The schooner L’ECLAIR (Lighting) was built in France and captured by the HMS GARLAND at Guadeloupe on 18 Jan. 1801.
Tonnage 145 tons (bm).
Armament 12 – 12pdrs. carronades.
Taken up in the Royal Navy as HMS ECLAIR.
During March 1801 she took part in the attack on the islands of St Martin and St Bartholomew, the British naval force was under command of Rear-Admiral Duckworth and Lieut. General Thos. Trigge.
The landing at Grand Saline Bay. St Bartholomew on the 20th was covered by HMS ANDROMEDE, UNITE and the brig DRAKE.
When they weighed anchor on the morning of the 20th, ten sails were seen from the masthead and HMS DRAKE and ECLAIR were ordered to reconnoiter. They proved to be troopships from England, which had landed their sick, and the women and children at Barbados before sailing on.
With this accumulation of force they proceeded to attack St Martin’s on the 24th.
1804 Under command of Lieut. W.Carr in the West Indies, when the ÉCLAIR returning from escorting a packet, she was in a position of about 200 miles north of Tortola on 5 February 1804 when she chased and challenged a strange vessel which later proved the French privateer GRAND DECIDE 22 guns out of Guadeloupe. The two ships exchanged broadsides and musket-fire for three quarters of an hour, but when Capt. Carr made preparations to board, the Frenchman ceased firing and made all sail to the northward. ÉCLAIR attempted to give chase but much of her rigging had been shot away. The ÉCLAIR lost one mariner and 4 seamen were wounded.
On 5 March a schooner was sighted standing in to La Hayes, Guadeloupe, to take shelter under the battery there. The master of the ÉCLAIR, Mr. Salmon, and the surgeon volunteered to go in with 10 men and bring her out. They were under fire of the privateer and the shore as soon as they entered the harbour but boarded and took her in 10 minutes, killing five and wounding 10 of the crew of 49, without loss to themselves. They towed and swept out the prize under heavy fire from the shore.
She proved to be the ROSE, armed with one long brass 9-pounder.
1805 under command of Lieut. Evelyn and on 5 April that year retook the English ship HEROINE from London.
May (or June) 1809 renamed HMS PICKLE. Under command of Lieut. Goodwin.
1810 Under command of Lieut. Andrew Crawford. 09 Sept. cruising on the Jersey station.
1812 Under command of Lieut. William Figg, cruising.
During the night of the 17th December 1812 the PICKLE and ALBACORE were becalmed off the Lizard, South coast of England, with six merchantmen. At dawn they found that they were also in company with the French 40-gun frigate GLOIRE. When a wind came up the Frenchmen made all sail to escape pursued by the British ships who were joined later by HMS BOXER and LANDRAIL.
After several exchanges of fire the GLOIRE successfully outran them.
The GLOIRE later captured the British store ships SPY and LINNET.
1814 At the Guernsey station.
1816 out of commission. 11 June 1818 sold.
British Virgin Islands 1970 8c sg247, scott213
Source: copied from http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/PQ.htm http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/E.HTM. Log Book. Navicula.