''Melpomène'' was a 44-gun 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 ...

, designed by Sané. She was launched in 1812. In 1815 HMS ''Rivoli'' captured her. The

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 ...

never commissioned ''Melpomène'' and in 1821 sold her for breaking up.

Career

''Melpomène'' was commissioned on 1 June 1812 in Toulon under Commander Charles Béville. She took part in the action of 5 November 1813, where she sustained light damage and had one wounded. She was decommissioned on 21 February 1814, but reactivated in January 1815 under Captain Joseph Collet, at Toulon. On 24 April, during the

Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...

, she was sent to Napoli to transport Letizia Ramolino. Six days later, at 6a.m. on the 30th, she encountered the 74-gun HMS ''Rivoli'' off Ischia, commanded by Captain Edward Stirling Dickson. After a 35-minute fight, ''Melpomène''

struck Struck is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Adolf Struck (1877–1911), German author *Hermann Struck (1876–1944), German artist *Karin Struck (1947–2006), German author *Paul Struck (1776-1820), German composer *Peter Struc ...

to the ship of the line.Troude, ''op. cit.'', p. 202 Although a key French source states that ''Melpomène'' was scuttled,Roche, ''op. cit.'' she was not. The

sailed her to Portsmouth, where she arrived on 28 December 1815. There she was laid up. She was not commissioned and was not fitted for sea. She was sold on 7 June 1821 at Portsmouth to a Mr. Freake for £2,460.Winfield (2008), p.182. In May, the frigate ''Dryade'' brought Ramolino to France, along with Prince

Jérôme Bonaparte Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte (born Girolamo Buonaparte; 15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was the youngest brother of Napoleon I and reigned as Jerome Napoleon I (formally Hieronymus Napoleon in German), King of Westphalia, between 1807 and 1 ...

.Roche, ''op. cit.'', p. 158

Citations

References

* Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome deuxième : BB4 1 à 482 (1790-1826

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Melpomene (1812) Age of Sail frigates of France 1812 ships Pallas-class frigates (1808) Ships built in France Captured ships Fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy