ''Dianne'' on 25 August. On 16 February 1801 she captured the ''Turenne'', J. Imbert, master, or the ''Furienne''. ''Turenne'' or ''Furienne'' was a French xebec of six guns and a crew of 38 men. She had 1200 stand of arms on board and had been sailing from Leghorn to Alexandria.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 6, p.414.

In March ''Minorca'' returned to Aboukir Bay. She was part of Admiral Keith's naval force at the British expedition to Egypt. Here she was among the vessels moored as near as possible to the beach, with their broadsides towards it to support the landing of the troops.James (2002 827, Vol. 3, p.100. In 1850 the Admiralty authorized the award of the Naval General Service medal with clasp "Egypt" to all claimants from vessels that had been present between March and September. ''Minorca'' was among the vessels listed as qualifying.

Fate

''Minorca'' was paid off in April 1802, after the Treaty of Amiens ended the war with France. She was sold later that year.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

Citations

References
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* Bradford, Ernle (1999 977. ''Nelson: The Essential Hero.'' Wordsworth Military Library. .
* Clowes, William Laird (1997 900. ''The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume IV.'' Chatham Publishing. .
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* James, William (2002 827. ''The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 2, 1797–1799.'' Conway Maritime Press. .
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alerte (1787)
1787 ships
Brigs of the Royal Navy
Age of Sail ships of France
Captured ships
Ships built in France