HMS Pultusk (1807)
| History | |
|---|---|
 France
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| Name: | Austerlitz |
| Namesake: | Battle of Austerlitz |
| Builder: | American |
| Launched: | 1805 |
| History | |
 UK
|
|
| Name: | HMS Pultusk |
| Namesake: | Battle of Pultusk |
| Acquired: | 5 April 1807 by capture |
| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Broken up 1810 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 199 (bm) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 23 ft 10 in (7.26 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 9 ft 9 1⁄2 in (2.985 m) |
| Sail plan: | Sloop |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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HMS Pultusk was the American-built French privateer sloop Austerlitz, which had been launched in 1805 and which the Royal Navy captured in 1807 and took into service as HMS Pultusk. Pultusk served in three campaigns, two of which resulted, some four decades later in the award of medals, and one boat action that too received a medal. She was broken up in 1810.
On 31 August 1806, Austerlitz was off Martinique when she encountered the 10 or 12-gun schooner HMS Prevost, which was under the command of Lieutenant Samuel Stout. Austerlitz was in the company of a sloop and a brig. Even though Prevost had had to thow overboard four of her guns in an earlier storm, Stout decided to fight. The subsequent action lasted an hour before Stout struck after having lost three men killed and seven wounded. Austerlitz took Prevost into Guadeloupe.
On 5 April 1807 Circe captured Austerlitz after an 18-hour pursuit. Austerlitz was armed with eighteen 6-pounder guns and had a crew of 125 men. Hugh Pigot of Circe reported that "This Vessel has done more Mischief to the Trade than any other from Guadaloupe during the War". The British had chased her several times without catching her and she would have escaped this time too had she not sprung her main topsail-yard and fore-top-gallant mast. The Royal Navy took Austerlitz into service as HMS Pultusk, changing her name from one celebrating a Napoleonic victory to one celebrating a setback for French forces.
Pultusk was commissioned in 1807 at Antigua under the command of Charles Napier (acting). His promotion to Commander was confirmed on 30 November.
Pultusk's first campaign was the capture of the Danish islands of St Thomas and Santa Cruz (St. Croix). On 15 December Fawn arrived at Barbados with the news of war with Denmark. Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane had been in readiness since 2 September and immediately set sail in Belleisle, together with a squadron including Prince George, Northumberland, Canada, Ramillies, Cerberus, Ethalion, and a number of other vessels including Pultusk. The expedition also included troops from the 70th and 90th Regiments of Foot under the overall army commander, General Henry Boyer. St Thomas surrendered on 22 December and St Croix on 25 December. The British then occupied the Danish West Indies until 20 November 1815, when they returned the islands to Denmark.
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Wikipedia