HMS ''Flying Fish'' was the American-built schooner ''Flying Fish'', launched in 1801. She became the French privateer schooner ''Poisson Volant'', which the British captured in 1803 in the West Indies and took into 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 ...

. She captured a privateer and recaptured some small merchant vessels. She was renamed ''Firefly'' in 1807, but was lost with all hands when she foundered later that year.

Origins

''Poissant Volant'' was the American schooner ''Flying Fish'', built at Baltimore in 1801. She was then bought by the French.Footner (1998), p.194.

Capture

In mid-1803, the squadron under Captain

Henry William Bayntun Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Sir Henry William Bayntun Order of the Bath, GCB (1766 – 16 December 1840) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy, whose distinguished career in the French Revolutionary War, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars ...

, consisting of , , , , and captured ''Poisson Volant'' and ''Supérieure''. The Royal Navy purchased her on 15 October 1803.Winfield (2008), p.364. The British commissioned her as ''Flying Fish'' under Lieutenant Clement Ives in June 1804.

Service

On 29 June captured the Dutch schooner ''Nimrod'', three miles south of "Saint Cruz (Corosoa)". Captain Zacharia Mudge reported that ''Nimrod'', of four guns, was one of two schooners that had engaged ''Flying Fish''. By at least July, ''Flying Fish'' was under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Price. On 14 July she recaptured the ''Content'', which the French privateer ''Republic'' (''Republique'') had captured the evening before off Black River. From the prisoners Price learned where he might intercept the privateer. The next day he encountered her and captured her after a five-hour chase. ''Republic'' was armed with one long gun and small arms, and had left St. Jago with a crew of 51 men. On her cruise she had taken three prizes. Another account reports that the privateer that ''Flying Fish'' captured had 37 men aboard her, and that ''Flying Fish'' succeeded in recapturing two of the privateer's prizes. Between 1 March and 1 June 1805, ''Flying Fish'' recaptured the British ship ''Mary'', which was carrying cargo of island produce.

Loss

In 1807 ''Flying Fish'' was renamed ''Firefly''. On 17 November she struck a submerged rock off Curacao. Lieutenant Price and all his crew were lost.Hepper (1994), p.120.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes Citations References *Footner, Geoffrey M. (1998) ''Tidewater Triumph: The Development and Worldwide Success of the Chesapeake Bay Pilot Schooner''. (Naval Institute Press). * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Flying Fish (1803) Captured ships Privateer ships of France Schooners of the Royal Navy 1801 ships