French corvette Mignonne (1795)

Mignonne was an 18-gun Etna-class corvette of the French Navy, launched in 1795. She served until 1803 when the British captured her. Though she served briefly, there is no record of her actually being commissioned into the Royal Navy; she grounded and was condemned in 1804.

For other ships with the same name, see Mignonne and HMS Mignonne.
Mignonne
History
France
Name: Mignonne
Builder: Cherbourg Dockyard; Construteurs: Pierre Ozanne and from March 1793, Jean-François Lafosse
Laid down: 1794
Launched: 15 October 1795
Captured: June 1803
United Kingdom
Name: Mignonne
Namesake: French: "dainty"Mignon/mignonne at Wiktionary
Acquired: by capture June 1803
Fate: Ran aground, December 1804
General characteristics [1]
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 650-719 ton (French)
Tons burthen: c.564 (bm)[Note 1]
Length:
  • 35.95 m (117.9 ft) (overall)
  • 32.48 m (106.6 ft) (keel)
Beam: 9.74 m (32.0 ft)
Draught: 4.68 m (15.4 ft) (unladen)
Depth of hold: 4.82 m (15.8 ft)
Propulsion: Sail
Complement: 121 (British establishment)
Armament:
  • French service: 16 x 18-pounder long guns
  • At capture:10 x 18-pounder long guns[2]
  • British service: 18 × 9-pounder guns
Armour: Timber

French service and capture

Mignonne was built in Cherbourg from 1794 to 1797 and was launched on 15 October 1795. Between 3 and 16 September 1797, she served at Cherbourg under commander Jourdan.[3]

Under Lieutenant Yset, she took part in the Caribbean campaign led by Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse in 1803. She was involved in the capture of Fort Graville on 6 February, and Camp de Louise on 8 February.[4]

Main article: Action of 28 June 1803

On 28 June 1803, as she sailed with the frigate Poursuivante, she encountered a British convoy off San Domingo, part of the Blockade of Saint-Domingue. One of the escorts, HMS Goliath, was sailing inshore off Cape Nicholas Mole, to try to find two vessels seen earlier. She encountered Mignonne at 10:45, and after a few shots captured her at 11:45.[5][6] In Captain James Brisbane's words, Mignonne was a "remarkable fast sailing Ship Corvette". She carried sixteen long 18-pounder guns, six of which she had landed.[Note 2] Her crew of only 80 men was under Commander Jean-Pierre Bargeau,[8] and she was two days out of Aux-Cayes, sailing to France via the Cape.[5]

British service

Mignonne was among a number of British prizes that arrived at Jamaica between 2 and 16 July.[9]

The Royal Navy took her into service as the 18-gun ship sloop-of-war HMS Mignonne, but never commissioned her.[1] Her captain was Commander Edward Hawker.[Note 3]

In June 1804 Mignonne ran ashore off Lucca, Jamaica. Desiree was towing her to Port Royal when on 9 July at 0100 hours a bolt of lightning struck Mignonne, killing three seamen, injuring five (or nine), and causing some damage to the ship.[10][11] Hawker reported that the bolt shattered the topmast and split the mainmast to the keelson.[12]

On 13 October Mignonne captured the French brig St. Antonio y les Animas, which was in ballast.[13]

Fate

In December 1804 Mignonne was laid in the mud at Port Royal, Jamaica.[14] She was then condemned.[1]

Notes, citations, and references

Notes
  1. This is based on the descriptions of the three members of the class that the Royal Navy captured, as described in Winfield.[1]
  2. Admiral Markham, who ordered Mignonne surveyed and valued prior to purchase, stated that she was carrying ten guns, having left eight at Aux-Cayes (Les Cayes).[7]
  3. He had been promoted to Commander in 1803 and he received his promotion to post captain in June 1804, though he served on Mignonne for some time thereafter.

Citations
  1. Winfield (2008), pp. 232 & 272.
  2. Winfield and Roberts (2015), p. 173.
  3. Fonds Marine, Vol. 1, p.195.
  4. Fonds Marine, Vol. 1, p.268.
  5. "No. 15620". The London Gazette. 13 September 1803. pp. 1228–1229.
  6. Troude (1867), pp.44-45.
  7. Markham (1904), p.89.
  8. Fonds Marine, p.286
  9. Lloyd's List, no. 4385, -accessed 5 February 2014.
  10. The Nautical magazine: a journal of papers on subjects connected ..., Volume 3, p.436.
  11. Naval Chronicle, Vol. 12, p.336.
  12. Harris (1843), p.147.
  13. "No. 15670". The London Gazette. 28 January 1804. p. 133.
  14. Gossett (1986), p.45.

References
  • Gossett, William Patrick (1986) The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900. (London: Mansell). ISBN 0-7201-1816-6
  • Harris, Sir William Snow (1843) On the nature of thunderstorms; and on the means of protecting buildings and shipping against ... lightning.
  • Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations; divisions et stations navales; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier: BB210 à 482 (1805-18826)
  • Markham, John (1904) Selections from the correspondence of Admiral John Markham during the years 1801-4 and 1806-7. (Printed for the Navy Records Society [by Spottiswoode]).
  • Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France. 3. Challamel ainé. p. 287.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.
  • Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015) French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 - 1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. (Seaforth Publishing). ISBN 9781848322042
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