French Lugger Affronteur (1795)

The French lugger ''Affronteur'' was launched in 1795 and in 1796-7 participated in the Expédition d'Irlande. In 1803, captured her and she subsequently served the Royal Navy either as a commissioned vessel or, more probably, as His Majesty's hired armed brig ''Caroline''. In 1807 she was either broken up, or became a letter of marque.

Design and French service

''Affronteur'' was the name ship of her two-vessel class. captured her sister ship ''Vautour'' in November 1803. The vessels were probably built to a design by Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait.

In 1796 she was under the command of ''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' Catelain. Between December 1796 and January 1797 she participated in the Expédition d'Irlande, Republican France's attempt to assist the outlawed Society of United Irishmen, a popular rebel Irish republican group, in their planned rebellion against British rule. Weather and events conspired to render the expedition ineffectual; most of the French vessels returned to France, having accomplished nothing. Between 23 September 1800 and 14 November 1801 ''Affronteur'' was at Brest, being refitted.

Capture

On 18 May 1803, ''Doris'', under the command of Captain Richard Harrison Pearson, captured the lugger ''Affronteur'', off Ushant. ''Affronteur'' was armed with fourteen 9-pounder guns and had a crew of 92 men under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' M. Morce André Dutoya. ''Affronteur'' resisted capture in an engagement during which ''Doris'' suffered one man wounded, while ''Affronteur'' lost Dutoya and eight other men killed, and 14 men wounded, one of whom died shortly thereafter.

''Affronteur'' had sailed to demand of ''Doris'' why she was in the area. The capture took place on the very day that Britain declared war, and before the news had reached France. The French complained that the British had struck, in effect, before declaring war. Histories also consider Lieutenant Dutoya the first casualty of the Napoleonic Wars, at least as they involved England.

''Effronteur'', a prize to ''Doris'', was offered for sale at Plymouth on 30 September 1803.

Service as ''Caroline''

''Affronteur'' became ''Caroline''. This is something all authors agree on. All British authors also agree that she was of about 158 tons burthen (bm). There is, however, ambiguity in the accounts about whether ''Caroline'' was a lugger or a brig, and whether she was a vessel belonging to the Royal Navy or a hired vessel serving the Royal Navy under contract.

Norie agrees with Winfield that ''Affronteur'' became the hired lugger ''Caroline'', which served the Royal Navy from 14 September 1804 to 26 October 1807. She was armed with twelve 12-pounder carronades and had a burthen of 156 tons. Confusingly, Colledge, Roche, and also Winfield report that ''Affronteur'' became HMS ''Caroline'', which Colledge and Winfield describe as a brig of 14 guns. However, the National Maritime Museum lists ''Caroline'' as a hired brig.

A newspaper account in September 1804 reports from Plymouth that "... the Caroline, a beautiful lugger of 16 guns, late Affronteur, is now fitting as a hired armed lugger, to be taken into service." Winfield and the National Maritime Museum both report that ''Caroline'' was commissioned for the Irish Sea under Lieutenant J(ohn) Derby. From that point on, all mentions of ''Caroline'' refer to her as a brig, and generally a hired brig.

The ''Naval Chronicle'' reported on 22 November 1804 that

"That beautiful Vessel the Caroline Brig, of 16 guns, and 60 men, is taken into the service, and it is supposed, when fitted for sea, will carry out dispatches for the West Indies, as she is so fast a sailer; she was the first French National Corvette taken in this war by the Doris".

This suggests that ''Caroline'' was converted from a lugger to a brig between September and November. The ''Naval Chronicle'' reported that on 16 December 1804, "Caroline, hired armed brig of 14 guns, Lieutenant Derby, sailed from Plymouth with a convoy." On 5 January 1805, "Caroline brig of 14 Guns, Lieutenant Derby" had arrived safely at Plymouth after having experienced "very terrible gales of Wind, but owing to her being so clever, tight, and well-found a vessel, she did not strain a spun-yarn. ... She is a beautiful, fast-sailing Vessel of her class." Three days later, ''Caroline'' was back in Plymouth from Milford Haven, having convoyed a very large, leaky South Sea whaler to Dartmouth. On 19 January ''Caroline'' sailed again.

Two days later, "His Majesty's hired armed brig Caroline, Lieutenant John Derby, Commander", captured ''Magdalena and Alida''. Then five months later, on 27 May, Derby and "His Majesty's Armed Brig Caroline" captured the Prussian smack ''Fortuna'' and her cargo.

On 9 March 1806, ''Caroline'' captured ''Zwey Freunden''. ''Lloyd's List'' credited the capture of ''Twee Vriends'', Flercken, master, to the privateer ''Happy Return'' and the armed ship ''Caroline''. They sent their captive into Dartmouth.

A week or so later, the armed ship ''Caroline'' sent into Plymouth ''Harmony'', Poole, master, which had been sailing from Lisbon to Amsterdam. Then in late April, the armed brig ''Caroline'' and the privateer ''British Tar'' sent into Plymouth ''Catherine and Elanor'', of Bremen, which had been sailing from Nantes to Altoona. However, ''Catherine and Elanor'' was liberated and left Plymouth on 30 June for her original destination.

On 19 May 1806 ''Caroline'' escorted with to Greenock.

At the end of November, ''Caroline'' sent into Plymouth the Danish vessel ''Elkin'', Cornelius, master, which had been sailing from Havana to Tonningen.

Fate

British Admiralty records have ''Caroline'' being broken up in 1807.

However, she may have become a privateer instead. On 24 November 1807, one month after the hired armed brig ''Caroline'' went off contract, the brig ''Caroline'', of 155 tons, two 6-pounder guns and twelve 12-pounder carronades received a letter of marque. This brig had a crew of 60 under the command of Charles Campion Jones. On 16 April 1808, the Spanish privateer ''Prince of Austurias'' captured the privateer ''Caroline'', of Plymouth, and sailing from Madeira. In the engagement ''Prince of Asturias'' killed ''Caroline''s captain, lieutenant, and several crew members.''Lloyd's List'

– accessed 19 December 2013.

Notes

Citations

References

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* Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 209 (1790–1804

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Affronteur (1795)
Ships built in France
Hired armed vessels of the Royal Navy
1795 ships
Privateer ships of the United Kingdom
Captured ships