Hired armed cutter Courier

The Hired armed cutter Courier appears twice in the records of the Royal Navy. The size and armament suggests that both contracts could represent the same vessel, but other information indicates that the second Courier had been captured from the French in the West Indies. On the first contract the captain and crew were awarded clasps to the Naval General Service Medal, one for a boat action and one for a single ship action in which they distinguished themselves.

The first contract for a Courier was from 6 June 1798 to 1 November 1801. She was of 116 ³⁸⁄₉₄ tons burthen (bm) and carried an armament of twelve 4-pounder guns. She had a crew of 40 men.

In 1799 she was under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Searle, in the North Sea. On 15 April he recaptured the Nelly from the French privateer Vengeur. On 16 April, Courier was in company with Latona, Astraea and Cruizer when they captured the Prussian hoy Dolphin.

Then on 2 May, Ranger, with the Courier in company, captured the Vreeda.

On 12 May, while off Winterton on the coast of Norfolk, Courier engaged a French 16-gun privateer. The French brig was attacking a British merchant sloop when Courier intervened. The brig was armed with 16 guns, mixed 6 and 9-pounders. After an hour and forty minutes of fighting, the privateer chose to take advantage of the wind and her better sailing qualities and escape in the darkness and thick weather.Courier tried to chase her but lost her after midnight. Courier had five men wounded in the action.Latona and Ranger assisted in the action.

The next day Courier captured the French brig's consort, the privateer schooner Ribotteur off the Texel. She had a crew of 26 men and was pierced for six guns but carrying four 3-pounders, having thrown two overboard during the chase.Ribotteur did not resist. During the action Courier observed another privateer, a lugger, in the distance, that remained aloof from the action.

...
Wikipedia