Achille, 1798
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Completed : 16 Apr 1798 ; Disposal date or year : 1865
BM: 1981 tons
Notes:

15 Feb 1799 Portsmouth, a court martial was held on board the Gladiator, on James Haily, a seaman, of the Achille, for striking a midshipman in the execution of his duty, and for other mutinous conduct. The charge being fully proved, he was sentenced to be hanged.

19 Mar 1799 at Spithead.

7 Apr 1799 Portsmouth, departed on a cruize in the Channel, but put back on the 9th to St, Helen's, owing to strong contrary winds and departed on the 13th with a fine breeze from the eastward.

25 Apr 1799 cruising off Brest.

4 Jun 1799 arrived off Basque road, and on the 8th departed for England.

13 Jun 1799 Plymouth, arrived from off Brest ; has lost a jury bowsprit, and foretop mast, having been run foul of by the Caesar and received much damage : one of the crew was killed.

19 Jun 1799 remains in Cawsand Bay.

19 Jul 1799 Plymouth orders came down for the contractor for fresh beef to get ready 50 bullocks to be shipped in Achille, for the squadron under Vice Admiral Pole. A contract was also entered into this day at the Victualling Office for several tons of hay for use of the cattle on their passage, at �5 per ton.

28 Jul 1799 Plymouth this day Vice Admiral Sir A. Gardner, Bart, took under his command the Achille, in consequence of which the 50 bullocks shipped for Vice Admiral Pole�s fleet were all re-landed by Mr. Alders at Devils Point, for the use of the navy here.

14 Dec 1799 Portsmouth, arrived the Royal George, Venerable, Achille, and Montague, from the Channel fleet.

21 Feb 1800 Portsmouth, departed for Torbay, the Royal George, and Achille.

4 Mar 1800 Portsmouth, departed the Ajax, Achille, and Saturn, for Torbay.

24 Apr 1800 Torbay, the Channel Fleet, under the command of Sir Alan Gardner, departed, viz. Ville de Paris, Barfleur, Glory, London, Neptune, St George, Temeraire, Windsor Castle, Ajax, Achille, Cumberland, Canada, Captain, Centaur, Defence, Defiance, Elephant, Excellent, Hector, Impetueux, Marlborough, Ramilies, Resolution, Robust, Russel, Saturn, Superb, Terrible, Venerable, Warrior, Sheerness, Amelia, Sea Horse, Thames, and Havick.

20 May 1800 Portsmouth, arrived the Achille, Active, and Megaera, from Torbay,

28 Jun 1800 Portsmouth, departed the Achille, 74, to join the Channel fleet.

Circa 1 Aug 1800 At Totness, Devon, Mr. Fitzgerald, Purser of L'Achille, of 74 guns, married Miss Toms, of that place.

28 Aug 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Prince, 98, Prince George, 98, and Achille, 74, from the Channel fleet.

5 Sep 1800 Plymouth, departed from Cawsand Bay the Royal Sovereign, 110, Princess Royal, 98, Prince, 98, Prince George, 98, Bellona, 74, and Achille, 84. They were all clear of Penlee Point by night-fall.

8 Jan 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from a cruise off Brest.

28 Jan 1801 news received at Plymouth that the French fleet had departed Brest and that as a result the ships of the line in Cawsand Bay, the Barfleur, Achille, Russell, were ordered to make preparations to join the Channel Fleet once confirmation of the signal had been received ; were reported to have sailed in the afternoon. The remaining ships, the San Josef, and Prince George were expected to sail tomorrow with V.-Adm. Nelson.

20 Feb 1801 sent into Plymouth Sound the French sloop, name unknown, laden with wheat, detained by the Achille, Capt G. Murray.

26 Feb 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound to exchange the Edgar for the Achille, as she draws less water, and is destined for the North Sea, Captain G. Murray being perfectly acquainted with the difficult and intricate navigation of those seas.

7 Mar 1801 the Leda, in company with the Captain and Achille, joined the Ville de Paris, bound for the Channel Fleet, off the Sound.

15 Jul 1801 came into Cawsand Bay from the Channel fleet to refit having left them all well last Monday, and they had not suffered any thing by the late violent gales at S.W.

18 Jul 1801 the Excellent, and Achille, have struck yards and top masts, and are overhauling their rigging.

27 Jul 1801 departed Cawsand Bay for the Channel Fleet.

1 Aug 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet, and after receiving on board a supply of fresh provisions sailed to join the Fleet.

29 Oct 1801 came into Cawsand Bay the Achille, and Courageux, from the Rochefort squadron, which has experienced dreadful weather.

