HMS ''Carnation'' was a
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 ...
18-gun built by Taylor at
Bideford
Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England. It is the main town of the Torridge District, Torridge Districts of England, local government district.
Toponymy
In ancient records Bi ...
and launched in 1807. After the French brig
''Palinure'' captured her, she was burned by the French to prevent her recapture.
Career
''Carnation'' entered service at
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
in 1807 under Commander Charles Mars Gregory, who sailed her to the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
in 1808.
[Winfield (2008), p. 297.] On 3 October, the French
brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...
''Palinure'' engaged ''Carnation'' northeast of
Martinique
Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
. Gregory and all his officers were killed or wounded in the opening exchanges and ''Palinure''′s crew attempted to board. ''Carnation''′s crew were mustered to resist, but a
Royal Marine
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
sergeant
Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
named John Chapman refused the order and led over 30 men below decks to await capture. The remaining crewmen were outnumbered and had to surrender.
[
''Carnation'' had lost 10 killed and 30 wounded,][ perhaps half mortally; the French lost about 15 men killed and wounded. The French then took ''Carnation'' to Marin Bay, Martinique.][
The French commissioned ''Carnation'' on 31 January 1809 under the command of '' Ensign de vaisseau'' Simon-Auguste Huguet. Huguet had distinguished himself in the engagement as ''Palinure's'' '' Capitaine de frègate'' Pierre-François Jance had been debilitated by yellow fever and reportedly died within an hour of the victory after transferring to ''Carnation'', which was the better vessel.][James (1837), pp.311-3.]
Fate
During the invasion of Martinique in January 1809, British troops landed close to where she was berthed. On 31 January 1809 her crew set ''Carnation'' on fire, destroying her.[Gossett (1986), pp.86-7.]
Postscript
The British arrested Chapman and 31 of the crew who had deserted the deck during the battle. A court martial convicted them of cowardice; Chapman was hanged from the yardarm of the day after his sentence was passed. The others were sentenced to floggings and transportation as convicts to Botany Bay for 14 years, though it is not clear this part of their sentence was ever carried out.[Hepper (1994), p.125.] One man was acquitted.[
On 31 October 1808, the frigate encountered ''Palinure'' near . A short engagement followed in which ''Circe'' captured ''Palinure''. She had lost seven killed and eight wounded; ''Circe'' had lost one man killed and one wounded. The British took ''Palinure'' into service as HMS ''Snap''.
]
Citations
References
*
* Gossett, William Patrick (1986) ''The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793-1900''. (London:Mansell).
* Hepper, David J. (1994) ''British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650-1859''. (Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot).
*
Michael Phillips' "Ships of the Old Navy"
* Roche, Jean-Michel (2005) Dictionnaire des Bâtiments de la Flotte de Guerre Française de Colbert à nos Jours. (Group Retozel-Maury Millau).
*
* Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015) ''French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 – 1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates''. (Seaforth Publishing).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carnation (1807)
Cruizer-class brig-sloops
Ships built in Devon
Brigs of the French Navy
1807 ships
Maritime incidents in 1809
Captured ships
Shipwrecks in the Caribbean Sea
Ship fires