Hired armed cutter Courier

The first contract for Courier was from 6 June 1798 to 1 November 1801. She was of 116 tons (bm) and carried an armament of twelve 4-pounder guns. On 16 April, Courier was in company with , and when they captured the Prussian hoy Dolphin. Then on 2 May, , with Courier in company, captured Vreeda. On 12 May, while off Winterton on the coast of Norfolk, Courier engaged a French 16-gun privateer. After an hour and forty minutes of fighting, the privateer chose to take advantage of the wind and her better sailing qualities and escaped in the darkness and thick weather. Courier tried to chase her but lost her after midnight. Courier had five men wounded in the action. During the action Courier observed another privateer, a lugger, in the distance, that remained aloof from the action. On 26 June Courier and captured Twee Gesisters. Between 18 July and 1 August, Courier, Circe, Pylades, Espiegle, and Nancy captured Marguerita Sophia, Twee Gesister, Twee Gebroders (Master, Vink) Twee Gebroders (Master, Nolholt), Jussrow Maria Christina, Vrow Henterje Marguaritha, Stadt Oldenburg, Vrow Antje, Vrow Gesina, Endraght, and Frederick. Between 11 and 12 August, Pylades, a 16-gun sloop under the command of Adam Mackenzie, accompanied by the 16-gun brig-sloop Espiegle, and Courier, attacked the former British gun-brig , moored between the island of Schiermonnikoog and Groningen. Courier started the action, which resulted in Crash surrendering after the two sloops joined in. Pylades lost one man killed and two wounded. Crash had a crew of 60 men and was armed with 12 carronades. The British also captured a schooner, which MacKenzie armed with two carronades and named Undaunted. The boats of the squadron, now including boats and men from Latona and , then attacked the 6-gun Dutch schooner Vengeance and a battery on Schiermonnikoog. The British were able to burn the schooner on the second attempt and to spike the guns of the battery. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issue to the surviving claimants of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Schiermonnikoog 12 Augt. 1799". Latona, Astrea, Cruizer, Pylades, Ranger, , Courier, hired armed lugger Speculator, and the hired armed cutters Fox and Diligent captured Aeolus, Jonge Picter , Vrow Alyda, Verwagting, Vinnern, and Almindeligheden. The same British vessels were also involved in the capture of Neptunus, Sen Soskende, Bornholm, Fabius, Zee Star, and Frou Eagle. On 21 November, Courier sailed from Yarmouth and on the afternoon of the following day saw a suspicious sail stopping a bark. Searle passed the bark, which reported that the other vessel was an enemy. Courier gave chase and came up with her the next morning 10 or 12 leagues off Lowestoft. After a close action of 50 minutes Courier captured the French privateer cutter Guerrier. Guerrier carried fourteen 4-pounder guns, had a crew of 44 men, and was commanded by Citizen Felix L. Sallemand. During her five days out of Dunkirk she had captured Nile, a brig from London carrying coal. Courier lost her master, Mr Stephen Marsh, who was killed at the start of the action, and also had two seamen wounded. The French had four killed and six wounded. Searle later received a promotion to Commander dated 23 November. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issuance of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Courier 23 Novr. 1799" for this action. ==Second contract==

The contract for this Courier was from 23 July 1804 to 18 August 1806. She was a cutter of 114 tons burthen and carried twelve 4-pounder guns. Courier served off Boulogne, Ushant and Rochester. At the end of her contract she was returned to her owners. On 12 December 1804 Courier was with the hired armed cutter Countess of Elgin and the hired armed schooner Charlotte, when they recaptured the ship New Concord. During the second half of 1805, Courier returned to the Downs in a battered state after having engaged a shore battery. While on patrol, she had recovered a warship's boat, together with a lieutenant and 16 men. Shortly thereafter she spotted a French privateer lugger sheltering under the protection of a shore battery. Courier attempted to cut out the lugger but came under fire from the battery's 24-pounders and a 12-pounder field piece on shore. Because of the shallowness of the water and the lack of wind, Courier was unable to proceed further. Having sustained serious damage she gave up the attempt. During the action Lieutenant Nainby from the sloop was killed, as were two other men, and one man was wounded. (Presumably the men that Courier had earlier recovered were from Megaera). ==Letters of marque==

Three letters of marque were issued to a ship or ships named Courier. The first may have been the same vessel as the first contract hired armed cutter Courier. The second and third letters of marque appear to have been issued to the same vessel, which however was neither the first letter of marque nor the hired armed cutter of the second contract above. For all three letters below, the vessel is described as being armed with twelve 3-pounders. • Of 12 guns and 122 tons burthen, Arthur Threlful, master; letter of marque dated 22 November 1798. • Of 12 guns and 106 tons burthen, William Adamson, master; letter of marque dated 3 November 1804. • Of 12 guns and 106 tons burthen, Thomas Pratt, master; letter of marque dated 22 February 1805. ==Notes==