French ship Hautpoult (1807)
| 300px Intrepid behaviour of Captain Charles Napier, in HM 18-gun Brig Recruit for which he was appointed to the d'Hautpoult. The 74 now pouring a broadside into her. April 15, 1809. d'Hautpoult can be seen in the background. | |
| Career (France) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | d'Hautpoult |
| Namesake: | General de Beaufort d'Hautpoult |
| Builder: | Frères Crucy at Lorient shipyard |
| Captured: | 13 November 1813 |
| Career (UK) |  |
| Name: | HMS Abercrombie |
| Laid down: | June 1803 |
| Launched: | 2 September 1807 |
| Completed: | February 1808 |
| Acquired: | April 1809 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Téméraire ship of the line |
| Displacement: | 2900 tonnes |
| Length: | 55.87 metres (172 French feet) |
| Beam: | 14.90 metres (44 French feet 6 inches) |
| Draught: | 7,26 metres (22 French feet) |
| Propulsion: | Up to 2485 m² (26,750 ft2) of sail |
| Complement: | 3 officers + 690 men |
| Armament: |
74 guns:
|
| Armour: | Timber |
The d'Hautpoult was a Téméraire-class 74-gun French Navy ship of the line. Commanded by Captain Amand le Duc, Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, she had a crew of 680.
d'Hautpoult 's maiden voyage was a mission to Martinique with reinforcements and supplies, as flagship of a squadron of three 74-gun ships (the others being Courageux and Polonais), and two frigates, under the overall command of Commodore Amable Troude. Learning of the capture of Martinique Troude's squadron turned back but were pursued by the British. d'Hautpoult was captured by her sister ship, HMS Pompée (herself captured by the British), on 17 April 1809, after a chase over three nights and two days by HMS Pompée, Recruit, and Neptune. Recruit hung on the tail of the French squadron and managed to cripple d'Hautpoult's mizzen mast, so Pompée could bring her to action and capture her after exchanging fire for 75 minutes. Between 80 and 90 men from d'Hautpoult were killed or wounded, including several officers.
Taken as a prize, she was renamed Abercrombie, and was briefly given to the commander of Recruit, Charles Napier, who was made Post Captain for his part in the action, as acting captain, before she was handed over to Captain Sir William Fahie of Pompée, who had fallen ill after capturing her.
While she was at anchor in Basque Roads on 26 October 1811, lightning damaged her fore topmast and foremast. Abercrombie was sold in 1817.
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