HMS Mutine (1797)

''Mutine'' was an 18-gun ''Belliqueuse''-class gun-brig of the French Navy,Roche, vol.1, p.320 built to a design by Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait, and launched in 1794 at Honfleur. She took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where the British captured her. She was recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS ''Mutine'', and eventually sold in 1803.

French service and capture

After her commissioning, ''Mutine'' served at Le Havre, Brest, La Rochelle, and Rochefort. Initially, she served under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Beenst (the elder).

In late 1794 and early 1795 she was part of a French naval squadron comprising the razee under the command of ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Arnaud, ''Vigilance'', , ''Épervier'', and ''Mutine'' was cruising the West African coast, destroying British factories and shipping. In September they captured ''Harpy'', Telford, master, which the sent back to France, and another Sierra Leone Company ship, , Sayford, master, which they destroyed. These were only two of the many vessels the squadron captured.

The squadron drove the slave ship ''Lady Penrhyn'' on shore on 7 December 1794, at Papaw (Little Popoe), where she was destroyed. The squadron also captured the cutter ''Bee''. ''Mutine'' herself grounded while chasing a British merchant vessel into the Benin River.

In 1795, under '' enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' Lefebvre, she escorted a prize back to la Rochelle.''Fonds'', Vol. 1, p.68. Then she cruised the coasts of Guinea before returning to Rochefort.

On 4 March 1796, under ''lieutenant de vaisseau'' Xavier Pomiès ''Mutine'' departed île d'Aix in a frigate division under Rear-admiral Sercey, bound for a campaign in the Indies; however, a gale damaged her and she had to double back for repairs. She then took part in the Expédition d'Irlande. She also made a voyage from Rochefort, to Ferrol then to Tenerife, before returning to Lorient.

In 1797, ''Mutine'' was sent on a secret mission to Batavia under Pomiès, by then promoted to ''capitaine de frégate''.''Fonds'', Vol. 1, p. 181. She sailed from Brest on 8 May 1797 for Île de France and had put into the Bay of Santa Cruz on 26 May to take on water.

Lieutenant Thomas Hardy captured ''Mutine'' on 29 May during the battle for Santa Cruz. Hardy led a cutting out party using boats from ''Minerve'' and , and was able to board and capture ''Mutine''. He then sailed her out of the port to the British fleet under heavy fire from shore and naval guns. Hardy was wounded during the action, as were 14 of the other British officers and men in the cutting out party. Captain Pomiès was on shore at the time of her capture. In 1847 the Admiralty recognized the action by awarding the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "29 May Boat Service 1797" to the surviving claimants from the action.

A French account states that not only was Pomiès ashore at the time of Hardy's attack, so were almost all of ''Mutine''s crew members. Although this made it easier for the British to capture her, it rebounded to the benefit of France's ally, Spain, at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in July. The French sailors augmented the force that Lieutenant General Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero y Santayana cobbled together to resist, and ultimately repel, the British attack, which became a debacle that cost Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson his right arm.

British service

''Mutine'' was subsequently commissioned into the Royal Navy on 8 August 1797. Hardy was already in command of her, Captain Benjamin Howell having appointed him as a reward for the capture. This was the first ship Hardy would command.

On 5 June 1798 ''Mutine'' met up with Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson at San Pietro Island, off Sardinia, informing him that ten ships of the line and a 50-gun ship were on their way to join him. When they did, Earl St. Vincent's orders were that Nelson should then seek out the French Toulon fleet.

Nelson deployed his three third rates and ''Mutine'' in a screen while waiting for his reinforcements. The third rates and captured two Spanish merchantmen (out of a flotilla of 15), before Nelson ordered his vessels to abandon the chase. Once Nelson had met up with the British ships of the line that were joining him, he sent ''Mutine'', his sole scouting vessel, to Civitavecchia to seek information about the whereabouts of the French. ''Mutine'' later rejoined Nelson without having found out anything. ''Mutine'' also visited Naples and Alexandria, arriving and leaving before the French fleet arrived, while seeking news of the French fleet. Eventually, Nelson and the French met off Egypt.

Under Hardy, ''Mutine'' was present at the Battle of the Nile on 1 and 2 August 1798. During the battle she came to the assistance of , which had run aground, and so did not directly participate in the fighting herself. After the British victory, was sent to carry the dispatches of the battle, but was captured before she could deliver them. ''Mutine'', under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Bladen Capel, had been sent out on 13 August with a second copy and so became the first ship to report the victory when she arrived at Naples on 3 September. Capel handed over command to Lieutenant William Hoste and then traveled overland and arrived with the dispatches at the Admiralty on 2 October. Nearly five decades later the battle was among the actions recognised by a clasp attached to the Naval General Service Medal, which the Admiralty awarded upon application to all British participants still living in 1847.

In February 1799, William Hoste received promotion to Commander and was confirmed in command, and ''Mutine'' was employed carrying dispatches for Nelson. ''Mutine'' returned from these duties in early 1799, by which time the French had occupied Naples. ''Mutine'' was tasked to sail off the coast to keep watch on their activities. She was refitted at Port Mahon in the summer of 1799, and then was present at the surrender of the French garrison at Civitavecchia on 21 September. , , ''Mutine'', ''Transfer'', and the bomb vessel shared in the prize money for the capture of the town and fortress. The British also captured the French polacca ''Il Reconniscento''.

