HMS Guerriere (1806)
Guerrière was a 38-gun frigate of the French Navy, designed by Forfait. The British captured her and recommissioned her as HMS Guerriere. She is most famous for her fight against USS Constitution.
Depiction of HMS Guerriere's last battle, against the USS Constitution, by Michel Felice Corne (1752–1845). | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| France | |
| Name | Guerrière |
| Namesake | "Warrior" |
| Laid down | 22 September 1796 |
| Launched | 15 September 1799 |
| Commissioned | May 1800 |
| Captured | 19 July 1806 |
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Guerriere |
| Acquired | Captured from the French on 19 July 1806 |
| Fate | Captured and burned by the crew of USS Constitution on 19 August 1812 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | fifth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen | 1,092 tons |
| Length | 47.1 metres |
| Beam | 12 metres |
| Draught | 5.8 metres |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Complement | 350 |
| Armament |
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Her career with the French included a sortie with Duguay-Trouin in 1803, in which the two vessels were forced to make an escape from a British ship. They were harried by British forces of varying strengths during their journey back to port and only just reached the safety of Corunna, with Guerrière being engaged by the 74-gun HMS Culloden until she reached the entrance to the port. She sailed in 1806 with several other French ships to attack British and Russian whalers, but was chased and brought to action by HMS Blanche. After a hard-fought battle, Blanche forced Guerrière to surrender, and brought her back to Britain.
Now commissioned as HMS Guerriere, she went out to the West Indies and served off the American coast for a number of years. She captured a number of privateers, and was still in American waters after the outbreak of the War of 1812. On 19 August 1812 Guerriere, under Captain James Richard Dacres, sighted the American frigate Constitution, under Isaac Hull. The two ships closed and after a fierce engagement the American managed to shoot away Guerriere's fore and main-masts, leaving her un-manoeuvrable. Dacres struck his colours to avoid further bloodshed; the Americans then transferred her crew to Constitution and set fire to the badly damaged Guerriere.