27 Nov 1801 yesterday a most unhappy accident happened on board the Achille, in Cawsand Bay. She was to be paid wages previous to her sailing to join Admiral Mitchell's squadron in Bantry Bay. As usual, several bum-boats were alongside with slopsellers, jew pedlars, &c. &c. wishing to get on board. Lieutenant Mudge, the First Lieutenant, had frequently ordered them off the ship, fearing the seamen would get on shore by their means, as she was under orders for sailing. One of the seamen in a bum boat alongside with some girls, was repeatedly ordered on board ; but not directly complying with the order, Lieutenant Mudge was so angry, that he took the musquet from the marine centinel on the gang-way, asking him if it was loaded. To which he answered, he did not know, he believed not. Lt Mudge then took a ball cartridge, twisted off the ball and threw it away, and loaded with the powder, and fired at the boat with the seaman in it. Unfortunately there was a ball cartridge in the musquet unknown to the centinel. The ball perforated through both cheeks of the seaman, carried away part of the orbit of the nose, all the palate, and occasioned a protrusion of the right eye. He was conveyed to the Royal Hospital, had his wounds dressed, though with little hopes of recovery. Lt Mudge is extremely distressed at the unhappy accident ; and was immediately sent on board the flag ship in Hamoaze, to await (if the seaman should die) the issue of the Coroner's inquest.

27 Nov 1801 this morning the seaman, William Forrester, of the Achille, who was shot in a bum-boat, lying alongside the Achille, in Cawsand Bay, died in great agonies at the Royal Hospital.

28 Nov 1801 this morning a jury sat on the body of the seaman of the Achille, shot by Lt Mudge, before Mr. Whitford, Coroner for Devon, when, after sitting from ten A.M. till seven P.M. and examining several witnesses on the unhappy accident, and after a laborious and patient investigation of the existing circumstances of the case, unanimously returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Lt Mudge ; of course, he will take his trial at the next Exeter assizes.

29 Nov 1801 departed Cawsand Bay the Achille, to join the fleet in Bantry Bay.

Circa 26 Dec 1801 Captain Buller has resumed the command of the Achille, 74, vice Wallis.

29 Dec 1801 this evening anchored at St Helen's, IoW, on arrival from Bantry Bay, with the squadron under the command of V.-Adm. Sir A. Mitchell, with a view to trying the mutineers from the Squadron.

14 Jan 1802 Pursuant to an order from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a Court-Martial was held this day, on board the Gladiator in Portsmouth harbour, for the trial of the following persons for Mutiny on board in Bantry Bay, viz.
John Allen, George Dixon, Edward Taylor, James Riley, George Comayne, Thomas Simmonds.
Following the trial the prisoners were put to the bar, and the Judge Advocate, in the same form as upon the last trial, read the Sentence, declaring Allen, Taylor, Dixon, RHej^nd Simmonds, guilty of the charges against them, and awarding judgment of Death ; and Comayne in part Guilty, and ordering him to receive 200 lashes.
19 Jan 1802 in the morning, Taylor, Allen, Dixon, Riley, and Simmonds were executed, agreeably to the above sentence. The three former suffered on board the Achille, and the two latter on board the Centaur.

[Regret that in view of the length of the transcript I'm unable to include the details of the trial. See page 80 of Vol 7 of the Naval Chronicle for 1802.]

22 Jan 1802 the Barfleur, Capt Ommaney ; Malta, Capt Bertie ; Centaur, Capt Littlehales ; Achilles, (sic) Capt Wallis ; Doris, Capt Brisbane., are under orders to depart Spithead for Torbay.

7 Feb 1802 departed Spithead, the Barfleur, 98, R.-Adm. Collingwood, Capt Ommaney ; Glory, 98, Capt Wells ; Malta, 84, Capt Bertie ; Achille, 74, Capt Wallis ; Canada, 74, Capt York ; Centaur, 74, Capt Littlehales ; and Doris, 36, Capt Brisbane, to Torbay, to join the Channel Fleet.

24 Feb 1802 arrived Cawsand Bay, the former captain of the Achille, Capt Wallis, apptd. to the Fisgard, vice Seymour, going on leave of absence.

4 Mar 1802 arrived Cawsand Bay from Torbay, to be paid, the Courageux, 74, and Achille, 84. The Courageux was first ordered on foreign service, but was replaced by the Excellent, 74, she being in a more forward state of service.

14 Mar 1802 remains in Cawsand Bay.

28 Mar 1802 departed Cawsand Bay for Torbay, having been paid her wages.

2 April 1802 it is reported that "at the Assizes at Exeter, last week, Lt Mudge, for shooting William Forrester, a seaman of the Achilles (sic), of 84 guns, Captain Buller, after a long trial, was honourably acquitted. Mr. Justice Le Blanc summed up the evidence for and against Lieutenant Mudge in a most perpicious, clear and animated manner." London Courier and Evening Gazette.

