HMS Achates (1809)

''Milan'' was a French brig built at Saint Malo, from plans designed by François Pestel that had already served for in 1800 and for in 1804. She served in the French Navy for four years before HMS ''Surveillante'' and ''Seine'' captured her. She became HMS ''Achates'' in the Royal Navy and served until after the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

French career

Lieutenant-Commander Jacques de Saint-Cricq commissioned ''Milan'' on 20 January 1808 at Saint Servan. She departed Saint Malo on 6 March 1808 with 67 men of the 86th Line Infantry Regiment, bound for Cayenne. On 11 March she captured the British merchantman ''Neptune'', near Cape Ortegal, and scuttled her by fire. She arrived at Cayenne on 12 April, and then proceeded to cruise in the area.

On 3 July ''Milan'' had an inconclusive encounter with a British frigate, before the two ships disengaged. ''Milan'' returned to Paimboeuf, and then was stationed at Nantes. Saint-Cricq was promoted to Commander on 12 July 1808, but kept command of ''Milan'' until 30 April 1809, where he transferred to in Nantes.

On 10 September 1808, ''Milan'' departed Cayenne, bound for Saint Nazaire, where she arrived on 18 October, before undergoing repairs at Paimboeuf.

On 29 October 1808, ''Milan'', under Lieutenant Nicolas Touffet, departed Mindin with 31 soldiers of the 26th Line Infantry Regiment to be ferried to Gouadeloupe. However, off Ile de Ré, she encountered the British frigates HMS ''Surveillante'' and ''Seine''; trapped in a heavy sea, Touffet struck without a fight.

British career

Brought into Royal Service as HMS ''Achates'', having been lost in early 1810. Commander John Davies commissioned her in May 1810 for the Channel.

In February 1811 ''Achates'' detained ''Anna'', Holk, master, and sent her into Plymouth. ''Anna'' had been sailing from Bilboa.

''Achates'' captured the American brig ''Mary Ann'', Irving, master, from Bayonne, on 29 December 1811. She arrived at Plymouth on 4 January 1812.

''Achates'' shared with in the proceeds of the capture of ''Don Roderick'' on 16 February. ''Achates'' had been in company with , , and . ''Don Rodrgo'', Gillies, master, arrived at Plymouth on 20 February.

''Achates'' was among the 25 Royal Navy ships that shared in the proceeds of the detention of ''Asia'' on 5 August 1812.

On 29 January 1813 ''Achates'' captured the American ship ''Orbit'', of 390 tons (bm), six guns, and 25 men. ''Orbit'' was sailing from New York to Bordeaux with a cargo of cotton, pearl, and potash. then on 24 February ''Achates'' captured the brig ''Spitfire'', of 270 tons (bm), four guns, and 21 men. ''Spitfire'' was sailing from Boston to France with a cargo of cotton and tobacco. ''Achates''s captain at the time of these captures was Commander John Codd.

In May 1813 Commander Isaac Morrison assumed command.

The Portuguese ship ''Oceano'' (or ''Oceana'', Martin, master), came into Plymouth on 16 June 1813. She had been sailing from Bombay to Lisbon via Pernambuco with a valuable cargo when the French privateer ''Lion'' captured her. ''Achates'' recaptured her. ''Oceano'' was last from Pernambuco, where she discharged part of her cargo, and took on board sugar and coffee for Lisbon. The Frenchmen plundered her of 40,000 dollars.

On 21 October 1813 ''Achates'' encountered the damaged and the two exchanged fire that wounded two men aboard ''Trave''. However, ''Trave'' was able to extricate herself from the engagement. Still, On 23 October, HMS ''Andromache'' captured ''Trave''. ''Achates'' was not in sight and so did not share in the prize money for the capture.

''Achates'' recaptured ''Amity'' on 23 December. ''Amity'', Greenlaw, master, had been sailing from Newfoundland to Belfast when an American privateer had captured her.

''Achates'' was in sight when on 26 January 1814 recaptured ''Apparencen'' and her cargo.

''Achates'' was returning from Newfoundland in company with the frigate when on 26 February they encountered the damaged , which had attempted to escape after a hard-fought battle the previous day.

At the approach of ''Dryad'' and ''Achates'', ''Clorinde'' fired a single cannon shot ''pro forma'' and surrendered to ''Dryad'', which towed her into Portsmouth.

On 26 February 1814 ''Achates'' picked up at sea the derelict vessel ''Dolphin'', for which ''Achates'' received salvage money. This may have been the vessel that ''Achates'' had taken into Falmouth on 7 April. She had encountered the vessel about 12 leagues northwest of the Lizard. The vessel was a brig of 140 tons (bm), with a billet head and yellow sides, apparently American-built and about two years old. Only the lower part of her masts were still standing, her hatches were gone, and she was full of water. She had been carrying fruit, but her cargo was gone too.

In August ''Achates'' detained and sent into plymouth ''Conde de Sabajol'', Vindal, master. She had been sailing from Gothenburg to Rio de Janeiro.

On 14 September an American privateer chased off the Isles of Scilly as ''Lowjee Family'' was coming from Bombary. ''Achates'' and hove into sight and went after the privateer.

''Achates'' returned to Plymouth on 21 September from having sailed to assist the disabled ships of a convoy from Jamaica.

Commander Thomas Lamb Polden Laugharne replaced Morrison in June. He then cruised the Channel. ''Achates'' was laid up in November 1815.

Fate

The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy" offered "Achates brig, of 327 tons" for sale at Plymouth on 11 June 1818. John Small Sedger purchased ''Achates'' for £1,100.

Legacy

The plans of ''Milan'', reconstituted by the British after her capture, are published in Lyon, quoted by Demerliac.

Notes

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Milan (1807)
1807 ships
Age of Sail corvettes of France
Ships built in France
Captured ships
Brigs of the Royal Navy