HMS Carnation (1807)

HMS "Carnation" was a Royal Navy 18-gun "Cruizer" class brig-sloop built by Taylor at Bideford and launched in 1807. After the French brig "Palinure" captured her, she was burned by the French to prevent her recapture.
Career.
"Carnation" entered service at Plymouth in 1807 under Commander Charles Mars Gregory, who sailed her to the West Indies in 1808. On 3 October, the French brig "Palinure" engaged "Carnation" northeast of Martinique. Gregory and all his officers were killed or wounded in the opening exchanges and "Palinure"′s crew attempted to board. "Carnation"′s crew were mustered to resist, but a Royal Marine sergeant named John Chapman refused the order and led over 30 men below decks to await capture. The remaining crewmen were outnumbered and had to surrender.
"Carnation" had lost 10 killed and 30 wounded, perhaps half mortally; the French lost about 15 men killed and wounded. The French then took "Carnation" to Marin Bay, Martinique.
The French commissioned "Carnation" on 31 January 1809 under the command of "Ensign de vaisseau" Simon-Auguste Huguet. Huguet had distinguished himself in the engagement as "Palinure's" "Capitaine de frègate" Pierre-François Jance had been debilitated by yellow fever and reportedly died within an hour of the victory after transferring to "Carnation", which was the better vessel.
Fate.
During the invasion of Martinique in January 1809, British troops landed close to where she was berthed. On 31 January 1809 her crew set "Carnation" on fire, destroying her.
Postscript.
The British arrested Chapman and 31 of the crew who had deserted the deck during the battle. A court martial convicted them of cowardice; Chapman was hanged from the yardarm of the day after his sentence was passed. The others were sentenced to floggings and transportation as convicts to Botany Bay for 14 years, though it is not clear this part of their sentence was ever carried out. One man was acquitted.
On 31 October 1808, the frigate encountered "Palinure" near Diamond Rock. A short engagement followed in which "Circe" captured "Palinure". She had lost seven killed and eight wounded; "Circe" had lost one man killed and one wounded. The British took "Palinure" into service as HMS "Snap".