Heureux (UH-roo)
The Heureux, later renamed to Flamand, occupies a notable place in the annals of American Revolutionary War history as the vessel that carried Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian military officer, to the shores of America. Departing from France in the fall of 1777, the "Flamand" embarked on a transatlantic voyage fraught with the perils of wartime navigation, ultimately arriving in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in December of that same year. This journey was not just a crossing of physical distances but also a pivotal moment in the unfolding narrative of the American fight for independence, bringing a figure whose military expertise would prove instrumental in transforming the Continental Army.
Captained by Pierre de Landais . Landais was a French merchantman lieutenant who trafficked arms to America for entrepreneur Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais created a fictitious trading enterprise called Hortalez et Cie that channeled French arms to the Americans via colonial West Indian entrepôrts. Once there, the arms were sold to American agents.
In January 13, 1779, she was reported as shipwrecked.
Located at the forward end of the ship.
Crew quarters, storage, and sometimes additional guns were housed here.
Foremast:
Supported the square-rigged sails.
Crew members operated the rigging and sails from this area.
Mainmast:
Supported the fore-and-aft rigged sails.
The main deck extended aft from this mast.
Quarterdeck:
Located aft of the mainmast.
Command center for officers.
Often elevated slightly above the main deck.
Helmsman steered the ship from here.
Guns were positioned on the quarterdeck.
Stern:
The rear part of the ship.
Captain’s cabin (if present) was located here.
Officers’ cabins and galley (kitchen) were also situated near the stern.
Reserved for the ship’s captain.
Relatively spacious and comfortable.
Included a desk, sleeping quarters, and personal belongings.
Officers’ Quarters
Adjacent to the captain’s cabin.
Smaller cabins for other officers.
Typically shared by lieutenants, navigators, and other senior crew members.
Crew Berths
Located forward in the forecastle.
Cramped sleeping quarters for the crew.
Hammocks were hung from hooks on the walls.
Galley (Cookhouse)
Near the stern or on the main deck.
Equipped with a stove or open fire for cooking meals.
Storage Areas
Holds for provisions, water, and ammunition.
Located below deck.
Gun Deck
Guns were positioned here for combat.
Cannons were secured to the deck and fired through gunports.
Crew operated the guns during battle.
Enclosed area on the quarterdeck where the ship’s wheel was located.
Protected the helmsman from the elements.
Bilge Pumps
Used to remove water that seeped into the ship’s hull.
Lanterns and Lighting
Oil lamps or candles provided illumination below deck.
January 13, 1779: Tragedy has struck. Montieu’s ship the Flamand, worth 400,000–500,000 l.t., has been shipwrecked at the mouth of the Loire. Chartered from him by a Nantes merchant, she was en route to the United States, and the coastal pilot had left her not ten minutes before. All aboard have perished, but doubtless the King will provide for the captain’s eight children.
The Flammand or Flamand, previously the Heureux, had made an earlier trip to America; her last appearance in our pages is xxvii, 577. Le Maire and Johnathan Wiliams, Jr. reported on the accident in their letters of Jan. 12.
General Characteristics
A brig was a two-masted sailing vessel with square-rigged sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigged sails on the mainmast. The term “privateer” refers to a privately owned and armed ship authorized by a government to engage in naval warfare against enemy vessels during times of conflict. Privateer brigs were agile, fast, and well-suited for raiding, capturing prizes, and evading pursuit.
Deck Layout
Forecastle (Fo’c’sle):Rooms and Spaces
Captain’s CabinAdditional Features
WheelhousePropulsion
Sail, full-rigged ship
Weapons & Armament
18 X 32 Pound Carronades
2x 12 Pound Long Guns
Armor and defense
Timber
Hangars & docked vessels
2 Cutters
1 Yawl Boat
Nickname
Flamand
Designation
Privateer Brig
Destruction Date
Reported as shipwrecked on January 13, 1779
Crew
Price
approx. $381,018
Rarity
Common in late 1700s (hundreds or thousands at any given time)
Beam
32 ft 7 in (9.9 m)
Length
127 ft 8+1⁄2 in (38.9 m) (overall 102 ft 9 in (31.3 m) (keel)
Height
Depth: 16 ft 2 in (4.9 m)
Weight
598 tons
Speed
Around 8 knots (depending on sailing conditions
Complement / Crew
120-220
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
6 Officer Quarters, one XO stateroom,
