French frigate Félicité (1785)
Félicité was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. Captured by the British Royal Navy and sold to the State of Haiti, she entered Haitian service as Améthyste. French service. In 1786, "Félicité" served as division flagship for Chef d'escadre Pâris de Soulanges in the 12-ship Escadre d'évolution. She was at Cherbourg when a naval review and a simulated naval battle took place as Louis XVI visited the harbour. In 1792, "Félicité" traveled to the Caribbean Sea. On 29 December, she took part in the capture of the royalist  brig off Saint-Pierre. In September 1794 a French naval squadron comprising the razee under the command of "lieutenant de vaisseau" Arnaud, "Vigilance", "Félicité", "Épervier", and was cruising the West African coast, destroying British factories and shipping. They captured , which they sent back to France, and another Sierra Leone Company ship, , which they destroyed. These were only two of the many vessels the squadron captured. On 6 February 1806, "Fėlicitė" was present at the Battle of San Domingo, from which she escaped unharmed together with two other French vessels, the 36-gun frigate and the 20-gun ship-corvette . The  frigates and "Félicité", and the corvette "Diligente" captured and burned the American vessel "Lark", Moore, master, which was sailing from Philadelphia to Jamaica. In February 1809, she sailed with Troude's division to the Caribbean, armed "en flûte". In May, British ships chased two French frigates, armed "en flûte" and bringing supplies to Martinique, into the Basse Terre roads. The British set up a blockade, trapping "Félicité" and in their shelter. By this time HMS "Unique", was in poor condition – in particular she was leaky, in part from the constant firing of her guns at shore batteries. The decision was  made to use her as a fireship in an attempt to destroy one or both of the French vessels. On 31 May she was sent in during the evening but the mission failed. Having been lightened of most of her stores, "Unique" was vulnerable to gusts of wind, and she grounded not far from one of her targets. Her captain then set fire to a train of explosives to prevent her falling into French hands. "Félicité" and "Furieuse" escaped some time later, only to end up being captured. captured "Furieuse" on 5 July; "Félicité"s French service lasted only a few  months longer. On 18 June, and captured "Félicité". At the time of her capture, "Félicité" was armed with only 14 guns, but had 174 men on board. She had left Guadeloupe in company with another frigate. They were sailing to France with colonial produce. The frigate escaped through superior sailing despite "Cherub" having conducted a long chase. The British sold the vessel to Henri Christophe's State of Haiti the next month. The Haitians renamed her "Améthyste". Haitian service. For reasons unknown, in January 1812, the Haitian Navy defected to the rebel Jérôme Maximilien Borgella, who placed a French privateer  named Gaspard in command of "Améthyste" (recommissioned as Heureuse Réunion), a corvette, and a brig. Gaspard armed the flagship with 44 cannon and a crew of over 600 men including Haitians, Frenchmen, and Americans. Stopped soon thereafter upon suspicion of piracy by Captain James Yeo, commanding , "Heureuse Réunion" began the action of 3 February 1812. Unable to close fast enough to board the more nimble "Southampton" and losing her mainmast, "Heureuse Réunion" surrendered and was dragged to Jamaica, where the British returned to the ownership of Haiti. Notes, citations and references. Notes Citations References