HMS ''Alert'' was an 18-gun cutter of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

. She took part in the

War of American Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, where she was captured by the French Navy and brought into their service. She was part on the squadron under Grasse until a British frigate recaptured her.

Service history

British career

''Alert'' was built at Dover in 1779. She patrolled in the

Gulf of Biscay The Bay of Biscay ( ) is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc'h to the Spanish border, and along the northern coast of Spain, extending westward to ...

until ''Diligente'' captured her on 25 September 1780 off the

Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.

. The French brought her into service as ''Alerte''.

French career

''Alerte'' was attached to the squadron of

Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional ) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur Re ...

, under Ensign Gallien de Chabons. She took part in the

Battle of Fort Royal The Battle of Fort Royal was a naval battle fought off Fort Royal, Martinique in the West Indies during the Anglo-French War on 29 April 1781, between fleets of the British Royal Navy and the French Navy. After an engagement lasting four hours, ...

on 29 April and 30 April 1781. On 28 November 1781, the 36-gun frigate HMS ''Perseverance'' recaptured her after a long battle. Auxiliary officer Galocheau was wounded and lost an eye.

Fate

''Alert'' was sold to break up at

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century ...

in October 1792.

Notes

Citations

References

* * * (1671-1870) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alert (1779) 1779 ships Ships built in Dover