Series 07: Papers concerning Henri de Freycinet’s command of the Élisa and other naval matters

SAFE/MLMSS 10275/Box 2/Folder 3
SAFE/MLMSS 10275/Box 4/Item 6

series

1810-1813

9650183

1 folder and 1 item of textual material

In 1810, Henri de Freycinet was commander of the frigate Élisa when it came under attack from the British Royal Navy while anchored at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, Normandy during the 'Action of 15 November 1810'. Forced by the British to move closer to shore, the Elisa became grounded on a shoal off Tatihou Island. On 23 December 1810 she was set on fire by the British, destroying her. On 22 January 1811, Freycinet went before a mandatory court-martial, at which he was honourably acquitted.

Reference:
Compiled from the Library's acquisition file

1. ‘Île Tatihou le 23 Decembre 1810’, being two copies of a formal report by Henri de Freycinet on the loss of the ship Élisa to the British on the shores of Tatihou Island, Normandy, [prepared between 23 December 1810 and 22 January 1811] (fair copy on 3 pages, the other copy on 4 pages, with Laage archive stamps, Dossier 199 F-7), in two different secretarial hands.
2. Manuscript copy of three scientific works by Jean-Charles de Borda and Antoine Bonnet de Lescure, transcribed in France, [1811 or later], from originals of 1763, 1767, 1769 and 1811. Bound together in an early 19th-century French binding with spine ornamented in gilt and lettered ‘Borda’. In the left-sloping hand of Henri de Freycinet, with tables and diagrams in an unknown hand.
i) [Jean-Charles] de Borda, ‘Expériences sur la résistance des fluides’, in two parts, with tables and diagrams; copied from the Mémoires de l’Académie Royale des Sciences for 1763 and 1767 (15 and 7 pages);
ii) [Jean-Charles] de Borda, ‘Mémoire sur la courbe décrite par les boulets et les bombes en ayant égard à la résistance de l’air’, copied from the Mémoires de l’Académie Royale des Sciences for 1769 (19 pages);
iii) [Antoine] Bonnet de Lescure ‘Mémoire sur les effets des cabestans et des caliornes’, (7 pages), being a paper read before the Société de Littérature, Sciences et Arts of Rochefort on 10 February 1811.
3. Report on the prosthetic arms developed by Davet, presented to the Athénée des Arts de Paris by Henri de Freycinet, Reynier [Edmé Régnier?], Lenoir and Fabré, Paris, 31 January 1812 (3 pages on two large sheets pinned together). The report, in which the authors did not recommend Davet’s invention, was read and approved during the Athanaeum’s meeting on 10 February 1812. (Located at Box 4/Item 6)
4. ‘État de la Marine française’, being a report in tabular form on the comparative strength of the French and English naval forces, in a formal hand, 1 January 1813 (4 pages on a single folded sheet,), together with notes headed ‘Forces navales françaises’ in Henri de Freycinet’s hand [left-sloping], listing and locating French armed vessels and naming their commanders (booklet of 11 pages, with Laage archive stamp, Dossier 195 B).

Chronological

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Item 2 (bound volume) is almost certainly the second item listed in Henri de Freycinet’s invoice for bookbinding from Boucard, dated 2 January 1840 (see Series 05/Item 25 of the Freycinet family archive).