''Diane'' was a 38-gun

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

of the French Navy, launched in 1796. She participated in the

battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...

, but in August 1800 the Royal Navy captured her. She was taken into British service as HMS ''Niobe'', and broken up in 1816.

French career

She took part in the

Battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...

, managing to escape to Malta with . During the battle Rear-Admiral

Denis Decrès Denis Decrès (18 June 1761 – 7 December 1820) was an officer of the French Navy and count, later duke of the First Empire. Early career Decrès was born in Châteauvillain, Haute-Marne on 18 June 1761 and joined the Navy at the age of 18, ...

was on board ''Diane'' in his capacity as commander of the frigate squadron. He would go on to become Napoleon's Minister of Marine. In 1800, as she tried to escape from Malta, , , and HMS ''Genereux'' captured her. At the time she had only 114 men on board, having left the remainder at Malta to assist in its defense.

British career

The Royal Navy commissioned her as HMS ''Niobe'', under the command of Captain John Wentworth Loring, there already being an in service. On 28 March 1806, ''Niobe'' was off Groix when she captured the 16-gun , which had just separated from Leduc's division. ''Niobe'', still under Captain Loring, and , Commander James Stuart, captured the Danish ship ''King of Assianthe'' on 31 August 1807. On 13 November 1810, off Le Havre along with ''Diana'', ''Niobe'' sighted the 40-gun and the 44-gun . and joined the chase, attacking the French squadron when it was anchored at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue at the

action of 15 November 1810 The action of 15 November 1810 was a minor naval engagement fought during the British Royal Navy blockade of the French Channel ports in the Napoleonic Wars. British dominance at sea, enforced by a strategy of close blockade, made it difficult ...

. Eventually, ''Elisa'' was wrecked near La Hougue, while ''Amazone'' escaped to Le Havre. Four months later at the

action of 24 March 1811 The action of 24 March 1811 was a minor naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought as part of the Royal Navy blockade of the French English Channel ports. By 1811, Royal Navy control of the French coast was so entrenched that French ships ...

, ''Niobe'' participated in the destruction of the French frigate ''Amazone'' near the

Phare de Gatteville Phare de Gatteville, also known as Pointe de Barfleur Light, is an active lighthouse near Gatteville-le-Phare at the tip of Barfleur, Manche department, in the Normandy region of France. At a height of it is the third tallest "traditional lightho ...

lighthouse, Normandy. On 24 March 1811, she sailed with a squadron comprising HMS ''Berwick'', , , and , again chased ''Amazone'', which they trapped near Barfleur. ''Amazone''s crew scuttled her to prevent her capture.

Fate

HMS ''Niobe'' was eventually sold on 31 July 1816.

Citations

References

Naval Database
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diane (1796) 1796 ships Frigates of the French Navy War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom Frigates of the Royal Navy Captured ships