Topic summary

French frigate Caroline

French frigate Caroline

Caroline was a 40-gun Hortense-classfrigate of the French Navy, launched in 1806. She captured several small British vessels in 1807, including a 14-gun privateer. She was ordered to the Indian Ocean in 1808 for commerce raiding, arriving in 1809. During the subsequent Mauritius campaign, Caroline captured two East Indiamen and their valuable cargoes of trade goods in the action of 31 May 1809.

The British captured Caroline at Île Bourbon during the Raid on Saint Paul in September 1809, renaming her HMS Bourbonaise as they already had a ship named Caroline in service. Bourbonaise sailed back to Plymouth where she was held in ordinary until 1816, when she was sold for breaking up.