French frigate Dédaigneuse (1799)

The Dédaigneuse was a 40-gun Coquille-class frigate of the French Navy.

French service
On 30 December 1800, as she was taking political prisoners at Cayenne to bring them back to France under Captain Prevost Lacroix, she spotted HMS Tamar (1796), but to no avail.

Capture
On Monday, 26 January 1801, at 8.00 a.m., at 45°N, -12°W, the Oiseux under Captain Samuel Hood Linzee fell in with and chased Dédaigneuse, which was bound from Cayenne to Rochefort with despatches. By noon the following day, with Cape Finisterre in sight, Captain Linzee directed by signal the HMS Sirius (1797) and HMS Amethyst (1799) who were in sight to join the pursuit. Dédaigneuse maintained her advantage until 2.00 a.m. on the 28th when the Oiseaux and Sirius were within musket-shot of Dédaigneuse. In a desperate attempt to shake her pursuers she opened fire from her stern-chasers, which was immediately returned by the two British ships. After a running fight of 45 minutes, two miles off shore near Cape Bellem the running rigging and sails of Dédaigneuse were cut to pieces (mainly due to the steady and well-directed fire from the Sirius). Aboard Dédaigneuse with several men killed including her Captain and fifth Lieutenant, and 17 wounded, she was forced to haul down her colours. The Amethyst, due to unfavourable winds was unable to get up until Dédaigneuse had struck her colours. Although the Sirius was the only British ship damaged (rigging, sails, main-yard and bowsprit) in the encounter, there were no fatalities on the English side. Captain Linzee declared the encounter a long and anxious chase of 42 hours and acknowledged a gallant resistance on the part of Dédaigneuse. Dédaigneuse was afterwards added to Royal Navy under the same name HMS Dedaigneuse.

British service
She cruised in the Indian Ocean, unsuccessfully chasing the FRENCH FRIGATE Sémillante on 21 November 1806.

Fate
Dedaigneuse was eventually sold in April 1823.