HMS Frolic ( 1806 ) HMS " Frolic " was a 18 - gun " Cruizer " - class brig - sloop of the Royal Navy . She was built by Boole , of Bridport and was launched on 9 February 1806 . Although she took part in the capture of Martinique , Guadaloupe , and Saint Martin , she appears to have had an uneventful career until 8 October 1812 , when the American sloop captured her after a fierce fight . Later that day the British recaptured " Frolic " and captured " Wasp " . " Frolic " was broken up in 1813 . Caribbean . On 26 October 1806 , Tsar Alexander I of Russia declared war on Great Britain . The official news did not arrive there until 2 December , at which time the British declared an embargo on all Russian vessels in British ports . " Frolic " was one of some 70 vessels that shared in the seizure of the 44 - gun Russian frigate " Speshnoy " ( Speshnyy ) , then in Portsmouth harbour . The British seized the Russian storeship " Wilhelmina " ( " Vilghemina " ) at the same time . The Russian vessels were carrying the payroll for Vice - Admiral Dmitry Senyavin ’ s squadron in the Mediterranean . " Frolic " , under Commander Thomas Whinyates , sailed for the West Indies on 21 February 1808 . There she participated in the Invasion of Martinique in February 1809 , and then in the invasion of Guadeloupe . In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasps " Martinique " and " Guadaloupe " . On 17 February 1810 " Frolic " , , and joined Captain William Charles Fahie of and his force at the surrender of Saint Martin . On 14 June 1810 , " Frolic " and " Freya " ( or " Freija " ) arrived at Sombrero Island in the West Indies . The Admiralty had sent them there to assess separately and independently the survival prospects for someone landed at this place without food and water . Captain Warwick Lake of " Recruit " had marooned an impressed seaman , Robert Jeffrey , there on 13 December 1807 , and was now the subject of an Admiralty investigation . They reported back that survival prospects were poor . As it turned out , Jeffrey was alive , a passing American vessel having rescued him . Still , a court - martial dismissed Lake from the Royal Navy . " Frolic " vs . " Wasp " . In October 1812 the " Frolic " was serving on the North American station , protecting a convoy of six merchantmen off Virginia . On a passage from the Bay of Honduras , a gale dispersed the convoy and carried away " Frolic " s main top yard and sprung her main top mast . On 18 October , while the convoy was reassembling and " Frolic " was working on the damage , a strange sail was spotted . " Frolic " sent the convoy on its way and hoisted a Spanish ensign as a ruse to buy time . The strange sail turned out to be the , of 18 guns , commanded by Jacob Jones . The ships closed . Initially " Frolic " fired more rapidly but less accurately , but the gale damage had rendered her unmanageable . Within 40 minutes the " Wasp " had repeatedly raked " Frolic " , killing 15 and wounding 43 out of the 120 seamen and boys aboard , including Whinyates . The Americans boarded " Frolic " and all resistance stopped . The Americans had 5 killed and 5 wounded . " Frolic " was only temporarily in American hands . Later that day the British 74 - gun captured both ships . Captain John Poo Beresford of " Poictiers " restored Whinyates to command of " Frolic " . The subsequent court martial for the loss of the ship honorably acquitted Whinyates , his officers and his men . Fate . " Frolic " was recommissioned later in October under Lieutenant Andrew Mitchell ( acting ) . His commission as commander was confirmed on 24 August 1813 . earlier , on 20 July 1813 , " Frolic " was one of four British vessels sharing in the capture of the American ship " Fame " . " Frolic " continued in service until being broken up at Portsmouth in November 1813 .