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GUERRIERE
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Taken on 19 July 1806, after a severe engagement lasting three-quarters of an hour, by Capt. Thomas LAVIE in BLANCHE off the Faroes. Taken and burnt 1812. |
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- 1807 fitting out at Chatham and mounting thirty long 18-pounders, sixteen 32-pound carronades and two long nines.
- 1808 Capt. Alexander SKENE, Jamaica.
On 15 February 1808 GUERRIERE captured the French privateer brig MALVINA of Nantes, commanded by René Salaun and carrying 14 guns and 60 men.
The privateer's prize, the British ship JULIANA was retaken. - In July 1808 the master of an American brig claimed the protection of a convoy from Jamaica which was being escorted by VETERAN (64).
Twenty four hours after parting company he betrayed the strength and course of the convoy to the enemy and on the 17th. GUERRIERE found the French privateer cutter PERATY,M. Maurison, waiting in the track of the fleet. She was captured after a chase of 24 hours and was found to be his Majesty's cutter BARBARA, which had been captured by the French privateer GENERAL ERNOUF on 17 September 1807 while under the command of Lieut. Edward D'ARCY. She had been re-fitted at Charlestown and had sailed from there on the 10th., furnished with stores and provisions for three months. - 1809 Capt. Robert LLOYD, from HUSSAR.
- 1810 Capt. Samuel John PECHELL, 10/1810, Halifax.
He returned to his previous ship, CLEOPATRA, in July 1811. - 1811 Capt. James Richard DACRES, 04/1811, Halifax station.
During the afternoon of 19 August 1812, about 600 miles S. E. of Halifax, a sail was sighted on the weather beam bearing down on them. She was soon made out to be a man of war and GUERRIERE prepared for action.
(She was five officers and 24 men under complement, mustering 244 men and 19 boys at quarters.
When the enemy hoisted American colours, Capt. DACRES permitted the Americans in his crew to quit their guns. - The two ships exchanged broadsides for half an hour before the enemy closed her starboard beam and sent GUERRIERE's mizzen mast overboard.
Switching to the other bow, the enemy raked GUERRIERE and swept her decks with grape and musket fire, and then attempted to board.
Mr Samuel GRANT, master's mate commanding the forecastle, was badly wounded and about the same time Mr Robert SCOTT, the master, was shot through the knee and the Captain severely wounded.
Capt. DACRES ordered Lieut. Bartholomew KENT to lead the marines and boarders from the main deck towards the forecastle but the two ships parting at that moment meant that they were able to bring some of the bow guns to bear on the enemy. - Mr William J. SNOW, master's mate, commanded the fore-most main deck guns and Mr John GARBY, acting purser, the after quarter deck guns.
- The two ships were clear of each other when GUERRIERE's fore and main-masts went over the side leaving her an unmanageable wreck.
They managed to clear the wreckage but while they were rolling with the main deck guns under water, the enemy wore round within pistol-shot to rake them.
At this point Capt. DACRES called his remaining officers together and they agreed to strike the colours to avoid further loss of life. - 15 were killed, including the second lieutenant, Mr Henry READY; six mortally wounded, 39 severely and eighteen slightly wounded.
Lieut. KENT was wounded by a splinter early on. - They found that the enemy was the USS.
CONSTITUTION, Capt. Isaac HULL, of thirty 24 pounders on the main deck, twenty-four 32-pounders and two bored out 18-pounders on the upper deck.
Out of 476 men 9 were killed and 13 wounded.
Capt. DACRES was surprised and shocked to find a large proportion of British seamen amongst her crew, a number of whom had joined in the boarding party. - GUERRIERE was too badly damaged to take in so, as soon as the wounded had been taken out, she was set on fire by her captors, and CONSTITUTION returned to Boston.
- A court martial held on board AFRICA at Halifax on 2 October found that Capt. DACRES was justified in surrendering his ship to save the lives of her remaining crew.
The court also found that the masts going overboard was due more to their defective nature than the fire of the enemy.
Cat.
DACRES later commanded TIBER.
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