HMS Barracouta (1782)

The Royal Navy purchased HMS ''Barracouta'' on the stocks in 1782. After she had served for almost ten years patrolling against smugglers, the Navy sold her in 1792. She became the privateer ''Thought'', which had a successful cruize, capturing several prizes including a French privateer, but then was herself captured in September 1793. She served the French Navy under the names ''Pensée'', ''Montagne'', ''Pensée'', and ''Vedette'', until the British recaptured her in 1800 and renamed her HMS ''Vidette''. The Royal Navy sold her in 1802.

Royal Navy service

The Royal Navy purchased ''Barracouta'' on the stocks. It named and registered her as a sloop on 15 June 1782. She was registered as a cutter on 13 March 1783, and Lieutenant Daniel Folliott commissioned her that month for the Western Channel.

''Barracouta'' was paid off in August 1786, but recommissioned in September by Lieutenant Robert Barlow for Rame Head and the Cornish coast. He cruised with great success against smugglers until he was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1790, and soon after appointed to the brig with orders to resume his former station on the coast of Cornwall.

In 1790 ''Barracouta'' was under the command of Lieutenant Alexander Douglas for the Yorkshire coast. She underwent fitting at Sheerness in 1790 and then in 1791 she was under the command of Lieutenant James Malcolm.

The "Principal Officers and Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy" offered "His Majesty's Cutter Barracouta, Burthen 197 Tons, lying at Sheerness" for sale on 12 January 1792. The Navy sold her at Sheerness for £260 on 19 January.

Privateer

''Barracouta'' became the privateer ''Thought'' in 1793. However, she did not appear in ''Lloyd's Register''.

On 13 May Captain Sedgefield Dale acquired a letter of marque. Then on 31 May Captain Harding Shaw acquired a letter of marque.

On 19 July ''Lloyd's List'' (''LL'') reported that the privateer ''Thought'', of London, had brought several vessels into Falmouth. One was the French privateer ''Passe Partout'', of 16 guns and of Bordeaux. ''Passe Partout'' had on board some dollars and chests of sugar that she had taken from a Spanish ship. There were two American vessels: ''Rawlinson'' which had been sailing from New York to Havre de grace with pork and flour, and ''Active'', Blair, master, which had been sailing from Philadelphia to Nantes with sugar and coffee. ''Thought'' captured ''Active'' in company with the privateer ''Weymouth'', of Weymouth. ''Thought'' also recaptured ''Neptune'', which had been sailing from West Indies to Liverpool.''LL'' 19 July 1793, №5226.
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On 3 September a French frigate captured ''Thought'' and took her into Lorient.

French service

''Thought'' became the French naval brig ''Pensée'' in January 1794. She was at Dunkirk in February. In January 1795 she was renamed ''Montagne''. She became ''Pensée'' again in January 1796, and ''Vedette'' in July.

In July 1796, she escorted a convoy from Lorient to Audierne under Ensign Gravereau. On 2 February 1797 she was off Croisic, where she captured the British privateer ''Loterie''.

captured ''Vedette'' on 10 February 1800. ''Triton'' was with a squadron off the Stevenet Rock when she captured ''Vedette'', of 14 guns and 84 men, which was sailing from Brest to Lorient.

French records indicate that ''Vedette'', ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Kerdrain, was escorting a convoy from Lorient to Brest. The capture took place at the mouth of the Iroise Sea.

The prize arrived safely in Falmouth on the 19th. Captain John Gore's report described ''Vedette'' as a national (i.e., naval) brig and the former cutter ''Barracouta''. ''Lloyd's List'' (''LL'') reported on 18 February that ''Videt'', of 14 guns and 80 men, a prize to the frigate ''Triton'', had arrived at Falmouth. She had arrived on 12 February. The news item noted that ''Videt'' was the former cutter ''Thought''.''LL'' 18 February 1800, №4025; also Ship arrival and departure (SAD) data.
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''Vidette'' was offered for sale at Plymouth on 9 April 1800, at Plymouth."Classified ads". ''Star'' (London, England), April 7, 1800; Issue 3614.

Royal Navy service

By one account, the Royal Navy took her in as ''Vidette'', but did not commission her.

Admiralty records indicate that ''Vidette'' served as a hired vessel between 1800 and 1801, suggesting that private parties had bought her in 1800. She was sold in 1802.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barracouta (1782)
1782 ships
Sloops of the Royal Navy
Cutters of the Royal Navy
Privateer ships of Great Britain
Captured ships
Brigs of the French Navy