HMS Plumper (1804)

HMS ''Plumper'' was a later ''Archer''-class gun-brig of the Royal Navy, launched in 1804. The French captured her in 1805 and took her into their Navy under her existing name. Between 1814 and 1815 her name alternated between ''Plumper'' and ''Argus'', finally settling on ''Argus''. As ''Argus'' she sailed to Senegal in 1816 in company with ''Méduse'', whose shipwreck gave rise to a famous painting. In 1818 ''Argus'' was assigned to colonial service. She was condemned in October 1822 at Saint-Louis, Senegal, and struck in 1827.

Royal Navy and capture

''Plumper'' was commissioned in October 1804 under the command of Lieutenant James Henry Garrety.

In July 1805 ''Plumper'', together with her sister-ship , were part of the Royal Navy force blockading the coast of northern France. On 15 July the two gun-brigs were off Granville, Manche when they became becalmed. To avoid the tide carrying them onto the coast, the two anchored in the afternoon off Chausey. A heavy fog came up and at 2:30 am on 16 July, several French vessels were seen to emerge from the darkness. ''Plumper'' attempted to get closer to ''Teazer'' so that they could support each other, but was unable to so. The French force, which consisted of six brigs, a schooner, and a ketch, stood off and battered ''Plumper'' with their guns. ''Plumper'' returned fire, but being armed primarily with cannonades, was outranged. During the exchange of fire, Garrety had an arm shot off, a leg crippled by grapeshot, and a piece of langrange lacerated his chest. Four seamen were also wounded. After an hour, Sub-Lieutenant Richards, who had taken over command after Garrety had been taken below, struck. Later, some of ''Plumper''s crew accused Richards of having too quickly surrendered.

After daybreak, the French also captured ''Teazer''. They then took both their prizes into Granville, with ''Plumper'' being in a sinking state.

French Navy

The French commissioned ''Plumper'' at Saint-Servan on 30 August 1805. Between 1814 and 1815 ''Plumper'' underwent several name changes, ultimately becoming ''Argus''.

On 17 June 1816, ''Méduse'' departed Rochefort, accompanied by the storeship ''Loire'', ''Argus'', and the corvette ''Écho'', to receive the British handover of the port of Saint-Louis, Senegal. ''Méduse'', armed en flûte, carried passengers, including the appointed French governor of Senegal and his wife. The ''Méduse''s complement totaled 400, including 160 crew. She reached Madeira on 27 June. The vessels separated and on 2 July ''Méduse'' grounded. There were too few boats to take off everyone on board, so 146 men and one woman took to a hastily built raft. By the time ''Argus'' by chance found the raft on 17 July, only 15 men survived. ''Argus'' then took the survivors to Saint-Louis. The story of the raft became the subject of an important painting: ''The Raft of the Medusa''.

From 19 June until November 1818, ''Argus'', under the command of ''capitaine de frėgate'' Peureux de Mélay, carried dispatches and passengers from Lorient to Saint-Louis. There she was assigned to colonial service. She went to the Kingdom of Galam to re-occupy Fort St Joseph, about 200km up the Senegal River and on the way to Bakel. From there she conducted expeditions together with the aviso ''Colibri'' and the colonial brig ''Postillion''. Between 31 October 1818 and 3 September 1819 she was under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Dupont.

Fate

She was condemned in October 1822 at Saint-Louis, Senegal, and struck in 1827.

Notes, citations, and references

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Plumper (1804)
Brigs of the Royal Navy
1804 ships
Captured ships