HMS Pique ( 1795 ) HMS " Pique was a 38 - gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy . She had formerly served with the French Navy , initially as the Fleur - de - Lys , and later as the Pique " . She was captured in 1795 by HMS " Blanche " , in a battle that left the " Blanche " s commander , Captain Robert Faulknor , dead . HMS " Pique " was taken into service under her only British captain , David Milne , but served for just three years with the Royal Navy before being wrecked in an engagement with the French ship " Seine " in 1798 . The " Seine " had been spotted heading for a French port and " Pique " and another British ship gave chase . All three ships ran aground after a long and hard - fought pursuit . The arrival of a third British ship ended French resistance , but while the " Seine " and " Jason " were both refloated , attempts to save the " Pique " failed ; she bilged and had to be abandoned . French career . " Pique " was built at Rochefort as the " Fleur - de - Lys " , one of the six ship " Galatée " class designed by Raymond - Antoine Haran . She was launched on 2 December 1785 . The French Revolution led to her being renamed " Pique " in June 1792 . The " Pique " encountered off the island of Desirade at Pointe à Pitre , Guadeloupe on 4 January 1795 . The " Pique " at first tried to avoid an action , but eventually the two ships came to close quarters in the early hours of 5 January . The two ships closed and exchanged broadsides , with both sustaining heavy damage ; the " Blanche " lost her main and mizzen masts . The " Pique " then turned and ran afoul of the " Blanche " , with her bowsprit caught across her port quarter . While the French made several attempts to board , which were repulsed , the crew of the " Blanche " attempted to lash the bowsprit to their capstan , but during the attempt Captain Faulknor was killed by a musket ball to the heart . The " Pique " then broke away from the " Blanche " and came round her stern , this time colliding on the starboard quarter . " Blanche " s men quickly lashed the bowsprit to the stump of their mainmast , which held her fast . The " Pique " was now unable to manoeuvre or bring any of her guns to bear on the " Blanche " . After being repeatedly raked by " Blanche " s guns , the " Pique " surrendered . Casualties for the British were eight killed , including Captain Faulknor , and 21 wounded . The " Pique " had lost 76 killed and 110 wounded . The two ships were joined later that morning by the 64 - gun , which helped exchange and secure the prisoners and tow the ships to port . The " Blanche " towed her prize to a British port , where she was named and registered on 5 September . British career . HMS " Pique " was commissioned in September 1795 under Captain David Milne , and assigned to serve in the Leeward Islands . On 9 March 1796 " Pique " and captured the French privateer " Lacédémonienne " off Barbados . She was described as a brig of 14 guns and 90 men . The British took her into service . " Pique " then went on to serve as part a squadron under Captain Thomas Parr in the fourth rate HMS " Malabar " . She was present at the capture of the Dutch colonies of Demerera and Essequibo on 23 April 1796 , and the capture of Berbice on 2 May 1796 . " Pique " , , , and captured the " Catherina Christina " in July 1796 . " Pique " then returned to Britain and operated in the English Channel from 1797 . " Pique " shared with , and the hired armed cutter " Nimrod " in the capture of the " Anna Christiana " on 17 May 1798 . While patrolling off the Penmarks on 29 June 1798 she and her consorts and came across the French frigate " Seine " . The " Seine " had crossed the Atlantic from the West Indies and was bound for a French port . The British squadron manoeuvred to cut her off from land , but the " Mermaid " , under Captain James Newman - Newman , soon lost contact , leaving the " Pique " under Milne and the " Jason " under Captain Charles Stirling , to chase down the Frenchman . The chase lasted all day , until 11 o ' clock at night when " Pique " was able to range alongside the " Seine " and fire a broadside . The two exchanged fire for several hours , with the lighter " Pique " suffering considerable damage to her masts and rigging . " Jason " then ranged up and Captain Stirling called upon Milne to anchor , but Milne did not hear and was determined to see the " Seine " captured , and pressed on . Before the battle could be resumed " Pique " ran suddenly aground . The " Jason " too ran aground before she could swing way , while the " Seine " was observed to have grounded , and lost all her masts in the process . As the tide rose the " Seine " was able to swing into a position to rake the two British ships . With difficulty the sailors of " Jason " dragged several guns to the bow in order to exchange fire , while the " Pique " was able to bring her foremost guns to bear . Under fire from both British ships , the appearance on the scene of the " Mermaid " convinced the French to surrender . " Jason " had lost seven killed and 12 wounded , while " Pique " sustained casualties of two killed and six wounded . The " Seine " however had 170 killed and 100 wounded . Fate . " Mermaid " arrived and retrieved " Jason " , but " Pique " had bilged and had to be destroyed . too arrived and was instrumental in recovering " Seine " . The Royal Navy took into service under her existing name .