CORNWALLIS packet
Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:43 pm
Of the Packet CORNWALLIS after some time trawling through the net I found, that she was the first packet dispatched on a new service from the U.K. to Gibraltar and Malta opened in the year 1806.
Not a builder or year of built found, also tonnage and dimensions and owner. The only thing that I found that she had one long 9 pdr.stern gun. Can also not find her in Lloyds Registry of that time.
At that time she was sailing under Captain Anthony, and when she was passing through the Strait of Gibraltar on 28 July 1806 she was attacked by six gunboats from Tarifa.
After a fight of two hours the gunboats withdrew with heavy losses, the CORNWALLIS had one men killed.
24 September 1808 in a position windward of Barbados, still under command of Captain Anthony, she was chased by the French privateer LA DUQUESNE, schooner rigged and armed with 12 guns. The CORNWALLIS could not outrun the privateer and prepared for battle. After a battle of 2.15 hours the privateer sheared off with 14 men killed and 30 wounded. The CORNWALLIS was severe damaged had 2 men killed and 2 wounded but she arrived safely in Barbados on 25 September.
The Naval Chronicle gives of the action as follows:
GALLANT ACTION IN THE WEST INDIES'.
THE CORNWALLIS packet, Anthony, recently arrived from the West Indies, on her outward-bound voyage, sustained a most gallant action with a large French schooner privateer. On the 24th of September, in lat. 13 deg. 41 min. long. 56 deg. 13 min. Barbadoes distant about 200 miles, the schooner fell in with the packet at daylight, and immediately gave chase. Captain Anthony, finding the schooner came up fast, and being all prepared for action, shortened sail, and fired a shot at the schooner, which was returned by a broadside. The action then commenced, and was continued for two hours and a quarter with great fury, when the schooner, having had enough of it, sheered off, leaving the packet a complete wreck, with her main-mast cut through by a double- headed shot, and almost all the shrouds on that and the fore-mast carried away, her braces, and nearly all the running rigging and sails, cut to pieces, with two men killed, and the mate and a passenger wounded. Captain Anthony would have pursued the privateer, if he had not been so much cut up in his rigging. The packet arrived at Barbadoes next day, and repaired her damages.
A handsome subscription was collected by the merchants at Barbadoes, and presented to the gallant crew of the CORNWALLIS, whose bravery merits every reward they can have. On the packet's arrival at Dominica, two captains of vessels who had just arrived there from Martinique, informed Captain Anthony, that the privateer which he had engaged was called la DUQUESNE, of 1 1 guns, and one long 18-pounder on a traverse. She arrived at Martinique in a very shattered state ; and acknowledged her loss to be 14 killed and 30 wounded.
CAPTAIN ANTHONY.
A FEW merchants of Barbadoes have transmitted 631 for a silver cup, to be presented to Captain Anthony, of the CORNWALLIS packet, as a testimony of their high sense of his very gallant conduct in the defence of his ship, when attacked to windward of that island by a French schooner privateer, of very superior force, on the 24th September last. We hope the committee of the West India merchants will follow the example, and vote a handsome sum to Captain Anthony and his gallant crew.
I can’t find more on her or the captain, fate unknown
Gibraltar 2006 8p sg?, scott?
Not a builder or year of built found, also tonnage and dimensions and owner. The only thing that I found that she had one long 9 pdr.stern gun. Can also not find her in Lloyds Registry of that time.
At that time she was sailing under Captain Anthony, and when she was passing through the Strait of Gibraltar on 28 July 1806 she was attacked by six gunboats from Tarifa.
After a fight of two hours the gunboats withdrew with heavy losses, the CORNWALLIS had one men killed.
24 September 1808 in a position windward of Barbados, still under command of Captain Anthony, she was chased by the French privateer LA DUQUESNE, schooner rigged and armed with 12 guns. The CORNWALLIS could not outrun the privateer and prepared for battle. After a battle of 2.15 hours the privateer sheared off with 14 men killed and 30 wounded. The CORNWALLIS was severe damaged had 2 men killed and 2 wounded but she arrived safely in Barbados on 25 September.
The Naval Chronicle gives of the action as follows:
GALLANT ACTION IN THE WEST INDIES'.
THE CORNWALLIS packet, Anthony, recently arrived from the West Indies, on her outward-bound voyage, sustained a most gallant action with a large French schooner privateer. On the 24th of September, in lat. 13 deg. 41 min. long. 56 deg. 13 min. Barbadoes distant about 200 miles, the schooner fell in with the packet at daylight, and immediately gave chase. Captain Anthony, finding the schooner came up fast, and being all prepared for action, shortened sail, and fired a shot at the schooner, which was returned by a broadside. The action then commenced, and was continued for two hours and a quarter with great fury, when the schooner, having had enough of it, sheered off, leaving the packet a complete wreck, with her main-mast cut through by a double- headed shot, and almost all the shrouds on that and the fore-mast carried away, her braces, and nearly all the running rigging and sails, cut to pieces, with two men killed, and the mate and a passenger wounded. Captain Anthony would have pursued the privateer, if he had not been so much cut up in his rigging. The packet arrived at Barbadoes next day, and repaired her damages.
A handsome subscription was collected by the merchants at Barbadoes, and presented to the gallant crew of the CORNWALLIS, whose bravery merits every reward they can have. On the packet's arrival at Dominica, two captains of vessels who had just arrived there from Martinique, informed Captain Anthony, that the privateer which he had engaged was called la DUQUESNE, of 1 1 guns, and one long 18-pounder on a traverse. She arrived at Martinique in a very shattered state ; and acknowledged her loss to be 14 killed and 30 wounded.
CAPTAIN ANTHONY.
A FEW merchants of Barbadoes have transmitted 631 for a silver cup, to be presented to Captain Anthony, of the CORNWALLIS packet, as a testimony of their high sense of his very gallant conduct in the defence of his ship, when attacked to windward of that island by a French schooner privateer, of very superior force, on the 24th September last. We hope the committee of the West India merchants will follow the example, and vote a handsome sum to Captain Anthony and his gallant crew.
I can’t find more on her or the captain, fate unknown
Gibraltar 2006 8p sg?, scott?