page_title: HMS Recruit (1806)
section_title: Captain Charles Napier
hierarchical_section_title: HMS Recruit (1806) / Napoleonic Wars / Captain Charles Napier
caption_attribution_description: English: The combat of the HMS Recruit, under Lt. Charles Napier, against a much superior French force (b&amp;w steel engraving by G. Greatbach of a G. W. Terry drawing
context_page_description: HMS Recruit was an 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1806 at Sandwich, Kent. She is best known for an act of pique by Commander Warwick Lake, who marooned a seaman, and for an inconclusive but hard-fought ship action under Commander Charles John Napier against the French corvette Diligente. She captured a number of American vessels as prizes during the War of 1812 before being laid up in 1815 and sold for breaking up in 1822.
context_section_description: Command passed to Commander Charles Napier, who led Recruit into action against the French corvette Diligente, under Jean-François Lemaresquier, on 6 September 1808. The action was fierce and resulted in Recruit losing her mainmast and suffering heavy casualties, including Napier, whose leg was broken by a cannon shot. Diligente was only driven off after a lucky shot from Recruit ignited an ammunition store. Recruit lost six killed and 23 wounded, half of them mortally, out of a crew of 106.
  Following repairs, Recruit participated in the invasion of Martinique in January 1809. Napier observed that Fort Edward at Fort Royal Bay appeared abandoned. He took a gig and with four men, landed, scaled the fort's walls, and hoisted a British flag. Sir Alexander Cochrane immediately landed marines to occupy the fort and turn its mortars, which had not been spiked, against the French. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Martinique" to all survivors of the campaign.
  Shortly thereafter, Napier received promotion to Post-captain and appointment to command of Jason, but remained with Recruit for a few more months.
  In April 1809, a strong French squadron arrived at the Îles des Saintes, south of Guadeloupe. There they were blockaded until 14 April, when a British force under Major-General Frederick Maitland and Captain Philip Beaver in Acasta, invaded and captured the islands. Recruit was among the naval vessels that shared in the proceeds of the capture of the islands.
  I April Recruit participated in the defeat of a French reinforcement squadron. During the engagement, Napier was instrumental in maintaining contact with the French force, harrying their flagship D'Hautpoult continuously at some great risk to Recruit that only Napier's skillful ship handling mitigated. Recruit was  present at the surrender of D'Hautpoult and Napier was temporarily appointed to command the captured ship of the line, but then transferred to Jason and sailed her back to Britain. However, on his arrival the Admiralty confirmed his rank but not his appointment, and he was put on half-pay. Jason's new captain was Captain King, who had been Napier's passenger on Jason. Napier protested to the Admiralty that had he not stayed on Recruit and contributed to the capture of D'Hautpoult he would have received a command, but to no avail.
  In June 1809 command of Recruit transferred to Commander James Murray, and then in May 1810 Commander John Cookesley replaced Murray.
caption: The intrepid behaviour of Captain Charles Napier taking D'Hautpoult in 1809
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