French frigate Virginie (1794) explained

Virginie was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of its 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 Razee 44 gun and the frigates,,, 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.

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

• Grocott, Terence (1997) Shipwrecks of the revolutionary & Napoleonic eras (Chatham).
• Encyclopedia: Jean-Michel . Roche . 2005 . Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671 - 1870 . 978-2-9525917-0-6 . 165892922 . Virginie.
• Naval Database
• Lines of Virginie at the National Maritime Museum

Notes and References

1. Campagnes, thriomphes, revers, désastres et guerres civiles des Français de 1792 à la paix de 1856, F. Ladimir et E. Moreau. Librairie Populaire des Villes et des Campagnes, 1856 Tome 5, pp. 42–43
2. Journal of Robert Knox, Lunarian and Master