French Brig Suffisante (1793)

The French brig ''Suffisante'' was launched in 1793 for the French Navy. In 1795 the Royal Navy captured her and took her into service under her existing name. HMS ''Suffisante'' captured seven privateers during her career, as well as recapturing some British merchantmen and capturing a number of prizes, some of them valuable. She was lost in December 1803 when she grounded in poor weather in Cork harbour.

French service

''Suffisante'' was built with copper sheathing, including the pegs. By 30 November 1793 ''Suffisante'' was under the command of ''enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' Berrenger and stationed at Le Havre. From there she cruised to protect the fishermen working between Dieppe and Cap d'Antifer. Between 9 February 1794 and 3 August now ''sous-lieutenant de vaisseau'' Berrenger sailed ''Suffisante'' on cruises, escorted convoys between Dieppe and Cancale, sailed into the Atlantic, returning to Rochefort, and then sailed from Rochefort to Brest.

Between 27 April 1795 and her capture, ''Suffisante'' was stationed at Flessingue and under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Nosten.''Fonds Marine'', p.116.

Capture

On 25 August 1795 the squadron under Admiral Adam Duncan captured two French Navy brigs off the Texel. One was ''Suffisante'', of fourteen 8 and 6-pounder guns, and the other was , of fourteen 12-pounder guns. They were heading into the North Sea on a cruise.

French records state that ''Suffisante''s actual captors were the 74-gun third-rate , the frigate , and the lugger ''Speedy''. The French reports further state that ''Suffisante'' exchanged fire with the 20-gun lugger ''Speedy'', but the arrival on the scene of ''Mars'' and ''Venus'' rendered further resistance futile.Troude (1867), Vol. 2, p.455.

''Victorieuse''s captain was ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Salaun. The captors of ''Victorieuse'' were Duncan's flagship , ''Mars'', and a frigate. ''Victorieuse'' too joined the Royal Navy, becoming HMS ''Victorieuse'' and serving until broken up in 1805. Courts martial acquitted both Nosten and Salaun of the loss of their vessels.

British service

The Royal Navy commissioned HMS ''Suffisante'' for the North Sea in November under Commander Nicholas Tomlinson, who had been promoted commander into her.

On 25 May 1796 ''Suffisante'' achieved the first of many captures. After a chase of eleven hours and a half-hour engagement, she captured the privateer brig ''Revanche'' in a single-ship action. The Bermuda-built ''Revanche'' was armed with twelve 4-pounder guns, and had a crew of 85 men under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' George Henri Dravemen. She had lost two men killed and seven wounded; ''Suffisante'' had only one man wounded. ''Revanche'' was five days out of Le Havre but had taken nothing. The capture required able seamanship as it took place among the rocks on the lee shore between Ushant and The Main.

In April she captured the American brig ''Maggy''. This may have been an American vessel with contraband on board.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 25, pp.89–123. Next, on 9 June ''Suffisante'' captured the privateer ''Patriote'', a 12-ton ship with 12 men, Dupont, master.

On 25 June ''Suffisante'' captured the Danish brig ''Christian Severin'', J. C. Lund, master. On 22 August ''Suffisante'' captured two vessels, ''Lucia'', Boey Boeyson, master, and the dogger ''Jonge Pieter'', Albert Jochems, master.

On 27 August ''Suffisante'' intercepted and recaptured two British merchant ships near the ÃŽle de Batz. They reported that they had been sailing from Oporto when a privateer of 16 guns and 10 swivel guns had captured them. When last seen the privateer had been north of Scilly in chase of some other merchant vessels. Tomlinson immediately sent the recaptured vessels to Plymouth and sailed ''Suffisante'' to the French coast between Ushant and the ÃŽle de Batz in the hopes of intercepting the privateer on her return, or any prizes that she might have taken on their way to Morlaix or Brest.

The next morning Tomlinson sighted the privateer and four prizes. He was able to capture the privateer by 1pm; ''Suffisante'' fired some small-arms fire at her and she did not fire back, but instead struck. Tomlinson then put a prize crew on board the privateer, after taking off her captain and officers, and captor and ex-privateer set off after the prizes.

The privateer turned out to be ''Morgan'', a 210-ton brig with 100 men and 10 guns. She had been captured from the British in March 1796. ''Suffisante'' recaptured not only the four prizes she had seen, but two others as well. The six merchant vessels were:

* ''Draper'', 200 tons (bm), of Dublin, sailing from Oporto to Dublin, carrying 400 pipes of wire and 11 bales of cotton (''Draper''s master was Maddock, or Maddox);
* ''Brothers'', 180 tons (bm), of Liverpool, sailing from Oporto to Liverpool, carrying 350 pipes and 30 hogsheads of wine and 72 bales of cotton;
* ''Mary Ann'', 70 tons (bm), of Dublin, sailing from Oporto to Dublin, carrying 272 pipes of wine, 11 bales of cotton, and five casks of vinegar;
* ''Ann'', 170 tons (bm), of Dublin, sailing from Oporto to Dublin, carrying 303 pipes of wine, 15 boxes and 10 baskets of lemons;
* ''Vine'', 110 tons (bm), of Lancaster, sailing from Oporto to Lancaster, carrying 108 pipes and four hogsheads of wine, 175 bags cotton, and three-and-a-half tons of cork, lemons, etc.; and
* ''Eliza'', 160 tons (bm), of Dublin, sailing from London to Dublin, carrying 250 chests of tea, 250 barrels of porter, a quantity of steel, and other dry goods.

