Felicite 1785
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john sefton
- Posts: 1816
- Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:59 pm
Felicite 1785
FELICITE. French 5th Rate. Built in 1785.Served as a platform for the preaching of the new Revolutionay doctrine at Gros Islet. St Lucia, by Captain La Crosse. She later saw action at the battle of Domingo 6 February 1805. In May 1809 along with FURIEUSE she was subjected to a hot pursuit by British naval forces, but they reached Cherbourg safely. The two ships put to sea on the 15 May 1809 still being pursued, but reached Guadeloupe. They escaped on the 14 June 1809 but were shortly taken. FELICITE was captured by LATONIA on the 18 June and taken into the British Navy - St Lucia 1989. $3.50. SG1029 (WP May 90)
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aukepalmhof
- Posts: 8005
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am
Re: Felicite 1785
Saint Lucia issued a set of four stamps on 14 July 1989 commemorating the bicentenary of the French Revolution and Philexfrance ’89.
The $3.50 value depicts the arrival of Captain Jean-Baptiste-Raymond La Grosse at Gros Islet aboard a French Navy frigate. In December 1792, Captain La Grosse was sent from France to the West Indies to preach the principles of the French Revolution. He was refused landing in Martinique and Guadeloupe, but Saint Lucia welcomed him with open arms. The frigate was identified by Musee de La Marine, Paris via Mr. Ken Berry as the FELICITE of 1785.
Built between January 1785 and August 1785 at Brest, France after a design of Pierre-Alexandre Forfait.
01 January 1785 keel laid down.
04 August 1785 launched as La FÉLICITÉ. She was the lead ship of her class.
Tonnage 900 tom (bm). Dim. 44.2 x 11.3 x 5.6m. (draught)
Armament: 26 – 12pdr., 12 – 8 pdr. guns and 6 howitzers.
28 August 1785 commissioned.
1792 Sailed to the Caribbean and took part on 29 December 1792 in the capture of the royalist brig LÉGÉRE off Saint-Pierre.
06 February 1806 took part in the Battle of San Domingo, was not damaged in the battle and escaped together with two other French warships.
February 1809 sailed with Troude’s division to the Caribbean armed en flute, what means reduced armament and used as a transport.
In May, British ships chased two French frigates, armed en flûte and bringing supplies to Martinique, into the Basse Terre roads. The British set up a blockade, trapping FÉLICITÉ and FURIEUSE in their shelter. By this time HMS UNIQUE, was in poor condition - in particular she was leaky, in part from the constant firing of her guns at shore batteries. The decision was made to use her as a fireship in an attempt to destroy one or both of the French vessels. On 31 May she was sent in during the evening but the mission failed. Having been lightened of most of her stores, UNIQUE was vulnerable to gusts of wind, and she grounded not far from one of her targets. Her captain then set fire to a train of explosives to prevent her falling into French hands. FÉLICITE and FURIEUSE escaped some time later, only to end up being captured. HMS BONNE CITOYENNE captured FURIEUSE on 5 July; FÉLICITÉ’s French service lasted only a few months longer.
On 18 August, HMS LATONA and HMS CHERUB captured FÉLICITÉ. At the time of her capture, FÉLICITÉ was armed with only 14 guns, but had 174 men on board. She had left Guadeloupe in company with another frigate (FURIEUSE). They were sailing to France with colonial produce. The frigate escaped through superior sailing despite CHERUB having conducted a long chase.
FÉLICITÉ was not commissioned in the Royal Navy
July 1809 the British sold FÉLICITÉ to Henri Christophe's State of Haiti, renamed L’AMÉTHYSTE
For reasons unknown, in January 1812, the Haitian Navy defected to the rebel Borgella who placed a French privateer named Gaspard in command of the AMÉTHYSTE (recommissioned as HEUREUSE RÉUNION 44 guns), a corvette, and a brig. Gaspard armed the flagship with 44 cannon and a crew of over 600 men including Haitians, Frenchmen, and Americans.
