HMS Hannibal (1779)


HMS Hannibal was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Adams of Bucklers Hard and launched on 26 December 1779. She was subsequently captured by the French ship Héros off Sumatra, on 21 January 1782.

British career

In October 1781, off Cape of Good Hope, Hannibal encountered the French frigate Bellone, escorting the transports Neker and Sévère. She captured the transports and brought them to Saint Helena.
On 7 December 1781, a French fleet under d'Orves sortied Isle de France, with 11 ships of the line, 3 frigates and 3 corvettes. On 19 January, the 64-gun Sévère detected HMS Hannibal, under Captain Christy. D'Orves detached the 74-gun Héros and the 64-gun Artésien, under Suffren, to investigate. Suffren closed in, making signals according to tables captured at Porto Praya on the East Indiaman Hinchinbrooke, until Hannibal made signals that he was unable to answer. A chase ensued, and with the night Suffren abandonned the pursuit to rejoin his fleet. On 21, the fleet encountered Hannibal again, and again detached Héros, Artésien and Vengeur, but this time with other ships deploying as to ensure communication between the pursuers and the main body of the fleet, allowing Suffren to press on his chase. Suffren caught up with his quarry on 22 around noon and forced her to surrender.

French career

Hannibal was brought into French service as Petit Annibal, to distinguish her from the eponymous 74-gun Annibal, which happened to serve in d'Orves' fleet. Lieutenant de Ruyter, first officer of Héros, was given command, and all the warships in the French fleet send a detachment as to constitute a crew capable of manning Annibal as a warship, Lawriston notably providing a company of the Régiment de hussards de Lauzun. After Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves died on 9 February 1782 and he assumed command of the French forces in the Indian Ocean, Suffren put Captain Morard de Galles in command, while De Ruyter took command of Pourvoyeuse.
Annibal saw service in his five battles with British Admiral Sir Edward Hughes in 1782 and 1783.
At the Battle of Providien, Petit Annibal was third in the French line, behind Artésien. She came within pistol range of his opposite number, HMS Eagle before opening fire. Her captain, Morard de Galles, was wounded by shrapnel but he kept his station.
In January 1783, she was under Beaulieu.

Fate

Petit Annibal was decommissioned in 1787 and used as a hulk from 1792.