At the time these captures were considered highly important. The Committee for Encouraging the Capture of French Privateers etc. and the Court of Directors of the Royal Exchange Assurance, each voted Tomlinson a piece of plate valued at 50 guineas.

At some point while Tomlinson was captain of ''Suffisante'' she captured the brig ''Bernon'', and was involved in some capacity with the Spanish brigs ''San Joseph y Animas'' and ''San Rogue'' for which she "received money out of the registry of the High Court of Admiralty by virtue of His Majesty's warrant".

Tomlinson received promotion to post captain on 12 December 1796, whereupon Commander Josiah Wittman replaced him.

On 22 March 1797 Wittman and ''Suffisante'' set out to cruise off the Start. The next day they chased an armed brig to eastward of Peveral Point before she out-distanced them. As ''Suffisante'' was heading back to the west she encountered and captured the small French privateer cutter ''Bonaparte'' (or ''Buonapartie''). ''Bonaparte'' was armed with 14 guns and was three days out of Saint-Malo without having captured anything.

A month or so later, on 21 April, ''Suffisante'' chased and captured ''Petite Hélène'', (or ''Petit Helena''), a French privateer lugger of two guns and 33 men. She belonged to Brest, but was last from Île de Batz and had not taken anything. ''Suffisante'' brought her into Plymouth.

On 20 May 1799 ''Suffisante'' and were in sight when captured the ship ''Johanna Maria'', Kroyer, master.

The French privateer ''Providence'',

On 25 March the Danish brig ''Maria'', came into Plymouth. She had been sailing from Morlaix for Corunna, with linen and paper when ''Suffisante'' detained and sent her in.

In May ''Suffisante'' ("''Sufficiante''") detained three Dutch vessels: ''Anna Maria'', ''Jusfrow Anna Catherina'', and ''Seeks Geswisters''.

On 3 September ''Suffisante'' and ''Havick'' encountered a French flotilla of 14 vessels carrying provisions and stores to the French fleet at Brest, and under the escort of the 18-gun fluyt (or corvette ''en flute'') , under Captain Conseil, and the gunboat ''Protectrice'', under Guégun. The British engaged the French and drove them under the protection of shore batteries at Locquirec, near Morlaix. Fire from the batteries killed two men on ''Havick'', and wounded two.

''Harriet'', Atkins, master, of Boston, from Isle de France via Boston, arrived at Plymouth on 23 July. She was carrying a valuable cargo for Rotterdam when ''Suffisante'' detained her.

On 12 September ''Suffisante'' came into Plymouth with a Danish galliot that had been sailing from Bordeaux to Embden with wines and brandies.

''Suffisante'', , , and the cutter ''Swift'' shared in the recapture on 13 December 1800 of the ''Defiance''. ''Defiance'' had been sailing from Penzance to London when she was captured. Another prize money notice gave the name of ''Suffisante''s captain at the recapture as Jonas Rose. If not a reporting error, Rose may have been temporary while Wittman was on leave.

On 18 January 1801, ''Duke of Kent'', of Dartmouth, came into Plymouth. She had been returning from Newfoundland with a cargo of fish and cod oil when a French privateer had captured her. ''Suffisante'' recaptured ''Duke of York'' as she was going into Brest. Then on 4 February the ''Mont Blanc'', a prize to ''Suffisante'', came into Plymouth.

''Suffisante'' and ''Spitfire'' shared the proceeds of the recapture of the brig ''Honduras Packet''. ''Honduras Packet'' (or ''Honduras Planter''), of eight guns and 16 men under the command of Captain J. Goodwin, had been sailing from London to New Providence. A French privateer, of fourteen guns and 125 men, captured her after an action of one hour and a quarter. ''Spitfire'' recaptured ''Honduras Packet'' on 18 February 1801 off Abervrac and she arrived at Plymouth four days later. ''Spitfire'' arrived the next day.

On 25 February ''Suffisante'' went into Barnpool to refit.

During 20 to 21 March a hurricane blew in the Channel. Even so, ''Suffisante'', ''Spitfire'', and ''Renard'' arrived safely in Jersey.

''Suffisante'' shared with and ''Renard'', in the recapture on 3 April 1801, of the brig ''Swan''. ''Suffisante'' also shared in the recapture around that same day of the ''William''. ''William'' was a Newfoundland brig under the command of Wadland, master, that the French privateer ''Renard'' had captured. A boat from had cut her out from under the guns of battery at ÃŽle de Batz.

