gun frigate french_navy lead ship class built entered service french early american war independence soon action capturing west_indies survived end war captured immediately brought service draw navy end war underwent repairs returned active service white ensign outbreak war france fifth rate initially squadrons cruising french coast played important action april capturing french frigate later engagement helped capture french frigate early 19th century success capturing large number west_indies atlantic narrow escape superior french force able batter gun submission prevented capturing arrival french reinforcements years spent variety stations including cape good hope laid sold breaking construction french career ship class class frigates built french_navy design built april january launched september went west indies french entry american war independence reached martinique august august came gun captain half hours fighting captured towed joined shortly captured hurricane late august french frigates captured september responsible vital transfers personnel funds communications contributed allied success march carried despatches george_washington france despatches included request commander west_indies fleet information planned allied operations delivery pilots familiar american coast carried million support war effort new commander french naval squadron newport rhode_island following conference allied leaders sent despatches requested pilots received despatches critical decision sail fleet chesapeake_bay assist land operations british forces operating command virginia carried letters washington newport arrival news set motion washington march virginia eventual january company sighted hms raven initially sailed realized british frigates day chase ensued frigates got pistol shot fired broadside took away raven main mast chase continued frigates range coming rapidly point raven command commander struck french_navy took raven service born french colours capture february gun captain sighted magnificent sailed february cruise company gun ships hms sighting strange sail magnificent gave chase close identify mysterious ship frigate darkness fell opened fire stern guns magnificent overhauled french ship minutes forced strike colours magnificent took possession described carrying guns men command shortly surrendering caught fire forcing crew cut away mainmast came hours later magnificent towed antigua interwar years bought navy commissioned west_indies return britain later year commander voyage unknown arrived britain paid september chatham end american war independence draw navy brought immediate service remained laid chatham november great repair begun wilson work cost total completed april time french revolutionary wars broken fitted service chatham april cost commissioned april captain cruising french coast passed captain sir joined commodore squadron french coast squadron consisted warren gun hms flora gun captain sir gun frigates captain captain sailing april british squadron came french squadron consisting gun gun gun gun warren chased engaged leading attack flora flora badly damaged combined fire french ships remaining british ships came support forced rear french ships surrender gave chase fleeing attempted damage french ships pushing chase dropped support damaging sails rigging far astern unable catch engaged minutes fighting forced surrender escape lost man killed wounded fighting assigned rear admiral squadron took manoeuvres atlantic campaign left july command august captain took command squadron june july supporting expedition joined sir squadron april squadron consisting gun hms gun hms amazon captain spotted chased mysterious sail chasing hours miles caught leading attack ships exchanged fire considerably damaging came stern forced surrender discovered gun captain captured french ship towed port taken navy later years passed hunt captain november turn succeeded captain june captured gun july bound guadeloupe carrying merchandise intended cruise west_indies later commanded captain took number series cruises west_indies capturing gun january gun january gun february gun hazard february gun april action september captured gun gun gun gun fortune success continued capture gun february gun december gun december narrow escape french squadron rear admiral sailed brest january french sighted january gun sent chase cast swedish ship drew french frigate away main body fleet turned engaged minutes guns main french fleet fast approaching sails rigging damaged attempt possession instead british port report encounter men killed wounded engagement killed wounded captain succeeded following year went cape good hope november captured gun fortune hour running battle battle fortune lost men killed wounded casualties fortune suffered extensive damage rigging days earlier island fortune captured scuttled fly gun brig belonging bombay marine captain wood received prisoners distinction returned bombay fortune reduced poor condition days later captain probably february july captured gun fate returned england paid september spent years laid ordinary navy sold february
HMS Concorde (1783)