French corvette Berceau (1794)
| File:Berceau vs USS Boston-h76555.jpg | |
| Career (France) |   |
|---|---|
| Name: | Berceau |
| Builder: | Lorient |
| Laid down: | December 1793 |
| Launched: | 12 July 1794 |
| In service: | July 1794 |
| Fate: | Broken up in 1804 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 350 tonnes |
| Length: | 36.7 metres |
| Beam: | 9.1 metres |
| Draught: | 4.1 metres |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Ship |
| Armament: | 22 guns to 32 guns |
The Berceau was a 20-gun corvette of the French Navy.
In 1799, she took part in the Cruise of Bruix. On 11 May, Admiral Bruix set his flag on Berceau to direct a battle against the British off Cadiz; after the Spanish broke contact, Bruix cancelled the attack.
On 13 July 1800, Berceau measured herself against two Portuguese corvettes off Guyana. From September, she cruised the Caribbean under capitaine de frégate Senez. On 12 October, unbeknown to the participants, several days after the Peace that ended the Quasi-War, she met the 28-gun American frigate Boston; in the ensuing action, Berceau was badly damaged, and eventually struck her colours. She was towed as a prize to Boston under prize-master Robert Haswell.
The battle having been fought two weeks after a formal peace agreement, Berceau was repaired at American expense and on 22 June 1801, she was restituted to France and recommissioned under Lieutenant Michelon.
On 25 September 1803, Berceau joined up with Linois' squadron off Ile de France, ferrying news that the War of the Third Coalition had broke out.
In February 1804, she took part in the Battle of Pulo Aura under Captain Emmanuel Halgan.
She was eventually broken up in Vigo in 1804.
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