HMS Cerf (1803)

HMS Cerf was the Spanish Navy's 18-gun brig Cuervo, built at Havana in 1794-95. A British privateer captured her and her captors renamed her Stag before in December 1801 selling her to the Captain-General of Guadeloupe. The French Navy took her into service as the 14-gun brig Cerf. The Royal Navy acquired Cerf at the surrender of Santo Domingo on 30 November 1803. The Royal Navy sold her in 1806.

Cerf

History
Spain
Name:	Ciervo
Builder:	Havana
Launched:	1794-5
Captured:	Unknown date
Name:	Stag
Acquired:	By capture
Fate:	Sold 15 December 1801
France
Name:	Cerf
Acquired:	December 1801 by purchase
Captured:	30 November 1803
UK
Name:	Cerf
Acquired:	30 November 1803 by capture
Fate:	Sold August 1806
General characteristics [1][2]
Displacement:	170 tons (French)
Tons burthen:	171​^79⁄94 (bm)
Length:	74 ft 0 in (22.6 m) (overall) 66 ft 9 in (20.3 m) (keel)
Beam:	22 ft 0 in (6.7 m)
Depth of hold:	9 ft 0 in (2.7 m)
Complement:	French service: British service:
Armament:	French service: Originally: 8 x 9-pounder guns + 6 x 18-pounder carronades At capture:12 guns British service: 14 guns

Prior history

Cerf had a complex history of ownership. She was built at Havana in 1794-95 as the Spanish Navy's Ciervo (or Cuervo). The British acquired her and named her Stag. On 15 December 1801 the Captain-General of Guadeloupe purchased her and named her Cerf.

French service

Between end-December 1801 and end-February 1802 she was at Dominica and under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Drouault.[3] Drouault was still her commander at the time of her surrender.[4]

British service

The Royal Navy commissioned her under Commander George Barne Trollope.[5] Cerf was Trollope's first command, and he was promoted to Commander on 1 May 1804 to her. However, he was invalided home in December 1804 due to an attack of yellow fever.[6][7]

Fate

The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy offered the "Musette and Cerf sloops" for sale on 27 August 1806 at Plymouth.[8] She was sold at that time.[2]

Citations and references

Citations

1. Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 213.
2. Winfield (2008), p. 348.
3. Fonds Marine, p.269.
4. Fonds Marine, p.285.
5. "NMM, vessel ID 382100" (PDF). Warship Histories, vol v. National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
6. Marshall (1829), Supplement, Part 3, p.307.
7. Gentleman's magazine, (December 1850), Vol. 24, p.659.
8. "No. 15945". The London Gazette. 12 August 1806. p. 1066.

References

• "Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 482 (1790-1826)" (PDF). www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr. Service historique du Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
• Marshall, John (1823–1835). Royal naval biography, or, Memoirs of the services of all the flag-officers, superannuated rear-admirals, retired-captains, post-captains, and commanders, whose names appeared on the Admiralty list of sea officers at the commencement of the present year 1823, or who have since been promoted ... London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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