HMS Hirondelle (1804)
HMS "Hirondelle" was the French privateer "Hirondelle" that captured in 1804. The Royal Navy took "Hirondelle" into service under her existing name. She captured a number of vessels in the Mediterranean and participated in one notable action against a Turkish vessel. She was wrecked in 1808 with the loss of almost her entire crew. Capture. "Hirondelle" was a privateer from Marseille, originally with 180 men and 14 guns. In the evening of 27th "Hirondelle" captured, after an action, the Government of Malta brig "King George" off Cape Passero. The next morning , which had been sent in search  of "Hirondelle", was eight leagues from Cape Passero when she sighted "Hirondelle" capturing two brigs. At "Bittern"s approach, the three vessels separated. "Hirondelle" apparently set off after a sloop she had sighted. Captain Robert Corbet of "Bittern" detached two boats, one for each of the brigs, and set off in pursuit of "Hirondelle". After a chase of 36 hours, in perfect calm, "Bittern" was able to capture "Hirondelle". To catch her, Corbett had converted the smaller spars he carried to sweeps (large oars). His crew rowed all 36 hours without a break, not even for meals, and covered some 60  miles without the assistance of any wind. During the last six hours of the chase, the two had exchanged fire from their bow and stern chasers. "Hirondelle"s fire, aimed primarily at "Bittern"s mast and except for one hole between wind and water, which was easily stopped, did little damage. One shot from "Bittern" caused a hole in "Hirondelle" that had her fast filling with water, forcing her to strike. "Bittern"s crew was able to stop this hole too. Corbet described "Hirondelle" as a "very fine cutter", fitted out at Cette and just launched. Her hull had copper sheathing, and she  was armed with fourteen 12-pounder guns. She had a complement of 80 crew, many of whom were away on prizes. From "Hirondelle" Corbet found out about the capture of "King George". He dispatched his launch, whose crew then rowed 15 leagues to try to recapture "King George" before she reached Syracuse. However, they were unable to catch up in time. When "Bittern"s boats recaptured the two brigs, they turned out to be "Mentor", of London, and "Catherine", of Liverpool. They had been sailing with valuable cargoes from Messina to Malta to join a convoy. "Lloyd's List" reported that  Bittern had recaptured "Mentor" and "Catherine", and their captor. Career. On 19 June 1804, Admiral Lord Nelson ordered the purchase of "Hirondelle" at Malta and her assignment to Malta to serve Admiral Sir Alexander Ball, Civil Commissioner of Malta. Nelson appointed "Lieutenant Skinner" on 12 August to command "Hirondelle". men on 10 December 1805, cutting her out of the port of Reggio. She shared the prize money for the capture with "Hirondelle". By 1807, "Hirondelle" was under the command of Lieutenant George Augustus Elliot Skinner. On 19 February 1807, captured the Turkish vessels "San Giovanni Pidomias" and "Codro Mariolo". That  same day "Glatton" and "Hirondelle" captured "San Michelle". Four days later, "Hirondelle" captured the vessel "Madonna", with "Glatton" sharing by agreement. On 26 February "Hirondelle" captured "San Nicollo", and "Glatton" again shared by agreement. On 1 March, boats from "Glatton" cut out a former French corvette in Turkish service from the port of Sigri on the island of Mitylene. The vessel was pierced for 18 guns but only 10 were mounted. The British boarding party lost five officers and men killed and nine men wounded. "Hirondelle" provided support. The next day "Glatton" and "Hirondelle" captured three more Turkish vessels, names  unknown but with masters Statio, Constantine, and Papeli. Prize money for these vessels, and "San Michelle", was paid in October 1816. On 4 March "Glatton" and "Hirondelle" captured another Turkish vessel. A prize money announcement had "Hirondelle", under the command of Lieutenant John Skinner, capturing "Aristides" on 21 September 1807. Fate. On 23 February 1808 "Hirondelle" was under the command of Lieutenant Joseph Kidd and transporting despatches from Malta to Tunis. Suddenly breakers were sighted ahead and though the crew threw over anchors, it was too late and she grounded. Waves swamped a boat carrying some of the crew that  were leaving the ship. The brig then capsized. In all, next morning there were only four survivors, with Kidd not being among them. The survivors walked to a nearby village. The court martial found that "Hirondelle" had probably steered a wrong course that led her into Cape Bon. Notes, citations, and references. Notes Citations References