French brig Ronco (1808)

Ronco was a French Illyrien or Friedland-class brig built at Venice and launched in April 1808. HMS Unite captured her less than two months later. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Tuscan. She served in the Mediterranean and participated in one action that earned her crew a Naval General Service Medal. She was first offered for sale in 1816 and sold in 1818.

Capture
Unite encountered Ronco at daybreak on 2 May 1808 some seven or eight miles NW of Cape Promontore, Istria. Ronco fired several broadsides that cut up Unite's sails and rigging, and then surrendered. Captain Campbell of Unite described Ronco as being armed with sixteen 32-pounder carronades, and "only Two Months off the Stocks, measures about Four Hundred Tons, extremely well found, and in my Opinion, very fit for His Majesty's Service. Ronco had barely struck when Unite sighted a frigate and a schooner to windward. Unite immediately gave chase, but her quarry escaped into Pola. The Royal Navy heeded Campbell and took Ronco into service as HMS Tuscan.

HMS Tuscan
Tuscan was commissioned in August 1808 in the Mediterranean under Commander John Gourley (acting). One month later Commander John Wilson replaced Gourly.

Between 30 October and 1 November Tuscan was part of Admiral Benjamin Hallowell's squadron at the Bay of Rosas. On 30 October, boats from Tuscan joined with boats from Tigre, Cumberland, Volontaire, Apollo, Topaz, Philomel, and HMS Scout (1804) in a cutting out attack after a squadron off the south of France chased an enemy convoy into the Bay of Rosas. The convoy had lost its escorting ships of the line, Robuste and Lion, near Frontignan, where the squadron under Rear Admiral George Martin, of Collingwood's fleet, had burnt them, but were nevertheless heavily protected by an armed storeship of 18 guns, two bombards and a xebec. Some of the British boats took heavy casualties in the clash, but Tuscan had only one officer slightly wounded, and one seaman dangerously wounded. By the following morning the British had accounted for all eleven vessels in the bay, burning those they did not bring out. On January 1813 prize money was awarded to the British vessels that took part in the action for the capture of the ships of war Gromlire and Normande, and of the transports Dragon and Indien. A court declared HMS Invincible (1808) a joint captor. Head money was also paid for the Grondire and Normande and for the destruction of Lemproye and Victoire. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "1 Nov. Boat Service 1809" to all surviving claimants from the action.

In December 1810 Commander George Matthew Jones replaced Wilson. However, in January 1811, Lieutenant Phillips (acting) took temporary command. Jones returned to command by February, holding it until through 1812.

In 1811 Tuscan supported the British Army in Spain, especially in the efforts to break the siege of Cadiz by landing troops to attack the French at Isla de León. In February 20 a naval force of warships and transports under the command of Captain Edwin Brace HMS St Albans weighed anchor. The 7000 troops Lieutenant-General Thomas Graham landed at Algeciras and marched to Tariffa. There the transports the artillery and military stores in heavy surf. Subsequently Graham participated in the Battle of Barrossa.The Royal Navy ships involved, in addition to St Alban's and Tuscan, included HMS Druid (1783), HMS Comus (1806), Sabine, HMS Ephira (1808), HMS Steady (1804) and HMS Rebuff (1805).

In October, a French force was pressing on Spanish General Francisco Ballesteros in the vicinity of San Roque, Cádiz. Ballasteros asked for assistance. Rear-Admiral Legge, the commander of the British fleet at Cadiz, dispatched a force on 11 October to Tariffa to come to his assistance. HMS Stately (1784), HMS Columbine (1806) and Tuscan carried eight companies each from the 47th and 87th regiments of foot, a detachment of 70 men from the 95th Regiment, and four light artillery pieces. The troops landed on 18 October and the next day the French advanced along the coast. Fire from Tuscan, Stately's boats, and Gunboat 14 sent them into retreat.

When the War of 1812 broke out, the British captured several American ships in the Mediterranean. Tuscan shared with San Juan, Sabine, HMS Lavinia (1806), HMS Hindostan (1804), and HMS Hyacinth (1806) in the American droits for Phoenix, Margaret, Allegany and Tyger, captured on 8 August 1812.

Tuscan arrived at Portsmouth on 11 October, having convoyed transports from Gibraltar.

In May 1813, Jones recommissioned Tuscan, which returned to the Mediterranean. Tuscan shared with HMS Pomone (1809) and some other British vessels in the salvage for the recapture two Spanish vessels El Correv Diligente de Carraccas and Nostra Senora de los Desemperados on 26 May.

On 6 or 8 July 1815 a privateer of one gun and 20 men came into Genoa. Tuscan had captured her off Elba. Tuscan arrived at Portsmouth on 29 November from the west.

Fate
The Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy offered the "Tuscan brig, of 334 tons", lying at Plymouth for sale on 28 August 1816. However, she did not sell. Still, though in ordinary at Plymouth, Tuscan was able to be of some use. On 8 November 1817 the port authorities moored her to serve as a breakwater sheltering workmen building a new pier. Finally, after numerous unsuccessful listings, Tuscan sold on 29 January 1818 Thomas Pittman for £800.

Notes, citations, and references

 * Notes


 * Citations


 * References
 * Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015 Forthcoming) French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 - 1862: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. (Seaforth Publishing). ISBN 9781848322042
 * Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015 Forthcoming) French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 - 1862: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. (Seaforth Publishing). ISBN 9781848322042