Stopped soon thereafter upon suspicion of piracy by Captain James Yeo, commanding HMS SOUTHAMPTON, the HEUREUSE RÉUNION began the Action of 3 February 1812. Unable to close fast enough to board the more nimble SOUTHAMPTON and losing her mainmast, the HEUREUSE RÉUNION surrendered and was dragged to Jamaica, where her ownership was returned to Haiti.
1818 Sold fate unknown.
Saint Lucia 1989 $3.50 sg1029, scott945.
Source British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield. Watercraft Philately May/June 1990 page 81. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fri ... %A9_(1785)
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The $3.50 value depicts the arrival of Captain Jean-Baptiste-Raymond La Grosse at Gros Islet aboard a French Navy frigate. In December 1792, Captain La Grosse was sent from France to the West Indies to preach the principles of the French Revolution. He was refused landing in Martinique and Guadeloupe, but Saint Lucia welcomed him with open arms. The frigate was identified by Musee de La Marine, Paris via Mr. Ken Berry as the FELICITE of 1785.
Built between January 1785 and August 1785 at Brest, France after a design of Pierre-Alexandre Forfait.
01 January 1785 keel laid down.
04 August 1785 launched as La FÉLICITÉ. She was the lead ship of her class.
Tonnage 900 tom (bm). Dim. 44.2 x 11.3 x 5.6m. (draught)
Armament: 26 – 12pdr., 12 – 8 pdr. guns and 6 howitzers.
28 August 1785 commissioned.
1792 Sailed to the Caribbean and took part on 29 December 1792 in the capture of the royalist brig LÉGÉRE off Saint-Pierre.
06 February 1806 took part in the Battle of San Domingo, was not damaged in the battle and escaped together with two other French warships.
February 1809 sailed with Troude’s division to the Caribbean armed en flute, what means reduced armament and used as a transport.
In May, British ships chased two French frigates, armed en flûte and bringing supplies to Martinique, into the Basse Terre roads. The British set up a blockade, trapping FÉLICITÉ and FURIEUSE in their shelter. By this time HMS UNIQUE, was in poor condition - in particular she was leaky, in part from the constant firing of her guns at shore batteries. The decision was made to use her as a fireship in an attempt to destroy one or both of the French vessels. On 31 May she was sent in during the evening but the mission failed. Having been lightened of most of her stores, UNIQUE was vulnerable to gusts of wind, and she grounded not far from one of her targets. Her captain then set fire to a train of explosives to prevent her falling into French hands. FÉLICITE and FURIEUSE escaped some time later, only to end up being captured. HMS BONNE CITOYENNE captured FURIEUSE on 5 July; FÉLICITÉ’s French service lasted only a few months longer.
On 18 August, HMS LATONA and HMS CHERUB captured FÉLICITÉ. At the time of her capture, FÉLICITÉ was armed with only 14 guns, but had 174 men on board. She had left Guadeloupe in company with another frigate (FURIEUSE). They were sailing to France with colonial produce. The frigate escaped through superior sailing despite CHERUB having conducted a long chase.
FÉLICITÉ was not commissioned in the Royal Navy
July 1809 the British sold FÉLICITÉ to Henri Christophe's State of Haiti, renamed L’AMÉTHYSTE
For reasons unknown, in January 1812, the Haitian Navy defected to the rebel Borgella who placed a French privateer named Gaspard in command of the AMÉTHYSTE (recommissioned as HEUREUSE RÉUNION 44 guns), a corvette, and a brig. Gaspard armed the flagship with 44 cannon and a crew of over 600 men including Haitians, Frenchmen, and Americans.
Stopped soon thereafter upon suspicion of piracy by Captain James Yeo, commanding HMS SOUTHAMPTON, the HEUREUSE RÉUNION began the Action of 3 February 1812. Unable to close fast enough to board the more nimble SOUTHAMPTON and losing her mainmast, the HEUREUSE RÉUNION surrendered and was dragged to Jamaica, where her ownership was returned to Haiti.
1818 Sold fate unknown.
Saint Lucia 1989 $3.50 sg1029, scott945.
Source British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793-1817 by Rif Winfield. Watercraft Philately May/June 1990 page 81. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fri ... %A9_(1785)
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