''Infatigable'' was a 40-gun ''Valeureuse''-class frigate of the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...

, launched at Le Havre in 1799. She took part in

Allemand's expedition of 1805 Allemand's expedition of 1805, often referred to as the ''Escadre invisible'' (invisible squadron) in French sources, was an important French naval expedition during the Napoleonic Wars, which formed a major diversion to the ongoing Trafalgar C ...

. The British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

captured her in 1806. She was taken into the Royal Navy but never used and she was broken up in 1811.

French career

''Infatigable'' was under the command of ''capitaine de vaiseau'' Meynne between 22 October 1801 and 26 December 1802. First she sailed from Havre to Cherbourg. Then she carried troops from Cherbourg to Cap-Français via

Douvres Douvres () is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ain department *Battle of Douvres Radar Station The Battle of Douvres Radar Station was a military engagement of World War II as par ...

, Dunkirk, and Flessingue. From Cap-Français she conducted a mission to Havana, from which she returned to Cap-Français before sailing back to

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. Around 31 July 1803 ''capitaine de vaisseau'' Troude brought the colonial prefect (governor) of "Aure" and passengers from Cap-Français back to

Lorient Lorient (; ) is a town (''Communes of France, commune'') and Port, seaport in the Morbihan Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in western France. History Prehistory and classical antiquity Beginn ...

. A French squadron consisting of , , , ''Infatigable'', , , and burnt the sloop ''Eclipse'', ''Lady Nelson'', ''Matthew'', ''Thetis'', and ''Thomas'' in an attack at

Saint Kitts Saint Kitts, officially the Saint Christopher Island, is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis cons ...

. The same squadron burnt the ''Lady Jane Halliday'', the ''Nelly'', and the ''Themis'' at

Nevis Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Ne ...

. Between 11 and 20 November 1805, ''Infatigable'', under the command of ''capitaine de vaisseau'' Joseph-Maurice Girardias, was in

Île-d'Aix Île-d'Aix () is a commune and an island in the Charente-Maritime department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes), off the west coast of France. It occupies the territory of the small Isle of Aix (''île d'Aix''), in the ...

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Capture

A four-ship squadron of the

under Samuel Hood captured her in the

action of 25 September 1806 The action of 25 September 1806 was a naval battle fought during the Napoleonic Wars off the French Biscay port of Rochefort. A French squadron comprising five frigates and two corvettes, sailing to the French West Indies with supplies and rei ...

, together with ''Gloire'', ''Minerve'' and ''Armide'' after they had left Rochefort the evening before. ''Infatigable'' was under the command of ''capitaine de vaisseau'' "Giradiers". French casualties were heavy as the French squadron was carrying troops.

Fate

The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS ''Immortalite'' but never used her. She was broken up in 1811.

Citations

References

* * (1671-1870) * Valeureuse-class frigates Frigates of the Royal Navy Age of Sail frigates of France 1799 ships Ships built in France Captured ships {{France-mil-ship-stub