French frigate Virginie (1794)
 Virginie fighting HMS Indefatigable | |
| History | |
|---|---|
  France | |
| Name: | Virginie |
| Ordered: | 17 October 1793 |
| Builder: | Brest |
| Laid down: | March 1794 |
| Launched: | 26 July 1794 |
| In service: | December 1794 |
| Captured: | 22 April 1796 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name: | Virginie |
| Acquired: | 22 April 1796 |
| Out of service: | 1827 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Virginie class frigate |
| Displacement: | 720 tonnes |
| Length: | 47.4 m (156 ft) |
| Beam: | 11.9 m (39 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.5 m (18 ft) |
| Armament: |
|
| Armour: | Timber |
Virginie was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.
Career
French service
She took part in the First Battle of Groix and in the Battle of Groix.
On 22 April 1796, Virginie was cruising off Ireland under captain Jacques Bergeret when she encountered a British squadron under Commodore Edward Pellew, comprising the 44-gun HMS Indefatigable and the frigates Argo, Concord, Révolutionnaire, HMS Amazon and their prize Unité, captured on 13 April.[1]
Virginie retreated and the British squadron gave chase, joining with the French frigate around 23:00. Indefatigable closed in and exchanged broadsides, without succeeding in her attempts at raking Virginie. The gunnery exchange lasted for 4 hours, until the British frigates caught up. Bergeret then struck his colours in the face of an overwhelming opponent.[1]
She was subsequently recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Virginie.
British service
In January 1799, Virginie was with British squadron at the defence of Macau during the Macau Incident.
On 20 May 1808, she captured the Dutch frigate Guelderland.
In Royal Navy service the armament consisted of 46 guns:-
- 8 Carronades 32 Pounders on the Quarterdeck and Forecastle,
- 28 Long Ordnances 18 pounders on the Main Deck,
- 10 Long Ordnances 9 pounders on the Quarterdeck and Forecastle.[2]
References
- Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). "Virginie". Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671 - 1870. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
- Naval Database
- Lines of Virginie at the National Maritime Museum