Quatre frères (1796 ship) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 France |
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| Name | Quatre frères |
| Owner | Jouguet |
| Builder | America or Bermuda |
| Commissioned | 1796 |
| Captured | March 1797 |
 Great Britain |
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| Acquired | April 1797 by capture |
| Renamed | HMS Transfer |
| Fate | Sold 1802 |
 Ottoman Tripolitania |
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| Acquired | 1802 by purchase at Malta |
| Captured | 18 or 21 March 1804 |
 United States |
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| Name | USS Scourge |
| Namesake | Scourge |
| Cost | Spanish $5,000 purchased |
| Acquired | 21 March 1804 by capture |
| Out of service | 1812 |
| Fate | Sold 1813 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 150 (French; "of load"); 18113⁄94 (bm) |
| Length | 80 ft 0 in (24.4 m) (overall); 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m) (keel) |
| Beam | 23 ft 3 in (7.1 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) |
| Sail plan |
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| Complement |
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| Armament |
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The ship Quatre frères had an exciting history, changing owners and names many times! It was built in America or Bermuda. In 1796, it became a French privateer ship. A privateer was a private ship allowed by a government to attack enemy ships during wartime.
In 1797, the British Royal Navy captured the ship. They renamed it HMS Transfer. The British then sold it in 1802 to Ottoman Tripolitania, a region in North Africa. In 1804, the U.S. Navy captured it and called it USS Scourge. Finally, the U.S. Navy sold the ship in 1812.
Contents
Quatre frères: A French Privateer
The ship Quatre frères started its life as a French privateer in 1796. Its captain was Martial Dupeyrat. During this time, it captured two other ships: Résolution and Frascara.
- Résolution was a large Portuguese ship. It weighed 500 tons and was carrying wheat and almonds.
- Frascara was a Danish ship. It was transporting oranges and lemons.
In March 1797, a large British warship, the 74-gun HMS Irresistible, captured Quatre frères in the Mediterranean Sea.
HMS Transfer: A British Warship
After its capture, the ship was registered by the Royal Navy in June 1797. It was renamed HMS Transfer. In October, Commander George Bowen took command.
In 1798, HMS Transfer was part of Earl St Vincent's fleet. Later, in December 1798, Commander George Mundy became its new captain. The ship was also part of Lord Viscount Keith's fleet in 1799.
Capturing a French Privateer
On February 11, 1799, while under Lieutenant George Miller's command, HMS Transfer captured a French privateer. This privateer was called Escamoteur. It had three guns and a crew of 34 men. The capture happened near Ayamonte, Spain.
Destroying an Enemy Ship
On April 4, 1799, HMS Transfer, now led by Commander Mundy, teamed up with the large 74-gun Majestic. They found a French privateer with 14 guns. The British ships chased the privateer into a small bay. The French ship tried to hide near a fortress with three guns, but it was destroyed.
Joining a Major Campaign
In October 1800, Commander Edward O'Brien took command of HMS Transfer. The ship later joined Admiral Viscount Keith's important campaign in Egypt in 1801. For their service, the crew of Transfer later received the Medal for Egypt in 1850.
In April 1802, Commander Richard Cribb became the captain. However, the Navy soon took Transfer out of service. It was sold in Malta later that year for £700.
A Ship for Tripolitania
After being sold, Transfer was bought by Gaetano Andrea Schembri. He was a consul for Ottoman Tripolitania. The ship was then used by Tripoli during the First Barbary War. This war involved the United States fighting against pirates from North Africa.
The ship was used to try and get past a blockade of the port of Tripoli. A blockade is when ships surround a port to stop other ships from entering or leaving. On March 18 or 21, 1804, the American ship Syren captured it. The ship was caught because it broke the rules of the blockade.
USS Scourge: An American Warship
Commodore Edward Preble of the U.S. Navy renamed the captured ship USS Scourge. On April 17, 1804, it joined Preble's group of ships. USS Scourge helped with the blockade of Tripoli. It also took part in attacks on the city.
Several lieutenants commanded Scourge during this time. They included John H. Dent, John Rowe, Henry Wadsworth, and Ralph Izard. In November 1804, Lieutenant Izard sailed Scourge back to the United States.
What Happened to USS Scourge?
Once back in the U.S., USS Scourge served along the coast. In 1812, the United States Navy decided that Scourge was too old and not fit for service anymore. It was sold at an auction in Norfolk, Virginia.
