Nancy (1792 ship)

Nancy was launched in 1792 and traded with Quebec. In 1793 she made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). On her return, the Sierra Leone Company purchased her, one of several vessels the company purchased to support their colony for Free Blacks. As she traded with Sierra Leone, a French privateer captured her, though the British Royal Navy recaptured her only days later. She then traded more widely. A French squadron captured her in 1805 and burnt her.

Career
Nancy first appeared in the 1792 volume of Lloyd's Register with A. Patterson, master, Phynn & Co., owners, and trade London—Quebec.

EIC voyage (1793-1795): Captain Alexander Patterson sailed from the Lizard on 29 December 1793, bound for Bengal. Nancy reached Calcutta on 20 June 1794. She left Bengal on 3 September and by 25 September was at Madras. From there she reached Saint Helena on 10 December, and Kinsale on 12 February 1795. She arrived at Beachy Head on 26 February.

On 2 April 1801, as Nancy, Davidson master, was returning from Sierra Leone, the French privateer Braave captured Nancy at 50.7°N, -12.23333°W. Four days later, HMS Cambrian (1797) recaptured Nancy. Nancy arrived at Plymouth before 14 April. Cambrian shared the prize money with HMS Venerable (1784) and HMS Superb (1798).

The Peace of Amiens having taken effect in early 1802, Nancy's new owners, operating out of Kingston upon Hull, started trading with France. With the resumption of war with France, they started trading more widely, sailing Nancy to the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and finally, the West Indies.

Fate
On 7 June 1805, Nancy, Cook, master, sailed from Antigua in a convoy of 15 merchantmen under the escort of HMS Netley (1798) and HMS Barbadoes (1804). They had the misfortune on 8 June to encounter a Franco-Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve. The two British warships managed to escape, but Villeneuve's fleet captured the entire convoy, valued at some five million pounds. He sent the convoy to Guadeloupe under the escort of the frigate FRENCH FRIGATE Sirène. However, on her way Sirène encountered several British frigates. She escaped after burning the merchantmen on 17 June.