[2] At the end of January 1801, a French squadron under Admiral Honoré Ganteaume comprising seven ships-of-the-line and two frigates, and carrying 5,000 troops, escaped from the port of Brest.

Believing its destination to be the West Indies, a similar sized force, under Sir Robert Calder was sent in pursuit.

[4] She left Barbados on 20 June in the company of Hood's 74-gun flagship HMS Centaur, the frigates Argo and Chichester, and the sloops Hornet and Cyane.

[8][Note 1] On the way the convoy ran into severe weather with the result that Prince of Wales, which had also left St Helena with the rest, foundered with the loss of all on board; this had been her maiden voyage.

[11] Shortly after the outbreak of the War of 1812, on 12 August, Courageaux shared in the seizure of several American vessels: Cuba, Caliban, Edward, Galen, Halcyon, and Cygnet.