HMS Aigle was a 36-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Ordered on 15 September 1799 and built at Bucklers Hard shipyard, she was launched 23 September 1801. More than fifty of her crew were involved in the Easton Massacre when she visited Portland in April 1803 to press recruits. Her captain and three other officers stood trial for murder but were acquitted. Much of Aigle's career as a frigate was spent trying to keep the English Channel free of enemy warships and merchant vessels. On 22 March 1808, she was first into the action against two large French frigates, compelling one to seek the shelter of the Île de Groix batteries and forcing the other onto the shore.
Aigle saw action at the Battle of Basque Roads in April 1809, when Captain Thomas Cochrane's partially successful action began with an attacking force of fireships against a French fleet, anchored off the Île-d'Aix. Initially providing support to the fireships' crews, Aigle went on to help force the surrender of the stranded French vessels Ville de Varsovie and Aquilon. In July 1809, Aigle took part in the Walcheren Campaign, an amphibious operation against the Kingdom of Holland, carrying out a two-day long bombardment of Flushing that led to its capitulation on 15 August. The campaign was ultimately a failure and the British forces withdrew in September.
In October 1811, Aigle was sent to the Mediterranean, where she and her crew raided the island of Elba before being asked to provide naval support during the invasion and occupation of the city of Genoa. Refitted in January 1820, her square stern was replaced with a circular one, giving her a wider angle of fire and improved protection at the rear. Converted to a corvette in 1831, she returned to the Mediterranean under Lord Clarence Paget. In 1852, she became a coal hulk and receiving ship before being used as a target for torpedoes and sold for breaking in 1870.
Construction and armament HMS Aigle was the first of two frigates designed by Surveyor of the Navy, Sir John Henslow; her sister, , was ordered later in 1800.Winfield p.156 Frigates of the period were three-masted, full-rigged ships that carried their main battery on a single, continuous gun deck. They were smaller and faster than ships of the line and primarily intended for raiding, reconnaissance and messaging.Gardiner (2004) p. 56 Since late 1778, those of 36 or 38 guns with a main armament of 18-pounder long guns, had become the standard in the Royal Navy and by 1793, when the French Revolutionary War began, it was not unusual for them to be close to 1000 tons burthen (bm).Gardiner (2012) p. 76 Henslow's designs tended towards small modifications on established frigate classes; his alterations being primarily to the size and, in particular, length of ships. British frigate designs were frequently lengthened during this period so that they could reach sailing speeds comparable to French frigatesGardiner (1994) p. 60 and the Aigle class followed this trend, being close in dimensions and armament to Henslow's 1797 design, the Penelope class.
Built under contract by Balthazar and Edward Adams, Aigle was ordered on 15 September 1798 and her keel was laid down in November at Bucklers Hard shipyard in Hampshire. Launched on 23 September 1801, her dimensions were: along the gun deck, at the keel, with a beam of and a depth in the hold of . This made her 970 tons (bm). She would carry a complement of 264 men when fully manned.
Although classed as a 36-gun fifth rate, Aigle was armed with a main battery of twenty-six on her gun deck, four on the quarterdeck and four on the forecastle. She also carried ten carronades, short lightweight guns with a large bore.Lavery p. 82 They were cheaper to produce and much easier to handle than the equivalent long gun but lacked the accuracy and range.O'Neill p. 70Henry p.12 Eight were carried on Aigle's quarterdeck and two on her forecastle. Aigle's first build cost to the Admiralty was £14,335 when she was completed for ordinary on 6 October 1801. This would have been higher but a £1000 fine had been imposed for an unacceptable delay of 16 months.
Aigle drew between at the bow and at the stern. A sailing report from 15 August 1815, noted that she was "...similar to , being fast and weatherly, manoeuvrable and a good sea-boat". It also recorded her as making close-hauled under topgallants but with her best performance of with the wind coming over the stern quarter.Gardiner (1994) p. 89
Service
Aigle was first commissioned for the English Channel, under Captain George Wolfe in December 1802 and completed for sea service on 24 March 1803. A large press gang from Aigle, of more than 50 marines and sailors, led by Wolfe, put ashore at Portland on 2 April to capture men to supplement the crew. In what became known as the Easton Massacre, a scuffle broke out between the inhabitants and Wolfe's forces.Adkins pp.109–110 Several civilians were shot and four were killed;Adkins p.110 sixteen members of the press gang received injuries. Nine were wounded so seriously they had to be discharged. Wolfe and three officers later stood trial for murder but were acquitted. Continuing to patrol in home waters with the Channel Fleet, Aigle shared in the prize money for a 40-gun French frigate, Franchise, taken on 28 May and six merchant vessels during the first week of June. Then, while off Vigo on 27 September, she captured a French privateer of 14 guns.
