HMS Mosambique (1804)
Encyclopedia
HMS Mosambique was the French privateer
schooner Mosambique, built in 1798, which the British captured in 1804. She served in the West Indies, engaging in several indecisive single-ship actions before she captured one French privateer. She was sold there in 1810.
, the tender to Diamond Rock, was under the command of s first lieutenant, Thomas Forest. Fort Diamond weathered the Pearl Rock to bear down on a French privateer schooner, Mosambique, which had anchored close to the shore under a battery at Ceron, outside the port of Saint-Pierre, Martinique
. In cooperation with Emerald, which created a diversion, Fort Diamond ran alongside the schooner, running into her at a rate of about nine knots an hour. At her approach, the schooner's crew fired a broadside and discharged some small arms before all 50 or 60 crewmen jumped overboard and swam ashore. The impact of Fort Diamonds strike broke the chain that anchored the Mosambique to shore, and the boarding party cut two cables to free her. Fort Diamonds casualties amounted to two men wounded. Mosambique turned out to be armed with ten 18-pounder carronade
s, though she was pierced for 14 guns. She was from Guadeloupe
and under the command of Citizen Vallentes. In April 1827 head-money was distributed for the capture.
The Royal Navy
took her into service as HMS Mosambique.
In January 1805, Mosambique recaptured the English sloop Experiment, which was carrying a cargo of wood. She was commissioned in 1806 under the command of Lieutenant John Campbell. That year she was returning from having escorted several vessels to Tortola
to join a convoy when she encountered the French privateer Grande Decidé, of 30 guns and 250 men. The privateer tried twice to capture Mosambique, but was driven off both times. Grande Decidé eventually left after Mosambique attacked with a view to boarding, a plan that Grande Decidés anti-boarding nets frustrated.About two years earlier, on 5 February 1804, Grande Decidé had had a similar unsuccessful encounter with the schooner .
In 1807 Mosambique was under the command of Lieutenant John Jackson. Around April she recaptured the Harriet, which she sent into Grenada.
In 1807 Mosambique fought an indecisive action with the French privateer General Ernouf off Guadeloupe. General Ernouf had a crew of 110 men against Mosambiques 45, and 14 cannon to Mosambiques ten. Still, in the engagement General Ernouf lost some 40 men killed and wounded and was forced to break off the action, taking refuge in port, while Mosambique lost only two men.
On 29 March 1808, , in company with , Pelican
, , and Mosambique, sailed from Marie-Galante
to attack the island of La Désirade
. They arrived on 30 March and landed seamen and marines under the command of Captain Sherriff. As the squadron approached they exchanged fire with a battery of 9-pounders covering the entrance to the harbour. The ships' guns silenced the battery and the French surrendered.
On 21 April Mosambique captured the French letter of marque
brig Jean Jacques. Jean Jacques was pierced for 18 guns but carried only six long 9-pounders. She was 36 days out of Bordeaux and sailing for Guadeloupe. Captain W.H. Sherriff, of Lily, the commander of the squadron to which Mosambique belonged, reported that he was particularly pleased at the capture as the Jean Jacques had been sent out for "the express Purpose of cruising in these Seas, and, from her superior Sailing, would have proved a great Annoyance to the Trade." While Mosambique was capturing the Jean Jacques, the squadron saw a brig on fire. The squadron's boats went to the brig's assistance, extinguished the flames, and discovered that she was the Brothers of Liverpool, a prize to Jean Jacques. In the entire affair, the British had no casualties and the French suffered only one man wounded.
In 1809 Lieutenant James Atkins took command of Mosambique. Under Atkins she was at the capture of Martinique. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Martinique" to all surviving claimants from the action. Later, Lieutenant Burton took command.
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
schooner Mosambique, built in 1798, which the British captured in 1804. She served in the West Indies, engaging in several indecisive single-ship actions before she captured one French privateer. She was sold there in 1810.
Capture
On the morning of 13 March 1804, Fort DiamondHMS Fort Diamond
HMS Fort Diamond was a six-gun sloop , commissioned in 1804 in Martinique. Her origins are unknown. She captured one French privateer before she herself was lost to a French boarding party in June 1804.-Career:...
