The French corvette Lynx was a 16-gun brig launched at Bayonne on 17 April 1804. She served as the flagship of her two-vessel class, constructed to plans by Pierre-Jacques-Nicolas Rolland. Commissioned in June 1804 under Lieutenant Fargenel, Lynx participated in the Trafalgar Campaign, notably ferrying dispatches between Fort de France and France, arriving there on 10 July 1805. Lynx was assigned to a five-frigate squadron under Commodore Eleonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil, tasked with ferrying supplies and troops to the French West Indies. During the action of 25 September 1806, her convoy was intercepted by a British squadron, leading to the capture of four frigates. Lynx, along with the frigate Thétis and the corvette Sylphe, escaped. Lynx successfully outran HMS Windsor Castle and arrived in Martinique on 31 October. Her service came to an end when British boats under Lieutenant William Coombe captured her off Les Saintes on 21 January 1807. The British assault involved an arduous eight-hour rowing in intense heat, culminating in a fierce boarding action where Lynx's crew resisted heavily. The engagement resulted in British casualties of nine killed and 22 wounded, including Coombe, who was wounded by a musket ball during the attack. The French suffered 14 killed and 20 wounded. Coombe, who had previously lost a leg in combat, was promoted to commander after the action. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Heureux, commissioning her in Antigua in April 1807 under Coombe. Coombe continued active service until his death during a daring night operation at Mahaut, Guadeloupe, on 29 November 1808, where he was struck by a shot while leading a cutting-out party. His crew successfully captured a schooner and a brig, but Coombe was fatally wounded. After Coombe’s death, Captain Michael Halliday replaced him. HMS Heureux arrived at Plymouth on 20 January 1810 and was laid up in ordinary. She was eventually sold on 1 September 1814 for £460 and broken up. The vessel’s notable service, including her escape from the British blockade and her involvement in daring cutting-out expeditions, marks her as a vessel of maritime significance during the Napoleonic Wars.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.