Aigle was part of a squadron blockading Brest when, on the morning of 25 March 1804, the 74-gun struck a reef. Aigle and other ships of the squadron closed in and removed most of the crew, and the remainder took to boats as the ship began to rapidly sink. Magnificent's entire crew survived, although one of the boats landed on the French coast where the 86 men aboard were taken prisoner.Grocott pp. 170-171
Not far from the Cordouan Lighthouse, on 12 July, Aigle encountered two French ships, the ship-rigged Charente of 20 guns and the 8-gun brig Joie, out of Rochefort.James (Vol.III) p.270-271. At 17:00 Aigle caught up with them. The French ships shortened sail and looked as if they were about to do battle but after discharging their guns, both ran aground. Many of the French sailors were drowned when the boats they were attempting to escape in were engulfed by the large waves. Unable to re-float the stranded ships due to the heavy swell; Wolfe ordered them destroyed, after taking off the survivors.
Boats from Aigle were sent after some small craft, seen in the early hours of 27 November in the Bay of Gibraltar. The resulting small-arms fire was heard by Captain Thomas Dundas in the nearby 36-gun , who set off in the direction of the noise and discovered Aigle's boats battling a flotilla of Spanish gunboats. Naiad managed to capture two Spanish vessels and recover the boats and crew of Aigle intact and without loss of life.Heathcote p.59.
On 15 December, Aigle accidentally ran down and sank the 12-gun HM hired armed schooner off Ushant. Aigle picked up Gertrude′s crew.Winfield (2008) p. 399 In January 1805, Aigle was rescuing sailors again after encountering the Danish vessel Frederica Dorothea, which had foundered while travelling from Bordeaux to London.
Temporary command of Aigle was given to Commander Henry Sturt in February but Wolfe was back in charge by 21 August, when Aigle encountered a small British squadron, under Captain John Tremayne Rodd, comprising the 44 and 38-gun frigates and Niobe and three smaller vessels.James (Vol.III) pp.302–303 Rodd had been shadowing the French fleet at Brest under Vice-Admiral Ganteaume, which had left the port the day before and was now at anchor between Camaret and Bertheaume. Shortly after her arrival, Rodd dispatched Aigle to update the commander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet, Admiral William Cornwallis of the situation.James (Vol.III) p.303
Nine Spanish gunboats attacked Aigle in Vigo Bay on 28 September. For an hour she had to endure their fire before the wind got up and the previously becalmed Aigle was able to launch a counter-offensive; capturing one gunboat and driving the others away. Two chasse-marées were taken by the crew of Aigle, in a cutting-out expedition when they boarded the vessels from boats on 15 October 1807 and while cruising with the 32-gun and 74-gun Gibraltar in December, she assisted with the capture of Spanish schooner Bueno Vista. A few days later, the same three ships took a French lugger and had more success in the first quarter of the following year, when four more chasse-marées were seized and a former British brig, Margaret was recaptured.
Action off Groix
Aigle was in action again on 22 March 1808 against two large, French frigates; Italienne of 40 guns and the 38-gun Sirene. A squadron comprising Aigle, the 32-gun frigate , the two seventy-fours HMS Impétueux and , and two or three smaller vessels were anchored between the Glénan islands, while being resupplied by a transport convoy.James (Vol.V) p.26 At 15:45, the two French frigates were simultaneously seen to the south-east from Aigle's masthead and by the 4-gun British schooner , which was stationed midway between the squadron and the island of Groix. Aigle immediately gave chase, and coming within hailing distance at 19:30, Wolfe directed Cuckoo to relay to Impétueux and Narcissus, now following two miles behind, his intention to cut off the French ships by sailing between Groix and the mainland.
An hour later, having endured the fire of the guns on both shores, Aigle was in a position to attack the rear-most frigate of the pair as they emerged from the western side of the island. This frigate sought the shelter of Groix' batteries, so Aigle set off in pursuit of the other which was now making for Lorient. As it was now dark, Aigle displayed a blue light to indicate her position to the closing Impétueux, and at 21:00, coming within 50 yards, exchanged fire with the Frenchman. To prevent a boarding, which Wolfe was determined upon, the frigate came about and, shortly after the British had broken off their attack for lack of sea room, ran aground on the Pointe de Chats on the eastern edge of Groix.James (Vol.V) pp.26–27
Saturn, Narcissus and Cuckoo joined Aigle and Impétueux during the night and the following morning at dawn, the five British ships returned to the island but no further attempt was made on either of the French frigates. Six days later the stranded ship was re-floated and both vessels arrived safely in Lorient.James (Vol.V) p.27
Battle of Basque Roads
In 1809, Aigle was part of the Channel Fleet under Admiral James Gambier and back chasing merchantmen; securing five in January and February.Tracy p. 150 In April she fought at the Battle of the Basque Roads. The French ships were anchored under the protection of the powerful batteries on the Isle d'AixJames (Vol. V) pp. 103–104 when on 11 April Captain Thomas Cochrane led an attacking force of fireships and explosive vessels.James (Vol.V) p.105 Just before the attack, Aigle took up a position just north-east of the Boyart Shoal; anchored behind the 38-gun HMS Imperieuse, and ahead of the 32-gun and Pallas. It was the job of these four frigates to take on board the returning fireship crews and give assistance to the escorting boats, if required. The fireships had a partial success; the French, having anticipated such an attack, had rigged a boom across the channel.James (Vol.V) p.104 One of the explosive vessels breached the boom, leading the French to cut their cables and drift on to the shoals.James (Vol.V) pp. 108–109