''Aimable'' was an ''Alcmène''-class 26-gun frigate of the French Navy.

Career

''Aimable'' took part in the Battle of Rhode Island, where she helped corner HMS ''Cerberus'' and ''Lark'' and force their crew to scuttle them. On 8 October 1781, she departed Rochefort with ''Iphigénie'', in a division under Captain Kersaint, to take part in the

Capture of Demerara and Essequibo The capture of Demerara and Essequibo was a French military expedition carried out in January 1782 as part of the American Revolutionary War. In 1781 Admiral Lord Rodney sent two sloops from his fleet at Sint Eustatius to take possession of th ...

. In late September and October 1780 the French frigates ''Aimable'' and , were escorting a convoy from Rochefort to Bayonne. On her way they captured three British cutters: , of 18 guns, captured 25 September 1780; , a privateer of 12 guns; and ''Jersey'', of 12 guns. The French took ''Alert'' and ''Jersey'' into service. ''Aimable'' took part in the

Battle of the Saintes The Battle of the Saintes (known to the French as the Bataille de la Dominique), also known as the Battle of Dominica, was an important naval battle in the Caribbean between the British and the French that took place 9–12 April 1782. The Brit ...

on 12 April 1782. On 19 April, ships from Hood's squadron captured her during the Battle of the Mona Passage. The British recommissioned her as HMS ''Aimable''. In December 1799, ''Aimable'' and were escorting the West India convoy from Cork. On 17 December they encountered the , Citoyen Reignaud, captain, and , which were sailing to France from Cayenne. ''Bergère'' was carrying

Victor Hugues Jean-Baptiste Victor Hugues sometimes spelled Hughes (July 20, 1762 in Marseille – August 12, 1826 in Cayenne) was a French politician and colonial administrator during the French Revolution, who governed Guadeloupe from 1794 to 1798, emancipa ...

as a passenger. The French vessels had with them the East Indiaman , which they had captured the same morning; René Lemarant de Kerdaniel was captain of the prize crew on ''Calcutta''. ''Glenmore'' recaptured ''Calcutta'' while ''Aimable'' engaged ''Sirène'' and ''Bergère''. A 35-minute action ensued before the two French vessels departed. ''Sirène'' had as prisoners Captain Haggy, ''Calcutta''s master, her first and second mates, and 50 of her

lascar A lascar was a sailor or militiaman from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Arab world, British Somaliland, or other land east of the Cape of Good Hope, who was employed on European ships from the 16th century until the middle of the ...

s and seamen. ''Calcutta'' arrived in Plymouth on 12 January 1800. On 18 January 50 lascars were landed from ''Calcutta'' and taken to China House, which served as a hospital. The lascars were sick and suffering from the cold.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 3, p.150.

Citations and references

Citations References * * (1671-1870) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aimable (1776) Frigates of the French Navy Frigates of the Royal Navy 1776 ships Ships built in France Captured ships