French Fifth Rate frigate 'La Félicité' (1785)

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Service 1781-1811
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Recent Comments

Eurydice (24) 1781-1834
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1781)
Topaze (32) 1793-1814
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1793)
Lively (Unknown) 1784-1784
British Unknown Gun
Unrated Cutter
(1784)
La Manche (20) 1800-1800
French 20 Gun
Privateer Unknown
(1800)
Eurydice (24) 1781-1834
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1781)
Topaze (32) 1793-1814
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1793)
Nassau (64) 1785-1799
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1785)
Wellesley (Unknown) 1801-1804
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1801)
Nassau (64) 1785-1799
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1785)
Impregnable (98) 1786-1799
British 98 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
(1786)
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La Félicité
Nominal Guns	32	NNF-1774
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	1.1.1785	NNF-1774
Launched	4.8.1785	NNF-1774
First Commissioned	28.8.1786	NNF-1774
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1774
Shipyard	Brest - Brittany	NNF-1774
Ship Class	Félicité Class (1785)	NNF-1774
Designed by	Pierre-Alexander ForfaitFrench Designer Ship Builder Administrator Service 1773-1806	NNF-1774
Constructor	Pierre-Alexander ForfaitFrench Designer Ship Builder Administrator Service 1773-1806	NNF-1774
Category	Fifth Rate	NNF-1774
National Rate	Quatrième Rang	NNF-1774
Ship Type	Frigate	NNF-1774
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1774
Captured	16.6.1809	BWAS-1793
Becomes	Haitian Fifth Rate frigate 'Amethyste' (1809) (34) 1809-1811 Haitian 34 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1774
Length of Gundeck136' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)44.1728 (144′ 11″ Imperial)
Length of Keel119' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)38.6512 (126′ 9″ Imperial)
Breadth34' 8"French Feet (Pied du Roi)11.0973 (36′ 4″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold17' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.5564 (18′ 2″ Imperial)
Burthen704Ton

Armament

4.1786Broadside Weight = 180 French Livre (194.256 lbs 88.11 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle8 French 6-Pounder

1803Broadside Weight = 210 French Livre (226.632 lbs 102.795 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle2 French 36-Pounder Obusier
Quarterdeck/Forecastle6 French 6-Pounder

1808Broadside Weight = 84 French Livre (90.6528 lbs 41.118 kg)NNF-1774
Upper Gun Deck14 French 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
4.1786271 NNF-1774

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1789Capitaine de Vaisseauref:6731792 - 1793Capitaine de VaisseauF0019.1795 - 1796Capitaine de VaisseauE-WIKI

Service History

DateEventSource
1789

Fag-ship of Station Navale de la Côte Occidentale d’Afrique.

ref:673
7.10.1795Action of 1795-10-07
1808Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated Frigate
16.6.1809Taken by in the Caribbean (en-Flute)E-WIKI
16.6.1809Taken by in the Caribbean (en-Flute)E-WIKI

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

F001Joseph François Gabriel Hennequin, Digital Book

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:673 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Thursday 26th of July 2012 20:58

8 May 1793 French Royalist Felicite 38 joins British forces at Dominica which sail for Martinique where they are joined by the French royalist Firme 74

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Monday 15th of June 2026 19:02	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Eurydice' (1781) (24) 1781-1834 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Ship
Monday 15th of June 2026 18:59	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Topaze' (1793) (32) 1793-1814 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Monday 15th of June 2026 18:51	Jon Miller	British cutter 'Lively' (1784) (Unknown) 1784-1784 British Unknown Gun Unrated Cutter
Monday 15th of June 2026 18:48	Jon Miller	French Privateer 'La Manche' (1800) (20) 1800-1800 French 20 Gun Privateer Unknown
Monday 15th of June 2026 18:44	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Eurydice' (1781) (24) 1781-1834 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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