At some point while Wittman was still her captain, ''Suffisante'' captured ''Maria Elizabeth'', ''Anna Maria'', and ''Seeks Ges Wisten''.

On 13 April 1801 Christopher John William Nesham was promoted to commander and captain of ''Suffisante'', replacing Wittman, whose ill-health prevented him from continuing in command of ''Suffisante''.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 8, p.82.

On 19 July ''Suffisante'' left Plymouth as escort to a convoy carrying livestock and vegetables to the Royal Navy squadron off Le Havre.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 6, p.81.

One month later, on 19 August, the cartel ''Betsey'' came into Plymouth with wounded men from ''Suffisante''. A cutting out party from ''Suffisante'' had attempted to take an armed cutter in Morlaix roads when a Danish brig had given the alarm. Heavy fire ensued that forced the party to return to ''Suffisante'' with casualties. ''Betsey'' had sailed from Plymouth on 15 July with French prisoners that she was to deliver to Morlaix.

On 17 September a Danish vessel came into Plymouth. She had been sailing from Stralsund to Bordeaux when ''Suffisante'' had detained her. Four days later''Gustavus Vasa'', of Stockholm, arrived. She had been sailing from "Underwold" to Bordeaux when ''Suffisante'' had detained her.

In early January 1802 gales of wind had caused ''Suffisante'' to ship several heavy seas, nearly swamping her. One seaman was washed overboard and Nesham had been knocked down, but was unhurt. She had been obliged to batten down for 48 hours, with the result for that entire period the officers and crew had remained on the main and quarter-deck.

On 17 April ''Suffisante'' was back at Plymouth. She had carried discharged Irish seamen to Cork, landed them, and returned to Plymouth, all in three days and 14 hours. She then left for Dublin with another batch of discharged Irish seamen.

On 29 April 1802 Nesham was advanced to post captain. That same day, Gilbert Heathcote received a promotion to commander. He would later replace Nesham.

On 16 May ''Suffisante'', still under Nesham's command, escorted into Plymouth ''Old Chatham'', of 50 guns, from Falmouth. There she had served as a receiving and convalescent ship. She was in such poor condition that ''Suffisante'' was assigned to escort her for safety's sake. ''Old Chatham'' was sent up to Hamoaze to be paid off and broken up.

On 3 July Nexham sailed ''Suffisante'' into the Hamoaze where she was to be laid up in ordinary. still, that month she may have undergone refitting while under the command of Commander A.R. Kerr.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 12, Appendix, (p.170).

After the resumption of hostilities between Britain and France in 1803, ''Suffisante'' was commissioned in July, under Gilbert Heathcote. She then underwent refitting at Plymouth.

On 30 October she captured ''Navigation'', which came into Plymouth on 17 November. ''Navigation'' was a Dutch East Indiaman, sailing from Batavia to Amsterdam. She was said to be worth £16,000, and the richest ship yet captured from that settlement.

Fate

One report states that she wrecked on 25 December 1803 in a violent gale off Spike Island, Queenstown, Cork. Seven of the crew drowned, and a falling mast killed another three.Toone (1828), Vol. 2, p.516. However, the court martial of Heathcote, his officers, and his crew, told a different story.

On 25 December ''Suffisante'' was in Cork harbour, waiting for wind and weather to change to permit her to sail. A local pilot came aboard and he moved her closer inshore. Heathcote permitted the pilot to leave; the pilot was to return the next day and take her out. Heathcote then went below. At 5pm ''Suffisante'' hit ground, increasingly strongly. The crew fired distress guns and boats from nearby vessels came, but the choppy seas prevented cables or anchors from being let out. The pumps were managing to keep the water that was entering from rising until sand clogged them. Water began rising rapidly and the crew was barely able to get the sloop's cutter overboard before she fell on her beam ends and sank.Hepper (1994), p.103.

Although the officers blamed the pilot for having left ''Suffisante'' in a poorly-chosen location, the officers had mishandled the situation. Lieutenant John Forbes should have taken the watch, but remained below, leaving a midshipman in charge. The master, John Coleman, had gone below for his dinner and left the pilot in charge of the positioning; Coleman stated that he was unaware that the pilot had gone ashore. Heathcote was below dining with his officers and unaware of the developing situation. The court martial found him partly to blame for the loss and reprimanded him but did not punish him. It also reprimanded Coleman, and sentenced Forbes to the loss of one year's seniority.

Legacy

The plans of ''Suffisante'', as reconstituted by the British, are available at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwitch.

Notes, citations and references

Notes

Citations

References

* Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations; divisions et stations navales; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier: BB1 à 209 (1780–1804

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* Toone, William (1828) ''The Chronological Historian: Or, A Record Events, Historical, Political, Biographical, Literary, Domestic and Miscellaneous; Principally Illustrative of the Ecclesiastical, Civil, Naval and Military History of Great Britain and Its Dependencies, from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Present Time'', Volume 2. (Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green).
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External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Suffisante (1793)
1793 ships
Ships built in France
Brigs of the French Navy
Captured ships
Brigs of the Royal Navy
Maritime incidents in 1803
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