Captain HMS
Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:27 pm
CAPTAIN 3rd rate 74, Built 1787 Limehouse. During the Revolutionary War she formed part of Lord HOOD's fleet at the occupation of Toulon in August 1793. She was then sent to dismantle the forts and batteries on the Iles d'Hyeres and then accompanied Rear Ad. GELL to Genoa.
On 11 July 1796 Commodore NELSON transferred his broad pennant from the worn out AGAMEMNON to CAPTAIN, For a long time AGAMEMNON's hull had been kept together by cables passed under her bottom. Nelson moved to MINERVE in December 1796 leaving Capt. R.W. Miller in command of CAPTAIN .
When he arrived at Gibraltar on 9 February Nelson learned that a Spanish fleet had passed the Rock to the westward and sailed in pursuit on the 11th. On the 13th he shifted his flag back to CAPTAIN and on the 14th engaged the Spaniards in the Battle of St. Vincent. CAPTAIN lost her fore-topmast and had not a sail, shroud or rope standing, and with her wheel shot away, was incapable of service in the line or in chase.
Nelson ran aboard the SAN NICOLAS and boarded her using the 69th regiment as marines. From her he boarded the SAN JOSEF giving rise to the saying in the fleet that this was "NELSON's patent bridge for boarding First Rates." CAPTAIN lost 7 killed and 10 wounded boarding the SAN NICOLAS, none were lost boarding the SAN JOSEF.
1799 she was used in the blockade of Brest.
On 5 November the boats of CAPTAIN pushed through the surf to bring off the officers and crew of MARLBOROUGH which had been wrecked on a ledge of rocks near Isle Grouat during a gale. In January 1801 CAPTAIN struck a rock off Ushant causing a severe leak. She came into the Sound on the 11th attended by FISGARD and the LORD NELSON cutter, her leak increasing all the time. She fired distress guns until she got to the narrows when all the boats from the dock and the fleet came to help her and she was got into the Hamoaze.
She went back into Service on 5 May 1801.
CAPTAIN was paid off at Plymouth on 6 August 1803 her crew were discharged and she was laid up in ordinary. 1805 At Plymouth for repairs.
Joined Channel fleet in 1807.
She being found unfit for further service, was paid off in 1810 and laid up in the Hamoaze.
At about 11 o'clock on the night of 22 March 1813 a fire broke out in CAPTAIN, she had been recently converted to a hulk.
The SAN JOSEF 114 guns 1st rate [ the same ship taken as a prize by CAPTAIN at St Vincent] was lashed alongside her, had she had not been cut free and towed to a safe distance she too would have gone up in flames.
By midnight the internal parts were fully ignited. More than 200 shots were fired into her to sink her before she drifted into other shipping. At about 4 o'clock, after burning to the water's edge, she slowly sank to the bottom.
Details from Ted Evans, Liverpool.
Gibraltar SG? Micronesia SG?
On 11 July 1796 Commodore NELSON transferred his broad pennant from the worn out AGAMEMNON to CAPTAIN, For a long time AGAMEMNON's hull had been kept together by cables passed under her bottom. Nelson moved to MINERVE in December 1796 leaving Capt. R.W. Miller in command of CAPTAIN .
When he arrived at Gibraltar on 9 February Nelson learned that a Spanish fleet had passed the Rock to the westward and sailed in pursuit on the 11th. On the 13th he shifted his flag back to CAPTAIN and on the 14th engaged the Spaniards in the Battle of St. Vincent. CAPTAIN lost her fore-topmast and had not a sail, shroud or rope standing, and with her wheel shot away, was incapable of service in the line or in chase.
Nelson ran aboard the SAN NICOLAS and boarded her using the 69th regiment as marines. From her he boarded the SAN JOSEF giving rise to the saying in the fleet that this was "NELSON's patent bridge for boarding First Rates." CAPTAIN lost 7 killed and 10 wounded boarding the SAN NICOLAS, none were lost boarding the SAN JOSEF.
1799 she was used in the blockade of Brest.
On 5 November the boats of CAPTAIN pushed through the surf to bring off the officers and crew of MARLBOROUGH which had been wrecked on a ledge of rocks near Isle Grouat during a gale. In January 1801 CAPTAIN struck a rock off Ushant causing a severe leak. She came into the Sound on the 11th attended by FISGARD and the LORD NELSON cutter, her leak increasing all the time. She fired distress guns until she got to the narrows when all the boats from the dock and the fleet came to help her and she was got into the Hamoaze.
She went back into Service on 5 May 1801.
CAPTAIN was paid off at Plymouth on 6 August 1803 her crew were discharged and she was laid up in ordinary. 1805 At Plymouth for repairs.
Joined Channel fleet in 1807.
She being found unfit for further service, was paid off in 1810 and laid up in the Hamoaze.
At about 11 o'clock on the night of 22 March 1813 a fire broke out in CAPTAIN, she had been recently converted to a hulk.
The SAN JOSEF 114 guns 1st rate [ the same ship taken as a prize by CAPTAIN at St Vincent] was lashed alongside her, had she had not been cut free and towed to a safe distance she too would have gone up in flames.
By midnight the internal parts were fully ignited. More than 200 shots were fired into her to sink her before she drifted into other shipping. At about 4 o'clock, after burning to the water's edge, she slowly sank to the bottom.
Details from Ted Evans, Liverpool.
Gibraltar SG? Micronesia SG?