Namesake “Chaser” Commissioned May 1798 Homeport Bordeaux Launched 23 May 1796 Weight 700 tons Draft 5 m | Laid down 20 February 1794 Struck 1 September 1805 Construction started 20 February 1794 Length 46 m Displacement 700,000 kg | |
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Builder Dunkirk shipyard. Design by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait. | ||
The Poursuivante (“chaser”) was a Romaine class frigate of the French Navy.
Career
In June 1800, the Poursuivante took part in the battle of Dunkirk under commander Oreille. In 1802, she departed Flushing to ferry troops to Saint-Domingue, under capitaine de vaisseau Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez. She arrived as the Haitian Revolution raged. The ships Duguay-Trouin, Annibal and Swiftsure, as well as frigate Précieuse, Infatigable were also in Haiti. General Pamphile Lacroix ordered the Blacks of the island to be drowned, and the ships started throwing the Blacks of the island overboard. Only Willaumez refused the order, arguing that “sailors of the French Navy were no executioners”.
On 18 May 1803, after the Treaty of Amiens was cancelled and war broke out between France and the Great Britain. En route for Saint-Domingue with the 16-gun corvette Mignonne, she encountered a British convoy, was chased by the HMS Hercule, and took part in the fights of the Blockade of Saint-Domingue. Largely outgunned, the Poursuivante managed to manoeuvre behind the Hercule and in the Action of 28 June 1803, managed to rake her, disturbing her operations enough to be able to reach harbour. Mignonne was captured by HMS Goliath
In October, the Poursuivante reffited in Baltimore, from where she departed in March 1804. During her journey back to France, she met and evaded another British ship. Willaumez was promoted to vice-admiral on his return.
She was converted to a hulk in Rochefort in June 1806.