The Dédaigneuse was a 40-gun Coquille-class frigate

Coquille class frigate

The Coquille class was a type of five 40-gun frigates designed by Raymond-Antoine Haran.* CoquilleThe Coquille class was a type of five 40-gun frigates designed by Raymond-Antoine Haran.* Coquille...

 of the French Navy

French Navy

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

.

French service

On 30 December 1800, as she was taking political prisoners at Cayenne to bring them back to France under Captain Prevost Lacroix, she spotted , but to no avail.

Capture

On Monday, 26 January 1801, at 8.00 a.m., at 45°N 12°W, the Oiseux

French frigate Cléopâtre

The Cléopâtre was a 32-gun Vénus class frigate of the French Navy. She was designed by Jacques-Noël Sané, and had a coppered hull.She took part in the taking of Cuddalore in 1782....

 under Captain Samuel Hood Linzee

Samuel Hood Linzee

Samuel Hood Linzee was an admiral of the British Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.-Biography:...

 fell in with and chased Dédaigneuse, which was bound from Cayenne

Cayenne

Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...

 to Rochefort

Rochefort, Charente-Maritime

Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...

 with despatches. By noon the following day, with Cape Finisterre

Cape Finisterre

right|thumb|300px|Position of Cape Finisterre on the [[Iberian Peninsula]]Cape Finisterre is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain....

in sight, Captain Linzee directed by signal the and who were in sight to join the pursuit. Dédaigneuse maintained her advantage until 2.00 a.m. on the 28th when the Oiseaux and Sirius were within musket-shot of Dédaigneuse. In a desperate attempt to shake her pursuers she opened fire from her stern-chasers, which was immediately returned by the two British ships. After a running fight of 45 minutes, two miles off shore near Cape Bellem the running rigging and sails of Dédaigneuse were cut to pieces (mainly due to the steady and well-directed fire from the Sirius). Aboard Dédaigneuse with several men killed including her Captain and fifth Lieutenant, and 17 wounded, she was forced to haul down her colours. The Amethyst, due to unfavourable winds was unable to get up until Dédaigneuse had struck her colours. Although the Sirius was the only British ship damaged (rigging, sails, main-yard and bowsprit) in the encounter, there were no fatalities on the English side. Captain Linzee declared the encounter a long and anxious chase of 42 hours and acknowledged a gallant resistance on the part of Dédaigneuse. Dédaigneuse was afterwards added to Royal Navy under the same name HMS Dedaigneuse.

British service

She cruised in the Indian Ocean, unsuccessfully chasing the on 21 November 1806.