HMS Guerriere (1806)
She sailed in 1806 with several other French ships to attack British and Russian whalers, but was chased and brought to action by HMS Blanche.On 19 August 1812 Guerriere, under Captain James Richard Dacres, sighted the American frigate Constitution, under Isaac Hull.Dacres struck his colours to avoid further bloodshed; the Americans then transferred her crew to Constitution and set fire to the badly damaged Guerriere.Guerrière served with the French Navy during the Napoleonic Wars under Commander Louis Alexis Baudoin, initially trapped in harbour by the Blockade of Saint-Domingue.Before nightfall he had discerned that the ships were enemies, but heavy fog made it impossible to determine their disposition until just after midday on 31 August, when it became clear that one of them was a 74 gunner and together, they were more than a match for Boadicea.The two ships arrived off Cape Prior on 2 September, when they were again spotted, this time by a British squadron under the command of Commodore Sir Edward Pellew.Guerrière was despatched from Lorient on 28 March 1806 in company with the frigates Revanche and Sirène, and the brig-corvette Néarque, with orders to attack and destroy British and Russian whalers in the Arctic, off Greenland.[3] The French privateer cutter Peraty, under the command of M. Maurison, took up position in the convoy's path, hoping to capture some of the ships.During the afternoon of 19 August 1812, 41°42′N 55°33′W / 41.700°N 55.550°W / 41.700; -55.550 about 400 miles (640 km) southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a sail was sighted on the weather beam bearing down on them.Switching to the other bow, the American ship raked HMS Guerriere, which included sweeping her decks with grapeshot and musket fire, and then attempted to board.Captain Dacres ordered Lieutenant Bartholomew Kent to lead the marines and boarders from the main deck towards the forecastle, but the two ships parting at that moment meant that they were able to bring some of the bow guns to bear on the Constitution.The crew managed to clear the debris, but while they were rolling enough to put the main deck guns under water, the American ship came within pistol range to rake them.Fifteen men had been killed, including the second lieutenant, Mr Henry Ready; six were mortally wounded, 39 severely and eighteen slightly.Captain Dacres was surprised and shocked to find a large proportion of British seamen amongst her crew, a number of whom had joined in the boarding party.
HMS GuerriereFrench ship GuerrièreUSS Constitutionfifth-ratefrigatecarronades18-pounder long guns12-pounder long gunsFrench NavyForfaither fightUSS ConstitutionDuguay-TrouinCorunnaHMS CullodenwhalersHMS BlancheWest IndiesprivateersWar of 1812James Richard DacresIsaac Hullstruck his coloursNapoleonic WarsLouis Alexis BaudoinBlockade of Saint-DomingueHMS ElephantGeorge DundasHMS SnakeDuquesneen flûteWilliam John HugginsFerrolHMS BoadiceaJohn MaitlandCommodore Sir Edward PellewHMS CullodenBarrington DacresLorientRevancheSirènebrig-corvetteNéarqueArcticGreenlandFaroe IslandsShetlandYarmouthknightedChatham DockyardJamaicaprivateerMalvinaNantesJulianaHMS VeterancutterHMS BarbaraCharlestownHMS HussarSamuel John PechellHalifaxUSS SpitfireNew JerseySandy HookimpressingUSS Presidentsixth-rateHMS Little BeltLittle Belt affairHMS CleopatraJames DacresNew Orleans PacketUSS Constitution vs HMS GuerriereConstitutionHalifax, Nova Scotiaman-of-warmizzenmastgrapeshotmusketmaster's mateforecastleLieutenantpurserBoston, MassachusettsNorth American StationHerbert Sawyercourt-martialHMS AfricaHMS SpyThe London GazetteColledge, J. J.Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal NavyWikisourceShipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1812HMS CarlottaHMS ManillaHMS ConquerorMedwayHMS ApellesHMS SkylarkApellesAndromaqueArianeCampbell MacquarieHDMS NajadenAbercrombyHMS EmuloussinkingHMS BrazenHMS SouthamptonSir John Borlase WarrenDanaéHMS MagnetMangaloreHMS ChubHarrietHMS BeletteUSS VixenHMS SubtleHMS AlbanHMS PembrokeHMS PlumperDuc de DantzigQueen CharlotteHMS Crane