HMS Proserpine (1807)

Portrait of Proserpine by Antoine Roux, after her capture in the Action of 27 February 1809
History
UK
Name:	HMS Proserpine
Namesake:	Proserpina
Builder:	Thomas Steemson, Paull (near Hull)
Laid down:	September 1805
Launched:	27 November 1807
Captured:	In the Action of 27 February 1809
France
Name:	Proserpine
Acquired:	By capture
Commissioned:	1 May 1809
Fate:	Broken up 1865-66
General characteristics
Class and type:	Amphion-class frigate
Displacement:	800 tons
Tons burthen:	972  17⁄94 (bm)
Propulsion:	Sail
Complement:	HMS: 254 French frigate: 319 transport: 110 men
Armament:	HMS Upper deck: 26 × 18-pounder guns QD 4 × 6-pounder guns 2 × 24-pounder guns (post-1800: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 6 × 24-pounder carronades Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 2 × 24-pounder carronades French frigate 28 × 18-pounder long guns + 12 × 6-pounder guns + 4 × 36-pounder carronades 1828 Upper deck:26 × 18-pounder guns Spar deck: 16 × 24-pounder carronades + 2 ×18-pounder guns
Armour:	Timber

HMS Proserpine was a 44-gun Amphion-class frigate of the Royal Navy. The French Navy captured her off Toulon about a year after her commissioning and took her into service as Proserpine. She served in various capacities such as a frigate, troopship, hospital ship, and prison hulk until 1865.

Captain Charles Otter commissioned Proserpine in September 1807. He then sailed her to the Mediterranean Sea on 6 March 18088.

The British sent Proserpine to sail off Toulon to observe and report on the movements of the French fleet. Captain Bernard Dubourdieu analyzed her patrol pattern, leading the French to send his frigate, Pénélope, accompanied by Pauline, to approach her in the night. They pretended to be the British relief that Otter was expecting and succeeded in engaging her at short range. In the ensuing Action of 27 February 1809, Proserpine had her rigging severely damaged; with no hope of escape or rescue, she struck her colours after a one-hour battle than claimed the life of one of her men, and wounded ten others, one mortally.Pénélope towed Proserpine to Toulon.

At Toulon the French Navy repaired her and took her into French service under her existing name, commissioning her on 1 May 1809. On 1 April, capitaine de frégate Ganteaume, younger brother of Admiral Ganteaume, took command of Proserpine, transferring from Mohawk. Between 28 June and August 1809 she was still under captain Ganteaume's command. She served Admiral Ganteaume's Mediterranean squadron for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars, with a refit in Genoa in 1810. Between 12 April 1811 and 11 October she was in Genoa roads, and under the command of capitaine de frégate Ganteaume, later capitaine de vaisseau. He was still her captain on 1 February 1812, at Toulon.