French ship Atlas (1801)

The Atlante was a 74-gun ship of the line of the Spanish Navy. She was acquired by France in 1801 and commissioned in the French Navy, being renamed to Atlas in 1803, serving in Santo Domingo and taking part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre. She was captured in Vigo at the outbreak of the Peninsular War.

For other ships with the same name, see Spanish ship Atlante and French ship Atlas.
History
Spanish Navy EnsignSpain
NameAtlante [1]
BuilderCartagena, Spain[2]
Launched21 December 1754[2]
Out of service22 September 1801 ship transferred to French Navy[2]
French Navy EnsignFrance
NameAtlas[1]
AcquiredAugust 1801[1]
Commissioned23 September 1801[1]
Captured9 June 1808[1]
Spanish Navy EnsignSpain
NameAtlante[1]
FateBroken up in 1817
General characteristics
PropulsionSail
Armament74 guns[1]
ArmourTimber

Career

Atlante was built in Cartagena, Spain by expatriate English designer Edward Bryant, and launched in 1754. In August 1801, on the background of the War of the Second Coalition, Spain ceded her to her ally France. Atlante was brought into French service and commissioned in Cádiz on 23 September 1801.[1]

In April 1802, she transferred to Toulon.[1] On 20 June 1802, Captain Lavillesgris took command,[3] and in August, she departed Toulon under to ferry troops to Santo Domingo, returning on 27 October.[1] She performed another trip in January 1803, ferrying 750 soldiers and General Jean Sarrazin.[1]

Atlante was renamed to Atlas on 4 February 1803. She took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre under Captain Rolland, who sustained spectacular injuries when a powder reserve exploded near him.[4]

Moored in Vigo as a hospital ship after the battle, she was captured there by the Spanish on 9 June 1808 after the outbreak of the Peninsular War.

Citations
  1. Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours (in French). Vol. 1: 1671 – 1870. p. 56. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
  2. Winfield, Rif; Tredrea, John M; García-Torralba Pérez, Enrique; Blasco Felip, Manuel (2023). Spanish Warships in the Age of Sail 1700—1860: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-5267-9078-1.
  3. Quintin, Danielle; Quintin, Bernard (2003). Dictionnaire des capitaines de Vaisseau de Napoléon (in French). S.P.M. p. 201. ISBN 2-901952-42-9.
  4. Quintin, Danielle; Quintin, Bernard (2003). Dictionnaire des capitaines de Vaisseau de Napoléon (in French). S.P.M. p. 326. ISBN 2-901952-42-9.

References
  • Winfield, Rif; Tredrea, John M; García-Torralba Pérez, Enrique; Blasco Felip, Manuel (2023). Spanish Warships in the Age of Sail 1700—1860: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-5267-9078-1.


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