HMS Moucheron (1802)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
|
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| Name: | Moucheron |
| Namesake: | Gnat |
| Launched: | 1799 |
| Captured: | 1801 |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | HMS Moucheron |
| Commissioned: | 1803 |
| Fate: | foundered 1807 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | sloop |
| Tons burthen: | 286 24⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: | 93 ft 0 in (28.35 m) (overall); 76 ft 1 7⁄8 in (23.212 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m) |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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HMS Moucheron was a French privateer, built in 1799, that the British captured in 1801 and that the British government purchased in 1802 for the Royal Navy. She foundered in 1807 in the Mediterranean without leaving a trace.
Moucheron is not the former French naval brig Actif, built in Bordeaux.
On 18 July 1800, Moucheron and another privateer, Abeille, captured the American ship Josephus and brought her into Cadiz. There the French Consul released the vessel and her cargo. The privateers appealed to the prize court in Paris, which upheld the release.
At some point Moucheron captured the American ship Argo, Thomas Chipman, master, and brought her into port. The Council of Prizes at Paris ordered Argo's release on 3 September.
On 16 February 1801, Révolutionnaire captured Moucheron. Moucheron was armed with sixteen 6 and 12-pounder guns, and had a crew of 130 men. She was 20 days out of Passage and had captured the British brig William, of London, which had been sailing from St. Michael's with a cargo of fruit.
Moucheron arrived in Plymouth on 7 March 1801. The Government purchased her in 1802 and she was fitting out at Plymouth in June 1803, when Commander James Hawes commissioned her. He had been promoted in 1802 and was given the best sloop available at the time.
On 15 November 1803, Moucheron was in company with Poulette and Liberty off Alderney when Poulette came across a French convoy of some 30 transports plus armed escorts. Poulette was able to run the vessels ashore and her boats captured three, a brig, a lugger and a sloop. Unfortunately, Moucheron was unable to come up in time though Liberty did. The British suffered no casualties.
On 2 March 1804 the French privateer lugger Socise captured two merchantmen, the Rising Sun and the William and Mary in the Bristol Channel. Moucheron recaptured them on 5 March and sent them into Guernsey on 8 March.
On 3 February 1805 Moucheron recaptured the ship Cambridge, of Lewes, and her cargo. The French privateer Braave, of 18 guns and 160 men, had captured Cambridge while she was on her way from Jamaica to Liverpool. After her recapture by Moucheron, Cambridge reached Cork on 14 February. At around the same time Moucheron recaptured the brig Speedwell and her cargo.
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Wikipedia