''Mutine'' was still in the Mediterranean in 1800. On 19 January she captured the ship ''Signor Delia Providenza'', which was sailing from Marseilles to Genoa with a cargo of corn and wine, and another vessel of unknown name whose crew had deserted. She was carrying a cargo of corn and a few bales of leather.

On 20 February, ''Mutine'' recaptured the Ragusan brig ''Nova Sorte'', which was sailing from Barcelona to Leghorn, carrying wine. The commissioned and warrant officers of ''Minotaur'', , , and shared in the prize money by agreement.

Then on 5 March ''Mutine'' recaptured another Ragusan brig, the ''Madona del Grazie'', which was sailing the same route and carrying the same cargo as the ''Nova Sorte''. The commissioned and warrant officers of ''Santa Dorothea'' shared by agreement.

The next day ''Mutine'' captured a Ragusan brig sailing from Barcelona bound to Leghorn, but carrying sundry merchandise. On 7 March, ''Mutine'' captured the Genoese polacre ship ''Il Volante'', sailing from Especia to Leghorn with a cargo of iron, coffee, etc. Two days later, ''Mutine'' captured the Genoese polacre ''Volante'', which was sailing from Genoa to Cagliari with a cargo of iron, coffee, etc.

On 29 March ''Mutine'' captured the privateer ''Victoire''. ''Victoire'' was armed with two guns and carried a crew of 28 men.

On 14 April, ''Phaeton'' and captured the ''St. Rosalia''. ''Mutine'', ''Minotaur'', ''Santa Dorothea'', ''Entreprenante'' and shared with ''Phaeton'' by agreement.

On 3 May, ''Mutine'', ''Phaeton'' and ''Cameleon'' captured eight vessels in Anguilla Bay:
*''Stella de Nort'';
*''Santa Maria'';
*''Nostra Senora del Carmine'';
*''Fiat Volantes Deus'';
*''Nostra Signora del Assunta'';
*''Nostra Signora de Sonsove'';
*''San Nicolas''; and
*''San Joseph'' (''San Giuseppe'').

Five days later they captured eleven Genoese vessels. They captured the first eight at St Remo:
*Polacre ship ''St. Giovanni'', which was sailing in ballast from St Remo;
*Polacre brig ''Achille'', which was sailing from Marseilles to Genoa with a cargo of corn and wine;
*Polacre barque ''St. Antonio'', which was sailing from Cette to Genoa with a cargo of wine;
*Polacre brig ''Santa'' (''Assunta''), which was sailing from Ard to Port Maurice with a cargo of wine;
*Polacre ship ''Conception'', sailing in ballast to Port Maurice;
*Polacre ship ''Madona del Carmine'', sailing from Cette to Genoa with a cargo of wine;
*Settee ''Signora del Carmine'', which was sailing from Marseilles to Genoa with a cargo of corn;
*Settee ''St. Giuseppe'', which was sailing from Marseilles to Port Maurice with a cargo of corn;
*Settee ''Immaculate Conception'', which was sailing from Cette to Genoa with a cargo of wine;
*Settee ''Amina Purgatorio'', which sailing from Cette to Genoa with a cargo of wine; and
*Settee ''Virgine Rosaria'', which was sailing from Cette to Genoa with a cargo of wine.

''Mutine'' was in company with when they destroyed one Genoese vessel on 24 July and captured three others on 25 July:
*Settee, of unknown name, which was sailing in ballast from Port Maurice, and which they destroyed;
*Polacre ship ''Saint Gio Baptiste'', sailing from Marseilles to Port Maurice with a cargo of wine;
*Settee ''Misericordia'', which was sailing from Marseilles to Savona with a cargo of hoops; and
*Settee ''Nostra Signora Montersero'', which was sailing from Port Maurice to Marseilles with a light cargo.

On 20 August ''Mutine'' took the ''Dangerouse'', a lateen vessel privateer of two guns and four swivel guns. ''Dangerouse'' was sailing from Bastia to Toulon.

Then on 2 September ''Mutine'' intercepted and captured the French brig ''Due Fratelli'', in ballast. She also captured the ''Piccolo Tobia''.

On 1 February 1801, ''Mutine'' and captured the Swedish brig ''Active'', which was sailing from Mogadore to Leghorn with a cargo of hides. Later that month ''Mutine'' met the cutter ''Joseph'' at Menorca. ''Mutine'' transferred to ''Joseph'' dispatches from Egypt for Britain and the news that Rear-Admiral Warren's squadron had been following Admiral Ganteaume's squadron, which had been taking troops to Egypt but had lost the French during a gale off Sardinia. However, Ganteaume had had to return to Toulon after three of his ships of the line had lost their masts. ''Joseph'' arrived in Plymouth on 7 May. ''Mutine'' took ''Joseph''s dispatches on to Egypt.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 5, p.459.

Fate

In 1801 ''Mutine'' sailed to Trieste. In 1802, under the command of Lord William FitzRoy, she sailed to Portsmouth, arriving on 4 September and then sailing for Chatham on 9 September to be paid off. She was sold in 1803.

Notes, citations, and references

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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External links

Phillips, Michael – HMS ''Mutine'' (1797)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutine (1797)
Brig-sloops of the Royal Navy
1794 ships
Captured ships