French brig Génie (1808)

The French brig Génie was a Sylphe-class brig launched at Dunkirk in 1808. She was retired from service in 1833.

History
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameGénie
Ordered27 October 1806
BuilderLouis Bretocq, Dunkirk
Laid down1 December 1806
Launched23 July 1808
FateStruck 1833
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeSylph-class brig
Displacement190 ton unladen and 374 tons laden
Sail planBrig[lower-alpha 1]
Complement84,[2] or 98
Armament
  • 14 × 24-pounder carronades + 2 × 8-pounder guns
  • 18 × 24-pounder carronades[2]

Career

Under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau de Grave she sailed on 29 January 1809 for Saint Dominique.[2]

On 12 November 1809 Génie captured the 4-gun schooner HMS Haddock, which was under the command of Lieutenant Henry Edwards.[3][lower-alpha 2]

Haddock was on her way from Jamaica with dispatches,[4] when at 1:30pm she sighted a brig that began to give chase. In her attempt to escape, Haddock threw her guns, shot and stores overboard. Still, the brig gained. Haddock surrendered at 8:30pm, having first thrown her signals and dispatches overboard.[3]

The encounter occurred in the Atlantic,[6][3] or the Channel.[7] Lloyd's List gives the approximate location as 48°56′N 16°0′W,[4] which would put the capture in the Atlantic.

On 16 November Génie captured two more vessels. One was Lusitania, Carman, master, which had been sailing from Grenada to London. The second was Fortune, of Bristol, Hare, master, which had been sailing from St Croix to London. The Frenchmen plundered Lusitania and then put the captured crews on board her. Next the Frenchmen sank Fortune and Haddock and let Lusitania depart. Lusitania arrived at Portsmouth on 25 November.[4]

French newspaper accounts credited Génie with the capture of three merchant vessels. They also mentioned that Haddock was carrying some chests of silver.[8]

Vessel Burthen Crew
Fortune 260 18
Lusitania 250 16
Creole 300 28

Génie sailed on to Norway.[2] Between 10 January and 6 December 1810 she sailed to the Texel from Bergen.

The Dutch seized Génie at the surrender of Nieuwedieppe on 4 May 1814.[1] She was subsequently returned to the French. Under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Loyer-Deslandes between 23 April and 1 June 1814 she carried Vice-Admiral Verhuell and his staff from the Texel to Havre.

Between 12 November and 24 December 1822 Génie, under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau de Maud'huy, carried from Brest to Cadiz funds that the frigate Antigone had brought from Vera Cruz and Havana. Génie then sailed to Martinique.

Between 3 April and 20 June 1824, Génie, under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Bourdais, transported the consul and vice-consul of France to Louisiana from Martinique to New Orleans, via San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Havana. She then carried lieutenant de vaisseau Samouel, who had been entrusted with a mission to Mexico, and returned to the mouth of the Mississippi.

On 28 November 1825 Génie, under the command of capitaine de frégate Martel carried passengers from Brest to Havana and Martinique. Between 28 February and 27 October 1825, she visited Newfoundland, and then returned to Brest.

Between 1 February 1826 and 17 August Génie, under the command of capitaine de frégate Martel, sailed from Brest to Fort Royal, Martinique. She then sailed from Guadeloupe to Havana, where she was stationed for a period. She next sailed from Havana to Vera Cruz, and returned to Brest via Havana.

Notes
  1. She was square-rigged and 250 m2 (2,700 sq ft) of sail.[2]
  2. Winfield, Grocott, and Hepper (in his index), agree that the date of the capture was 30 January, but then Hepper gives the date in the text as 12 November. Lloyd's List and French sources also give the date as 12 November.[4][5]

Citations
  1. Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 216.
  2. Roche (2005), p. 223.
  3. Hepper (1994), p. 130.
  4. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4411. 28 November 1809. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735024.
  5. Fonds Marine, 1805–1826, p.405.
  6. Winfield (2008), p. 359.
  7. Gosset (1986), p. 70.
  8. "FRENCH PAPERS", 20 February 1810, Morning Chronicle (1801) (London, England), issue: 12724.

References
  • Gosset, William Patrick (1986). The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793–1900. Mansell. ISBN 0-7201-1816-6.
  • Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3. OCLC 622348295.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours (in French). Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.
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