22-23 Apr 1802 departed Cawsand Bay for Hamoaze the Achille, 84 ; Centaur, 74 ; Belleisle, 84, and Courageux, to be paid off, all standing, and to be recommissioned, manned by volunteers, but the wind being unfavourable, they came to at different buoys, and warped up with the young flood.

Circa 24 Apr 1802 Captain O. Hardy to the Achille, vice Buller.

27 Apr 1802 the Achille, 84 ; Centaur, 74 ; Courageux, 74 ; and Belleisle, 84, were paid off all standing at Plymouth ; the crews discharged. 2 May 1802 recommissioned, the same Captains and Officers are re-appointed.

17 May 1802 this forenoon four Captain's parties of Royal Marines, consisting of a Captain, two Lieutenants, and 60 privates, embarked on board the Belleisle, 84, Achille, 84, Courageaux, 74, and Centaur, 74, but seamen enter very slowly, as their money is not yet expended ; the Achille remains in Hamoaze.

8 Jun 1802 being defective in her upper works was to be paid off at Plymouth and is to be docked to make good the defects.

29 Jun 1802 this forenoon the Achille, 84, was being stripped, and paid off in Hamoaze, and her crew turned over to other ships. She is laid up in ordinary for the present, being in want of much repair, and will go into Dock the first spring tide after the Great Portland Dock is vacant.

Circa 22 Nov 1802 The Lords of the Admiralty have appointed Richard Truscott, Esq. late Purser of the Suffolk, to be purser of the Achille.

May 1805 Plymouth, fitting Captain Richard King

20 Aug 1805 Dreadnought, Colossus and Achille, chased from off Cadiz by the Franco-Spanish fleet. 21st joined by the Mars, and was back on station once the joint fleet was in harbour.

10 Oct 1805 off Cadiz - the tactical preparations etc. for the forthcoming battle. 20 Oct combined fleet departed Cadiz, fleet manoeuvres.

21 Oct 1805 England expects�.. &c. signalled, the first shots of the Battle of Trafalgar are fired. Nelson shot. Resum� of what had taken place. Individual ship actions and losses : Achille. The post-mortem commences ; Summary of British casualties ; Death of Nelson ;

22-30 Oct 1805 losses amongst the prizes due to bad weather etc: Redoutable, Rayo, Monarca (sank) ; Fougueux, Bucentaure, Indomptable, San-Francisco-de-Asis, Aigle, Berwick (wrecked) ; Alg�siras (taken into Cadiz) ; Santa-Ana, Neptuno (recaptured) ; Santisima-Trinidad (scuttled) ; Achille, Intr�pide, San-Augustin (burnt) ; the washup ; burial of Nelson ;

25 Sep 1806 with a squadron under Commod. Sir Samuel Hood, off Rochefort, when a squadron of French frigates, bound to the West Indies, escaped : the signal for a general chase was given, resulting in the Armide striking to the Centaur ; Minerve to the Monarch ; Infatigable to the Mars, who also chased the Gloire, and at 3 P.M. compelled her to surrender, all 4 frigates being added to the Royal Navy.

4 Feb 1808 off Ferrol, a part of Sir R King's squadron.

Portsmouth Jan 5 1810 departed for Plymouth.

Portsmouth Jan 10 1810 departed for Plymouth

15 May 1810 Portsmouth. Reported by the Leda, to be at Cadiz when she departed,

24 June 1811 Reported to be off Toulon.

18 Jul 1811 off Toulon.

Letters from the Achille, of Aug 15, 1811, report her to be at Hieres Bay, off Toulon,

Falmouth Jul 6 1813 The Montagu packet, from the Mediterranean, left the Achille at Malta on 23d May.

Portsmouth Oct 4 1813 Released this from quarantine, having been under that restraint 31 days.

18 Apr 1814 In the afternoon of Tuesday, the Achille and Sybille were not more than five miles from the enemy, then standing into the Atlantic.

Portsmouth Apr 27 1814 Under Captain Holles, ordered to take the next East India convoy to the Cape of Good Hope.

Portsmouth May 10 1814 departed with the convoy of 35 sail for the East Indies, for the coast of Africa, Brazils, and the Cape of Good Hope.

Falmouth Nov 30 1814 The Speedy packet, just arrived with mails from the Brazils ; left the Achille at Rio Janeiro on the 4th Oct.

Portsmouth Jun 18 1815 The Valiant and Achille were reported to be in the Brazils.

1 Jan 1820 repairing with a circular stern.

1823 rebuilt

Jul 1830 Sheerness

Jan 1848 Sheerness,

20 Dec 1848 Sheerness

1860 at Sheerness, re-rated as a 78