French frigate Volontaire (1796)

Volontaire was a 40-gun Virginie-class frigate of the French Navy.

See also: Transport vessels for the British invasion of the Dutch Cape Colony (1805-1806)
Volontaire
History
French Navy Ensign French Navy EnsignFrance
NameVolontaire
BuilderBordeaux
Laid downSeptember 1794
Launched7 June 1796
FateCaptured by the British Navy on 4 March 1806, becoming HMS Volontaire
General characteristics
Class and typeVirginie-class frigate
Displacement1400tonnes
Length47.4 m (156 ft)
Beam11.9 m (39 ft)
Draught5.5 m (18 ft)
Armament40 guns(though pierced for 44 guns)
ArmourTimber

On 20 November 1798, along with Insurgente, Volontaire, under Captain Laurent, captured the 14-gun corvette USS Retaliation.[1]

She took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806 and was captured by HMS Diadem on 4 March 1806.[2] She sailed into Table Bay, unaware that the British had captured Cape Town. Diadem, flying a Dutch flag, came alongside. When Diadem ran up the British flag, Volontaire surrendered.[Note 1]

The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Volontaire. Captain Josceline Percy commissioned her and sailed her to St Helena. There he took charge of a convoy for England.

The transports Anacreon and Charlotte sailed from the Cape of Good Hope on 11 March 1806 bound for France as cartels carrying Volontaire's crew.

On 21 March, Volontaire sailed as escort to 17 transports in a convoy to Great Britain carrying invalids and Dutch prisoners.

In 1809, she took part in the Battle of Maguelone.[4]

Fate

Volontaire was broken up in February 1826.

Notes
  1. In July 1810 there was a distribution of money for the capture of two French vessels taken at the Cape of Good Hope, Rolla on 21 February and Volontaire on 4 March: A petty officer's share of the prize money for Volontaire was £6 5s 0½d; an able seaman's share was £1 11s 6d. For Rolla the amounts were 15s 0½d and 3s 10d.[3]

Citations
  1. Troude (1867), p. 168.
  2. "No. 15919". The London Gazette. 13 May 1806. pp. 601–602.
  3. "No. 16387". The London Gazette. 14 July 1810. p. 1047.
  4. Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 4. Challamel ainé. pp. 56–58.

References
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