HMS Epervier (1803)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
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| Name: | Epervier |
| Builder: | Louis, Antoine, and Mathurin Crucy, Basse-Indre |
| Laid down: | October 1801 |
| Launched: | 30 June 1802 |
| Completed: | 1802 |
| Commissioned: | 20 July 1802 |
| Captured: | 27 July 1803, by the Royal Navy |
 UK
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|
| Name: | HMS Epervier |
| Honours and awards: |
|
| Captured: | 27 July 1803 |
| Fate: | Scrapped June 1811 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Alcyon-class |
| Type: | Brig-sloop |
| Displacement: | 320 tons (French) |
| Tons burthen: | 315 15⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: | 89 ft 10 in (27.4 m) (gundeck); 73 ft 2 1⁄4 in (22.3 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 28 ft 6 in (8.7 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 8 ft 9 1⁄2 in (2.7 m) |
| Sail plan: | Brig |
| Complement: | 121 men (British service) |
| Armament: |
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HMS Epervier was a French 16-gun Alcyon-class brig. HMS Egyptienne captured her in the Atlantic Ocean on 27 July 1803; she was taken into Royal Navy service under her existing name. Before being broken up in 1811 she captured several prizes and was present at the Battle of San Domingo. Her crew received a clasp to the Naval General Service Medal for their participation in that battle and another for an action in December 1808. She was laid up in late 1810 and was sold in 1811.
Epervier was built between 1801 and 1802 by Enterprise Crucy Basse-Indre (near Nantes) to a design by François Gréhan. She was launched on 30 June 1802.
She was commissioned under Lieutenant de vaisseau Halgan. At some point Jérôme Bonaparte boarded her. On 31 August 1802 she sailed from Nantes for Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Captain Charles Fleeming (Fleming) and Egyptienne captured Epervier off the coast of France on 27 July 1803 as she was returning to Lorient from Guadeloupe. At the time she was armed with 16 guns and had a crew of 90 men.
The British rearmed her, upgrading her battery substantially. Commander James Watson commissioned her in May 1804 and then in August Commander John Impey assumed command and sailed for Jamaica the next month.
On 15 January 1805, Epervier captured the Sally.
Then eleven days later, Epervier was in the Leeward Islands, six miles from Crab Island. For five hours she chased a strange sail before she succeeded in capturing the French privateer schooner Elizabeth from Marie Galante. Elizabeth was armed with four carriage guns and small arms. One of her crew of 34 was killed during her "obstinate Attempt to escape." She had already taken a sloop from Tortola that she had sent into St. Thomas.
On 9 May Epervier and Circe captured the Charles. Later that month, on 25 May Epervier captured the Spanish schooner Casualidad. She was taking a cargo of cocoa from Puerto Cabello to Old Spain.
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Wikipedia