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L'Audacieux | 16567 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal Guns | 18 | BWAS-1793 | |
| Nationality | République Française | ||
| Operator | Private Owners | ||
| Acquired | 1797 | ref:692 | |
| Home Port | Dieppe - Normandy | ref:692 | |
| Shipyard | Unknown | BWAS-1793 | |
| Category | Privateer | BWAS-1793 | |
| Ship Type | Ship | BWAS-1793 | |
| Sailing Rig | Ship Rigged | BWAS-1793 | |
| Captured | 2.4.1798 | BWAS-1793 | |
| Becomes | British sloop 'Voltigeur' (1798) (20)
1798-1802 British 20 Gun Unrated Sloop | ||
Magnanime, Cork Harbour, April 6, 1798.
SIR, I avail myself of the earliest means of acquainting you, that when the service assigned to me by your order of the 6th of March, had been nearly accomplished, chace was given by His Majesty's Ship under my command to a French Privateer Brig, which, at the distance of about 5 miles, was, on the dawn of the 16th of the same Month, observed to hawl athwart the fore foot of the little convoy submitted to my guidance.
The gale being fresh, and favourable to the Magnanime's best sailing, it was trusted she would very speedily arrive up with the object of pursuit but that end was not attained till, at the expiration of 23 hours, a space had been run of 256 miles, although the privateer had, in her flight, given a very manifest advantage, by steering in a circuitous manner. The satisfaction of capturing so fast sailing a privateer has been much encreased by a knowledge, subsequently obtained, of it's having been the design of her Commander, in a confidence of his vessel's unrivalled sailing, to hover round the convoy till a favourable moment should occur for attacking it's least protected part. The Privateer is named L'Eugenie, was captured in Latitude 42 and Longitude 12, was manned, when chaced , with 107 Men, and armed with 18 guns, 8 which appear to have been thrown overboard whilst pressed in the pursuit.
Under similar circumstances of wind and weather, pursuit was again given, by the ship under my command ,to a ship which reconnoitred us, early on the morning of the 1st of April.
The chace was continued with doubtful effect for some time, when at length, after a pursuit of 180 miles, in 18 hours, she made, a signal of surrendering. Her force consisted of 20 guns, (but pierced for 22) and 137 men and, like L'Eugenie, appears to be coppered and perfectly new. Her Name L'Audacieux. The ease with which-she ran round us, within 6 hours after being taken possession of, manifested how much we were indebted for the capture of her to her very bad steering; 16 of her guns were thrown overboard during the chace.
I have the Honor to be, &c. &c. &c.
M. DE COURCY