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''Blonde'' was a French 32-gun privateer corvette, built in Bordeaux around 1801 and commissioned in 1803 under François Aregnaudeau. She preyed on British and American commerce, notably destroying the Royal Navy corvette HMS ''Wolverine'', before the frigate HMS ''Loire'' captured her on 17 August 1804. ==Privateer== ''Blonde'' started her career in June 1803 under François Aregnaudeau, a promising privateer captain noted for capturing several valuable ships off Darmouth on ''Heureux Spéculateur''.〔La Nicollière-Teijeiro, p.412.〕〔Demerliac, no 2027, p.241〕〔Brongniart, p.78〕 ''Blonde'' had a successful cruise, notably capturing the former Royal Navy brig , by then commissioned as a whaling ship and returning to London from the South Seas Fisheries.〔(''Lloyd's List'', n° 4378. )〕 On 22 July 1803, at ,〔(National Archives (United Kingdom): ''Cullands Grove''. )〕 ''Blonde'' encountered the under-manned Indiaman ''Culland's Grove'', which struck. ''Culland's Grove'' was on her return leg from India and carried a valuable cargo amounting to 2.5 million francs in insurance money. On 24 February 1804, ''Blonde'' departed from Santander, Spain, and in the following days captured the ships ''Diana'', ''Eclipse'', ''Sally and Rebecca'', ''Rollindson'', and ''Zephir''. On 24 March 1804, she encountered an eight-ship convoy escorted by the corvette HMS ''Wolverine''. Aregnaudeau attacked ''Wolverine'' and forced her to surrender.〔〔 ''Wolverine'' sank almost immediately after striking. While ''Blonde''s crew was busy rescuing the survivors, the convoy attempted to escape. Still, ''Blonde'' managed to capture two ships, ''Nelson'' and ''Union''. ''Blonde'' then returned to Pasaia,〔''Fonds Marine'', BB4, tome 1, p.311〕 having captured a total of eight ships and 228 prisoners.〔Gallois, vol.2, pp.250〕 Denis Decrès ordered that the most deserving crew members of ''Blonde'' be honoured; Aregnaudeau received a sword of honour from the merchants of Bordeaux, and on 18 July 1804 he was made a Knight in the Legion of Honour.〔La Nicollière-Teijeiro, p.418〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Blonde (1803 ship)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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