, the tender to Diamond Rock, was under the command of s first lieutenant, Thomas Forest. Fort Diamond weathered the Pearl Rock to bear down on a French privateer schooner, Mosambique, which had anchored close to the shore under a battery at Ceron, outside the port of Saint-Pierre, Martinique
Saint-Pierre, Martinique
Saint-Pierre is a town and commune of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique, founded in 1635 by Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc. Before the total destruction of Saint-Pierre in 1902 by a volcanic eruption, it was the most important city of Martinique culturally and economically, being known...
. In cooperation with Emerald, which created a diversion, Fort Diamond ran alongside the schooner, running into her at a rate of about nine knots an hour. At her approach, the schooner's crew fired a broadside and discharged some small arms before all 50 or 60 crewmen jumped overboard and swam ashore. The impact of Fort Diamonds strike broke the chain that anchored the Mosambique to shore, and the boarding party cut two cables to free her. Fort Diamonds casualties amounted to two men wounded. Mosambique turned out to be armed with ten 18-pounder carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s, though she was pierced for 14 guns. She was from Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
and under the command of Citizen Vallentes. In April 1827 head-money was distributed for the capture.
The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
took her into service as HMS Mosambique.
British service
The Admiralty registered Mosambique on 13 March 1804.In January 1805, Mosambique recaptured the English sloop Experiment, which was carrying a cargo of wood. She was commissioned in 1806 under the command of Lieutenant John Campbell. That year she was returning from having escorted several vessels to Tortola
Tortola
Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. Local tradition recounts that Christopher Columbus named it Tortola, meaning "land of the Turtle Dove". Columbus named the island Santa Ana...
to join a convoy when she encountered the French privateer Grande Decidé, of 30 guns and 250 men. The privateer tried twice to capture Mosambique, but was driven off both times. Grande Decidé eventually left after Mosambique attacked with a view to boarding, a plan that Grande Decidés anti-boarding nets frustrated.About two years earlier, on 5 February 1804, Grande Decidé had had a similar unsuccessful encounter with the schooner .
In 1807 Mosambique was under the command of Lieutenant John Jackson. Around April she recaptured the Harriet, which she sent into Grenada.
In 1807 Mosambique fought an indecisive action with the French privateer General Ernouf off Guadeloupe. General Ernouf had a crew of 110 men against Mosambiques 45, and 14 cannon to Mosambiques ten. Still, in the engagement General Ernouf lost some 40 men killed and wounded and was forced to break off the action, taking refuge in port, while Mosambique lost only two men.
On 29 March 1808, , in company with , Pelican
French brig Voltigeur (1804)
The French brig Voltigeur was a Palinure-class brig launched in 1804. The British captured her in 1806 and renamed her HMS Pelican. She was sold in 1812.-Capture:...
, , and Mosambique, sailed from Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante is an island of the Caribbean Sea located at the south of Guadeloupe and at north of Dominica. Marie-Galante is a dependence of Guadeloupe which is a french overseas department....
to attack the island of La Désirade
La Désirade
La Désirade is a French West Indies island located at the eastern of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles.It has a land area of 20.64 km² and a population of 1,595 in 2006 , with a population density of 77 inh. per km² in 2006...
. They arrived on 30 March and landed seamen and marines under the command of Captain Sherriff. As the squadron approached they exchanged fire with a battery of 9-pounders covering the entrance to the harbour. The ships' guns silenced the battery and the French surrendered.
On 21 April Mosambique captured the French letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
brig Jean Jacques. Jean Jacques was pierced for 18 guns but carried only six long 9-pounders. She was 36 days out of Bordeaux and sailing for Guadeloupe. Captain W.H. Sherriff, of Lily, the commander of the squadron to which Mosambique belonged, reported that he was particularly pleased at the capture as the Jean Jacques had been sent out for "the express Purpose of cruising in these Seas, and, from her superior Sailing, would have proved a great Annoyance to the Trade." While Mosambique was capturing the Jean Jacques, the squadron saw a brig on fire. The squadron's boats went to the brig's assistance, extinguished the flames, and discovered that she was the Brothers of Liverpool, a prize to Jean Jacques. In the entire affair, the British had no casualties and the French suffered only one man wounded.
In 1809 Lieutenant James Atkins took command of Mosambique. Under Atkins she was at the capture of Martinique. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Martinique" to all surviving claimants from the action. Later, Lieutenant Burton took command.