H.M.S.Blossom. A wooden 3 masted ship of 422 tons, length o/a 108'4". Hull 90'9". Breadth 29'7'. Depth 9'. She was built to the lines of the French Amazon of 1745 as modified by Henslow & Rule and built by Guillaume at Northam. Her keel was laid in February 1806 and she was launched on 10th Dec. 1806 as a Cormorant class 18 gun ship rigged sloop of war for the Royal Navy.
Armament:‑ U.D. l6x32pdr carronades, F/c. 2x6 pdrs plus 2xl8pdr carronades, Q.D.6xl8pdr carronades. She carried a crew of 125 men.
On 23' April 1808 (Comm. George Pigot) her boats, in company with the boats of H.M.S.Nymphe (Capt. Conway Shipley) attempted to carry by boarding the Portuguese naval vessel Garrota (20) which had been seized by the French and was lying just above Belem, Lisbon. When the boats closed, the Garrota received supporting fire from the guns of Belem Castle plus those of a floating battery. Capt. Shirley was shot dead whilst leading the boarding party, confusion followed and the attack failed.
On 4th Nov.1810 (Comm. William Stewart) whilst cruising off Cape Sicie, near Toulon, she chased the French privateer xebec Cesar (4) which had a crew of 59, until they became becalmed. Blossom's two boats, one under Masters Mate Richard Hambly, the other with Lt. Samuel Davis with Midshipman John Marshall continued the chase under oars. When approaching Cesar they came under heavy fire in which Davis and 3 men were killed plus 5 others injured. Marshall then led the boarding with his 26 remaining men losing another 5 injured but took the Cesar. This act of bravery earned him his promotion to Lieutenant.
On 29‑4‑1812 (Comm. Stewart) her boats along with the boats of H.M.S. Undaunted (38) and H.M.S. Voluntaire (38) attacked a convoy of French merchantmen which were anchored near the mouth of the Rhone and without loss captured 7, burnt 12, including a 4 gun naval schooner and left 2 stranded. The guns of Blossom providing covering fire during the operation.
In 1824 she was commissioned as an exploration and survey vessel under the command of Comm.Frederick Beechey on a voyage which included an examination of the numerous islands east of Tahiti and an attempt to meet up with Parry's expedition by way of the Bering Strait. She discovered and surveyed the north coast of western America from Icy Cape (the furthest point north by Capt. Cook) to Cape Barrow, 126 miles. This commission was extended from 1825 to 1828 when Beechey did much surveying work in the Pacific.
In 1833 she was hulked and was finally broken up in August 1848.
Richard Emmerson Log Book May 2003
Pitcairn Islands SG318