Spanish Brig Infante (1787)

''Salamine'' was originally the Spanish Navy's ''Infante'' 18-gun brig, built in 1787 at Cadiz. The French Navy captured her at Toulon in December 1793 and recommissioned her; they renamed her on 10 May 1798 as ''Salamine'', for the battle of Salamis. On 18 June 1799, captured her and she was brought into Royal Navy service as HMS ''Salamine''. She served briefly in the Mediterranean, where she captured two French privateers and several merchant vessels before the Royal Navy sold her at Malta in 1802, after the Treaty of Amiens ended the war with France.

French service

The French navy captured the Spanish brig ''Infante'' in December 1793, and brought into French service under her existing name. In January 1794, she was recommissioned in Toulon under Lieutenant Girardias,Fonds Marine, p.184 and renamed ''Liberté''. In May 1795, she was returned to her original name of ''Infante''.

In June 1797, ''Infante'' sailed together with the frigates ''Sensible'' and ''Artémise'' to seize Venetian ships; the prizes included the frigates ''Muiron'' and ''Carrère''.

On 10 May 1798, she was renamed to ''Salamine''. As part of the fleet of Toulon, ''Salamine'' participated in the Mediterranean campaign of 1798.

During the Battle of the Nile, she took refuge under the forts of Abukir, and formed up with Rear-admiral Villeneuve's squadron, which comprised the two 74-gun ''Guillaume Tell'' and ''Généreux'', and the frigates ''Diane'' and ''Justice''. Villeneuve then entrusted ''Salamine'' with the report of the battle for General Bonaparte, before sailing to Malta with his four ships.

On 8 May 1799, ''Salamine'' encountered the xebec HMS ''Fortune'', under the command of Lieutenant Lewis Davis, and her consort . ''Salamine'' and ''Fortune'' exchanged fire for two hours until ''Fortune'' had expended all her ammunition, had three guns dismounted, and had had two men killed and four wounded.Hepper (1994), p.91. Then ''Salamine'' also recaptured the ''Dame de Grace''. This was the ''Vierge de Graces'', which Commodore Sir Sidney Smith in ''Tigre'' captured when he took a flotilla of seven vessels at Acre on 18 March 1799. ''Salamine'' took out her crew and scuttled ''Dame de Grace''.Winfield (2008), p.337.

Under Lieutenant LandryJames
vol.2 p.263
''Salamine'' was part of the Syrian naval station under Rear-admiral Perrée.Fonds Marine, p.230 She ferried artillery and ammunition to the French Army besieging Acre. Sidney Smith's squadron chased Perrée's division, but it evaded him and sailed for Toulon.Troude, vol.3, p.164

Sixty miles off Toulon, on 17 June, Perrée's division met Lord Keith's fleet, who dispatched a force consisting of three 74-gun ships and two frigates, all under Captain John Markham, to intercept it.

In weak winds, a 28-hour chase began, and the French division dispersed. By the evening of the 18th, ''Alerte'' was racing ahead, ''Salamine'' following three miles behind, and the French frigates four miles further behind her. At 19:00, the British 74-guns had subdued the frigates and Markham's force started chasing the two remaining brigs. The frigate eventually caught up with ''Salamine'', which struck to her much stronger opponent.Troude, vol.3, p.164 The entire British squadron, not just the vessels under Markham's command, shared in the prize money.

At the time of her capture, ''Salamine'' was under the command of "Sandry, Lieutenant", presumably a misprint for "Landry".

British service

The Royal Navy commissioned ''Salamine'' in January 1800 under Commander Thomas Briggs. He immediately took her out on patrol off the coast of Spain and France.

Her first prize was actually a share in a prize. On 29 March, ''Salamine'' was among the ships that shared in the capture of the ''Courageux''. The other captors were , , , ''Haerlem'', , , , and ''Salamine''.

On 9 April ''Salamine'' captured a Genoese settee that was sailing from Languedoc to Nolle icwith a cargo of wine. (This may have been the ''Madona del Fortuno''.) Then two days later ''Salamine'' captured the French tartan, the ''Madona de Montenero'', which was carrying salt fish, sugar, and similar cargo.

The next month, on 3 May, ''Salamine'' captured the Swedish brig ''Waragtigheten'', which was sailing from Benicarló to Leghorn with a cargo of wine. About six weeks later, on 14 June, ''Salamine'' and captured the Genoese brig ''Anima Purgatoria'', which was sailing from Bastia to Saleolight ic

On 20 August ''Salamine'' captured an unnamed French privateer of four guns, six swivel guns, and 56 men. Then on the day after Christmas, ''Salamine'' and the frigate captured the French brig ''Good Friends'', which was carrying a particularly militarily useful cargo of 28 brass long guns, five brass mortars, and shot and shell from Leghorn to Marseilles.

A little more than three weeks later, on 21 January 1801, ''Caroline'' and ''Salamine'' captured another French privateer, or judging from her crew size, more properly, a letter of marque. This was a xebec of four 6-pounder guns and 24 men. She was sailing from Leghorn to Egypt carrying arms and ammunition.

''Salamine'' served off Egypt between 8 March and 2 September. She is listed amongst the vessels whose crews qualified for the NGSM with clasp "Egypt".Long (1895), pp.112-3. Commander Alexander Campbell replaced Briggs in July, though Briggs is the captain named in the medal list. (Briggs had been promoted to post captain on 24 July and into command of the Fourth rate, , her captain having died that month.)

Fate

''Salamine'' was paid off in July 1802. She was sold off later that year at Malta for £1,280.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

Citations

References

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*Long, William H. (1895) ''Medals of the British navy and how they were won: with a list of those officers, who for their gallant conduct were granted honorary swords and plate by the Committee of the Patriotic Fund''. (London: Norie & Wilson).
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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 482 (1790-1826

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*Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015) ''French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 - 1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates''. (Seaforth Publishing).

External links

''Salamine'', 1799
Naval Database

{{DEFAULTSORT:Infante (1787)
1787 ships
Brigs of the Royal Navy
Age of Sail ships of France
Age of Sail ships of Spain
Captured ships
Ships built in Spain