French frigate Vertu ( 1794 ) Vertu was a 40 - gun French frigate designed by engineer Segondat . She served in Sercey ' s squadron in the Indian Ocean , and in Saint - Domingue . She was captured by the Royal Navy at the end of the Blockade of Saint - Domingue when the island surrendered to the British . French career . Ordered as " Vertu " at the heigh of the Reign of Terror , the frigate was commissioned in Lorient . In May 1793 , she sailed from Brest to Île - d ' Aix under Captain Montagniès - Laroque She took part in the Croisière du Grand Hiver in December 1794 , and escorted the 74 - gun " Redoutable " after she broke her cables upon departure . On 3 February , a violent gust of wind damaged Sercey ' s naval division , which was readying for a transit to Mauritius and a campaign in the Indian Ocean , damaging " Cocarde " ; " Vertu " , under Lhermite , was chosen to replace her . The division departed Rochefort on 4 March 1796 , leaving behind " Vertu " which had yet to complete her preparation and rejoined the division Palma . The division arrived at Port - Louis on 18 June . There , " Vertu " took part in the various commerce raiding actions of the division , including the Action of 8 September 1796 , where she sustained more damage than her fellows ; after the battle , she required a tow from " Régénérée " . In August 1797 , she ferried troop from Mauritius to Batavia . With dwidling support from the colony of Mauritius , Sercey had to send " Régénérée " , under Willaumez , and " Vertu " back to France . " Vertu " departed the Indian Ocean theatre in September , under Captain Magon , sailing from Mauritius to Rochefort and escorting two merchantmen of the Spanish Royal Company of the Philippines to Europe . En route , the two frigates and two merchantmen stopped at Îles de Los to effect repair and gather water ; they anchored at Tamara , " Vertu " disassembling her masts and yards to restore her rigging , while " Régénérée " sailed to the nearby island of Factori . On 24 April , the 32 - gun HMS " Pearl " , under Captain James Ballard , attacked " Vertu " ; one hour into the battle , " Régénérée " , attracted by the cannonade , intervened and forced " Pearl " to flee . " Régénérée " unsuccessfully chased " Pearl " for 36 hours abandonning the pursuit . On 10 May 1798 , the ships departed for Europe . Arrived at Tenerife , the merchantmen were put under the care of the governor , as they considerably retarded the travel of the frigates . On 27 July , as the frigates prepared to pursue their journey , they were observed by the 28 - gun HMS " Brilliant " , under Henry Blackwood . At 6 , the French frigates put to sail and started firing on " Brilliant " ; " Régénérée " was closing in to her opponent when " Vertu " , which had sailed large , touched the wind ; " Régénérée " imitated her manoeuver , but lost her mizzen and bowsprit , allowing " Brilliant " to flee . " Vertu " gave chase , but could not overhaul her opponent and returned to Tenerife . There , " Régénérée " replaced her rigging , and both frigates eventually arrived in Rochefort on 5 September . In 1803 , " Vertu " , under Commander Gallier - Labrosse , was part of a naval division under Rear - Admiral Jacques Bedout . Under Commander Montalan , she sailed from Rochefort to Genoa , and from there , ferried troops to Saint - Domingue . At the Surrender of Cap Francais , " Vertu " was in the harbour with " Clorinde " , under Pierre Lebozec . When Captain Barré , who commanded the naval forces at Saint - Domingue , informed them that their frigates would be surrendered to the British under the terms of the upcoming capitulation , Lebozec and Montalan attempted the run the British blockade . However the wind was so weak that day that the two frigates found themselves becalmed and threatened by the Haitian revolutionaries , and had to call the British for help . Commodore John Loring ordered Captain Bligh to rescue the French crew with the boats of the blockading ships . Eventually , the wind became more favourable and British prize crew managed to sail " Vertu " and " Clorinde " to the sea . British career . In 1805 , she was in Plymouth for repairs . Fate . HMS " Vertu " was deleted in 1810 .