Name Hautpoult Completed February 1808 Construction started June 1803 Length 56 m Beam 15 m | Laid down June 1803 Captured 17 April 1809 Launched 2 September 1807 Weight 2,966 tons | |
 | ||
Namesake General Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul Builder Frères Crucy at Lorient shipyard | ||
Hautpoult was a Téméraire class 74-gun French Navy ship of the line.
Contents
French service
On 16 February 1809 Captain Amand Leduc, Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, commanded Hautpoult on her maiden voyage, a mission to Martinique with reinforcements and supplies, as flagship of a squadron of three 74-gun ships. (The others vessels were Courageux and Polonais), and two frigates, under the overall command of Commodore Amable Troude.) Learning of the capture of Martinique, Troude's squadron turned back but were pursued by the British.
Hautpoult was captured by her now-British sister ship, HMS Pompée, on 17 April 1809, after a chase over three nights and two days by Pompée, Recruit, and Neptune. Recruit hung on the tail of the French squadron and managed to cripple Hautpoult's mizzen mast, so Pompée could bring her to action and capture her after exchanging fire for 75 minutes. Between 80 and 90 men from Hautpoult were killed or wounded, including several officers.
British service
Taken as a prize, she was renamed Abercrombie, and was briefly given to the commander of Recruit, Charles Napier, who was made post captain for his part in the action, as acting captain. Captain Sir William Fahie of Pompée, who had fallen ill after capturing her, then replaced Napier.
Abercrombie also participated in the capture of Guadeloupe in January and February 1810. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Guadaloupe" to all surviving participants of the campaign.
While she was at anchor in Basque Roads on 26 October 1811, lightning damaged her fore topmast and foremast.
On 17 July 1813 Abercrombie, under the command of Captain William Charles Fahie, shared the proceeds of the capture of Union with Dublin.
Fate
Abercrombie was sold in 1817.