Antoine-Joseph Preira

Antoine-Joseph Preira (born 1782, Portugal

Preira enrolled on a privateer near Saint-Pol-de-Léon a region that harboured a number of Portuguese sailors. He served aboard the 14-gun privateer lugger Réciprocité, under Captain Vincent Pouchain, before gaining his own command. He notably captured the merchantman Goodrick , which he brought to Saint-Malo. Lloyd's List reported on 22 July 1808 that Goodrich, Nicolle, master, had been taken by a privateer while sailing from Guernsey to Gibraltar, but that some of her crew had been able to return Guernsey. A report a month later stated that Goodrich had been taken into Roscoff.

Captain of Embuscade In September 1808, Balidar took command of , a brand new ship with an 89 to 100-man crew. Balidar captained her in two cruises, funded by the shipowner Quenouille the Elder. On 30 December, Embuscade encountered a British 16-gun naval lugger, and battled her until Balidar made an aborted attempt at boarding; the two ships then disengaged, and Embuscade returned to port having lost 15 men killed and 22 seriously wounded. Her opponent was almost certainly the hired armed lugger Sandwich under the command of Lieutenant Atkins. Sandwich suffered one man killed and seven wounded (two dangerously).

On 17 March 1809 Lloyd's List reported that Embuscade had captured after an action lasting an hour and a half. Vanguard had been sailing from Trinidad to London, and Embuscade took her into Dieppe. Earlier, Vanguard had been able to capture a French privateer and to repel attacks by two others.

On 21 May, Embuscade departed La Hougue to patrol off England; two days later, she returned, bringing with her the brig Favourite, Captain Pike, master, from Yarmouth, as his prize.

Captain of Pourvoyeur On 25 June 1809, Balidar had a daughter with his lover Aimable Rose Démarigny. At the time, he was listed as captain of Pourvoyeur, Apparently John Bull and Pourvoyeur exchanged fire, and then the French boarded John Bull and took her in hand-to-hand combat. The French reported having lost one man killed; British casualties were 14. He grossed 447,862 francs.

Captain of Indomptable On 18 July 1810, Balidar married Aimable Rose Démarigny. formerly the Revenue Cutter Swan, out of Cowes.

On 1 October 1810, Indomptable encountered a British convoy off The Lizard in thick fog, and captured the merchantman Roden; Balidar released her master and crew, who proceeded to warn the escorting frigate . and she struck.

Brought to England, Balidar was kept on a prison pontoon until 1811, when he escaped and returned to France.

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