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LINNET
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(14) |
Cutter-brig
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Ex revenue cutter SPEEDWELL, renamed in 1806.
Taken in 1813. |
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Her crew numbered 60 men. - 1807 Lieut. Jos. BECKET, Deptford.
- 1808 Lieut. John TRACY, off Havre.
On 16 January 1808, some 20 miles east of Cape Barfleur, Lieut. TRACY saw a French lugger chasing an English ship and a brig and he joined the latter pair and ran with them intending to wait until night before closing with the lugger. In the evening the lugger opened fire on the ship and, when she replied, attempted to haul off but was frustrated by LINNET being within musket-range. At ten minutes past seven TRACY fired a broadside of round and grape which carried away the Frenchman's bowsprit and main lug-sail and then, when the lugger refused to strike, continued with a steady fire for an hour and a half until she was in a sinking state.
She was the COURIER of Cherbourg, commanded by Capt. Alex Black with a complement of sixty men and mounting 18 guns. She had been out for four days but had been sheltering under the Isles of Marcou from bad weather and had made no captures. Her second captain was killed and three seamen were wounded. - 1809-1812 Ditto, Channel.
Off Start Point on 29 May 1812 she captured the French privateer LE PETIT CHARLES of ST. Malo. She carried 26 men armed only with small arms and had sailed from Roscoff the previous day.
- In the chops of the Channel on 25 January 1813 she had the misfortune to be sighted by the French 40-gun frigate GLOIRE which was returning from a two months' cruise. She hailed LINNET at about 2:30 in the afternoon and ordered her to strike. Instead of doing so, Lieut. TRACY crossed the bows of GLOIRE under heavy fire to obtain the weather-gage. For an hour he out-manoeuvred the frigate by making shorter tacks than the longer vessel could manage, but in the end two broadsides from GLOIRE carried away LINNET's bowsprit, fore-yard and gaff and she was compelled to surrender.
LINNET was carried into BREST and her officers and crew remained prisoners until the end of the war.
She was used as an American privateer BUNKER'S HILL sailing out of Morlaix, Finisterre, before she was recaptured on 4 March 1814 by Capt. CARTERET in POMONE in company with CYDNUS.
On 31 May 1814 a court martial at Portsmouth praised his "judicious and seamanlike manoeuvres" and honourably acquitted him of blame for the loss of his vessel.
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