British Fifth Rate frigate 'Virginie' (1796)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Pedro de Linze y BerasteguiSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1754-1769
Update
Galga (36) 1744-1784
Spanish 36 Gun
Privateer Frigate
Added
Lorenzo BeyenisSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1769
Update
Juan Agustin de IradySpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Guipuzcoano (64) 1778-1780
Spanish 64 Gun
Merchant Ship of the Line
Update
San Rafael (30) 1774-1780
Spanish 30 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Update
Luis ArburuSpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Fermín UrtizbereaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780
Update
San Carlos (32) 1772-1780
Spanish 32 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
See more...

Recent Comments

Princess Mary (Unknown) 1796-1805
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1796)
Indian Chief (Unknown) 1800-1801
British Unknown Gun
Merchant Unknown
(1800)
London (90) 1766-1811
British 90 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
(1766)
Edward Jekyll CanesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1793
Sir Adam DrummondBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1795-9990
Thomas PresslandBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1803
Richard CaleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1794
Nicholas DiddamsBritish
Ship Builder
Edward TippettBritish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1775-1793
Thomas PollardBritish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1765-1799
See more...

Virginie
Nominal Guns	38	B028
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French Fifth Rate frigate 'La Virginie' (1794) (44) 1794-1796 French 44 Gun 5th Rate Frigate (Frégate)
Named	25.6.1796	BWAS-1793
Captured	22.4.1796	B028
First Commissioned	8.1796	B028
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	FWAS1786
Ship Class	Virginie Class (1793)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Jacques-Noël SanéFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Administrator Service 1758-1836	FWAS1786
Constructor	Jacques-Noël SanéFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Administrator Service 1758-1836	FWAS1786
Category	Fifth Rate	B028
Ship Type	Frigate	B028
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B028
Sold for Break Up	11.7.1827	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck151' 3 ¾"Imperial Feet46.0439
Length of Keel126' 3 ¼"Imperial Feet38.4112
Breadth39' 10"Imperial Feet11.8872
Depth in Hold12' 8"Imperial Feet3.7592
Burthen1,065 ⁶²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

8.1796Broadside Weight = 485 Imperial Pound ( 219.9475 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.1796284EstablishmentBWAS-1793

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
8.1796 - 8.1798CaptainBWAS-179327.8.1798 - 2.1803CaptainBWAS-17937.1803 - 8.1804CaptainBWAS-17939.1805 - 3.1810CaptainBWAS-1793

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
10.1797 - 1798Flag Lieutenantref:616

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1804 - 1805MidshipmanNBD18491806 - 3.1810MidshipmanNBD18491806 - 1810Master's MateNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
31.7.1803 - 11.8.18041st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
25.4.1796Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
4.11.1796Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £12660.0.0dBWAS-1793
11.1797Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1793
26.4.1799Took the Unrated in the East Indies
26.4.1799Took the Unrated in the East Indies
26.4.1799Took the Unrated in the East Indies
2.1803Returned home and paid offBWAS-1793
5.1803Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
7.1803RecommissionedBWAS-1793
8.1803Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
8.1804Paid offBWAS-1793
11.1804Began repairs at Harwich - Essex BWAS-1793
8.1805Completed repairs at Harwich - Essex at a cost of £9176.0.0dBWAS-1793
8.1805Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
9.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1793
10.1805Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
9.4.1806Took the Schooner in Lat. 46 Deg. 49 Min. N. Long. 10 Deg. 25 Min. W.BG
23.2.1807Sailed with a convoy to the West IndiesBWAS-1793
7.1807On the Irish StationBWAS-1793
28.9.1807Took the Privateer on the Irish Station
19.5.1808Capture of the Gelderland
19.5.1808Took the Frigate in the North Sea
3.1810Paid offBWAS-1793
2.1811fitting as a Receiving Ship at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
3.1811Placed in Ordinary at PlymouthBWAS-1793
1817Refitted as a Other Vessels Receiving Ship
8.7.1826Sold to Mr Freake for £3,050, but retained when the purchaser declared insaneBWAS-1793
11.7.1827Sold for breaking up for £2,310BWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

FWAS1786Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Friday 12th of June 2026 02:57

Marquis Cornwallis, after his other business with the King, took leave of his Majesty on his setting off for India, for which he will embark the ensuing week in La Virginie frigate of 44 guns, Capt Hunt; and his day his Lordship took leave of he Queen on the same occasion. [Hampshire Chronicle, 8 April 1797]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:16	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Princess Mary' (1796) (Unknown) 1796-1805 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:15	Jon Miller	British Merchant 'Indian Chief' (1800) (Unknown) 1800-1801 British Unknown Gun Merchant Unknown
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:14	Jon Miller	British Second Rate ship of the line 'London' (1766) (90) 1766-1811 British 90 Gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:11	Jon Miller	Edward Jekyll CanesBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1793
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:10	Jon Miller	Sir Adam DrummondBritish Naval Sailor Service 1795-9990

GDPR Statement