HMS Alert (1777)
HMS "Alert" was a 10-gun cutter launched at Dover in 1777 and was converted to a sloop in the same year. On 19 September 1777, during the American War of Independence, "Alert" caught and engaged the American 16-gun brigantine in the English Channel. After two hours fighting, "Lexington" damaged "Alert"s rigging, and broke off the action, but "Alert"s crew quickly managed to repair the ship and caught up with "Lexington", which was now virtually out of ammunition and unable to reply to "Alert"s fire. After a further one and a half hours bombardment by "Alert , Lexington" struck her colours, surrendering to "Alert". "Lexington" had lost 7 men killed with 11 wounded, while "Alert" had two killed and 3 wounded. During the action of 17 June 1778, "Alert" engaged the French 10-gun Lugger "Coureur", and after 90 minutes, forced "Coureur" to strike. "Alert" was captured in the Channel by the "Junon" on 17 July 1778; and foundered December 1779 off the coast of America. French records show her serving as "Alerte", a cutter of fourteen 4-pounder guns and valued as a prize at Lt 32,289.