HMS Linnet (1806)
HMS "Linnet" was originally His Majesty’s revenue cutter "Speedwell", launched in 1797, that the Royal Navy purchased in 1806. "Linnet" captured a number of privateers before the French frigate "Gloire" captured her in 1813. The French sold or transferred her to the Americans, who operated her as the privateer "Bunkers Hill". In March 1814 the British recaptured her, but did not return her to service. Customs service. "Speedwell" was one of four revenue cutters present when the boats of a squadron under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren cut out the French privateer "Guëppe" on  30 August 1800. Royal Navy service. Having purchased "Speedwell" and having renamed her "linnet", the Royal Navy commissioned her in December 1806 under Lieutenant Joseph Beckett. In 1807 Lieutenant John Tracey (or Treacy, or Treacey, or Tracy) transferred from the hired armed cutter "Princess Augusta" to replace Beckett. On 29 July, Tracey was captain of "Linnet" when she and captured the French sloop "Victor". "Puissant" and the "armed cutter" "Linnet" shared in the detention on 27 August of the Danish ship "Deodaris". At the time, "Puissant" was an unarmed third rate serving as a receiving ship in the harbor at  Portsmouth. That same day "Linnet" was in company with the cutter when they captured "Kron Prinz Frederick". On 4 November, "Linnet" detained the galiot "Wilhelmina", Willem Elderts, master. "Wilhelmina", Eddarts, master, had been sailing from Petersburg. "Linnet" sent her into Portsmouth. About a month later a "Wilhelmina", carrying cordage and timber, and detained by the "Linnet", also arrived at Portsmouth. On 16 January 1808, "Linnet" was some six or seven leagues from Cape Barfleur when she saw a French lugger pursuing two English vessels, a ship and a brig. "Linnet" joined up with the English vessels and towards night was  able to close with the lugger. After an engagement of a little over two hours, the French lugger was in a sinking state and so struck. She was the privateer "Courier", of 18 guns. She had a complement of 60 men under the command of Captain Alexander Black, and had lost her second captain killed and three men wounded. ("Linnet" had no loses.) "Courier" had been out four days and had been sheltering from a gale at the Îles Saint-Marcouf. She had not captured anything before herself being captured. However, earlier that day "Courier" apparently unsuccessfully engaged for two  hours the merchant vessel "Tagus", Connolly, master, which had been sailing from Monte Video and Cork. In March "Linnet" captured two French fishing vessels. The first was the "Aimable Henriette" (26 March) and the second was the "Marie Alexandre". "Linnet" was in company with and and so shared in the salvage for the recapture on 10 August of the Pappenbourg galiot "Young Hariot". Later that month, on 30 August, "Linnet" captured the French privateer lugger "Foudroyant" off Cherbourg. "Foudroyant" was out of Saint Malo and had been armed with ten 6-pounder guns, six of which she had thrown overboard  during the chase. She had a complement of 25 men, under the command of Michael Pierre Gamier, but only 15 or 18 were on board. "Linnet" sent "Foudroyant" into Portsmouth. On 30 October, "Linnet" recaptured the "Harmony", Watson, master, which had been sailing from Oporto to London with wine. A little over two weeks later, on 16 November, "Linnet" and worked together to capture the privateer "General Paris", of Calais. "General Paris" was armed with three guns and had a crew of 38 men under the command of Mons. T. Sauville. She was three days out of Havre but had  not taken any prizes. "Linnet" is listed as one of the many vessels that took part in the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign between 30 July and 18 August 1809. In December 1810 "Linnet" recaptured the ship "John", of Newcastle. "John", Bertie, master, had been sailing from Newcastle to Jamaica when the French captured her on 9 December off the Owers. "Linnet" sent "John" into Portsmouth. On 29 May 1812, "Linnet" took the privateer "Petit Charles" off Start Point, by Start Bay. The privateer had a crew of 26 men, armed with small arms. She was four days out of Roscoff  and had not captured anything. Prize money was paid some two to three years later. "Linnet" brought "Petit Charles" into Portsmouth on 32 May; the report of her arrival refers to her as carrying two guns. When news of the outbreak of the War of 1812 reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. "Linnet" was among the Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships "Belleville", "Janus", "Aeos", "Ganges" and "Leonidas" seized there on 31 July 1812. A few days later , "Linnet" and the sloop captured the American brig "Nancy". Capture and fate. "Linnet" was sailing in the western approaches to the Channel on 25 February 1813 in high winds and heavy seas. She sighted a large vessel that proceeded to give chase, and did not identify itself. By 1430 hours, the frigate had gotten close enough to "Linnet" to identify herself as the "Gloire", and to call on Lieutenant John Tracey to surrender. Instead, Tracey managed by adroit sailing to hold off his attacker for over an hour until shots from "Gloire" did sufficient damage to "Linnet"s rigging forcing Tracy  to surrender. The court martial of Lieutenant Tracy on 31 May 1814 for the loss of his vessel acquitted him, noting his seamanship, courage, judgment, and his attempt to disable the enemy vessel. The Navy subsequently promoted Tracey to the rank of commander. "Gloire" took "Linnet" into Brest, arriving on 27 February. The French transferred or sold "Linnet" to American owners who sailed her as the privateer "Bunkers Hill" or "Bunker Hill". In August she was under the command of Captain Jacob Lewis when she sent into Chatham a British brig that had been carrying rum from Jamaica to Halifax . Then on 18 August the British brig "James" arrived in Boston. She had been sailing from Halifax when "Bunker Hill" had captured her. On 29 August there arrived in New York a British brig that had been sailing from Quebec to Bermuda when she had fallen prey to "Bunker Hill". On 4 March 1814, "Pomone" and , were sailing on the east coast when they captured "Bunker's Hill". She carried 14 guns and had a crew of 86 men. Previously very successful, she had been cruising for eight days out of Morlaix without having made a single capture. The Navy  did not take her back into service. Notes, citations, and references. Notes Citations References