Apollo, 1799
Type: Fifth Rate: 36-gun frigate, 18-pounder, small ; Armament 36
Launched : 1799 ; Disposal date or year : 1 April 1804
Disposal Details : Wrecked on the coast of Portugal : captain and many of the crew perished.
Notes:

1799 The replacement of long-guns by carronades meant that the Apollo, originally designed as a 38 gun frigate, was to be armed with additional carronades, making a total of 44 guns, thus making a nonsense of the current rating system.

27 Nov 1799 arrived at Spithead with the Argo, and Assurance, from the eastward.

2 Dec 1799 Portsmouth arrived with the Amazon from the eastward.

27 Dec 1799 Plymouth passed by to the westward.

11 Jan 1800 whilst on convoy duty captured the Spanish vessel Aquilla, 22 guns, 4 mounted, in lat. 43� 29' N., long. 12� W., commanded by Don Mariano Merino, bound from Buenos Ayres to Corunna, with a cargo.

15 Jan 1800 recaptured the Lady Harewood, a ship that parted from the convoy on the 1 Jan, in a gale was taken some 2 days ago in lat 38� N. long. 16 deg. W. by the French privateer Vautour, 20 guns.

25 Jan 1800 at sea, off Madeira.

10 Nov 1800 At noon, in the Gulf of Mexico, in latitude 21� N., gave chase to a xebec to windward of us, but soon after discovered a brig directly in the wind's eye, and chased her, and at two in the morning got up and took possession of the Resolution Spanish sloop of war of eighteen guns and 149 men, commanded by Don Francisco Oarrichena (formerly the Resolution cutter in the British navy) ; she departed from Vera Cruz three days before. The Resolution was in general towed until the 27 Nov, when her main-must went by the board ; an attempt was made to refit her, but her rigging and sails being rotten, and everything belonging to her in such a miserable condition, it was necessary to destroy her.

11 Nov 1800 as soon as the crew of the Resolution were removed to this ship, made all sail, and an hour after day-break got sight again of the xebec, and captured her at three o'clock in the afternoon : she is from Vera Cruz, and was bound to the Havannah.

7 Dec 1800 off Porcillo, in the island of Cuba, recaptured the schooner St. Joseph.

18 Feb 1801 captured the French privateer Vigilante in the Gulf of Mexico.

Circa 17 Mar 1801 arrived at Port Royal, Jamaica, the Calypso, Apollo, Lowestoffe, and Acasta with a Spanish prize.

30 Mar 1801 the Sans Pareil, 80 ; Carnatic, Thunderer, 74s ; York, 64 ; Abergavenny, 54 ; Apollo, 36, Capt Halket ; Nereide, 36 ; Retribution, 32 ; Bonetta, 18 ; Merlin, Albicore, 16s ; were at Port Royal, Jamaica, when the Falmouth packet Lady Francis arrived from Martinique.

Sep 1801 It is reported that some 14 days following the loss on on the 9 Jun of the Meleager, in the Gulf of Mexico, as food and water were running low and the situation was becoming serious, the Apollo hove in sight, and rescued the crew.

Oct 1801 further to the last it is reported that the Apollo picked up the officers and men from the Meleager, ashore and lost on the Triangles in the Gulf of Mexico circa 9 June, and took them to Jamaica.

16 Oct 1801 the Falmouth packet, Princess Elizabeth, Capt Kidd, called at Jamaica, where he found HM Ships Cumberland, Abergavenny, Topaze, Circe, Cerberus, Retribution, Volage, Shark, Calypso, and Merlin, and during her stay the Carnatic, Seine, and Crescent arrived, and Capt Kidd departed Jamaica 2 Nov., with HM ship Apollo in company.

12 Mar 1802 arrived Spithead the Seine, Stork, and Apollo, Captain Halkett, from Jamaica.

8 Apr 1802 is ordered to be paid off.

18 Apr 1802 has, with the Princess Royal, Dido, Success, and Arethusa been paid off at Portsmouth.

17 Oct 1802 the Apollo and La Loire frigates are to be commissioned at Portsmouth.

22 Oct 1802 posting bills have been put up at Portsmouth and vicinity, offering a bounty for seamen and petty officers for the Apollo and Penelope frigates, fitting for sea.

Circa 21 Nov 1802 Captain J. W. T. Dixon to the Apollo frigate.

23 Jan 1803 remains in Portsmouth harbour, fitting out.

1 Feb 1803 departed the Downs for N. Yarmouth.

14 Feb 1803 made a signal to go out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

13 Mar 1803 has been paid a 2 months advance of pay.

14 Mar 1803 departed Spithead for Dublin to impress seamen.

Circa 9 Jul 1803 arrived Spithead the French national brig Dart, from Martinique, for Havre, prize to the Apollo, with a number of passengers, including, reputedly, 2 cousins of Bonaparte.

17 Jul 1803 arrived Spithead from a cruise, having made 5 captures which have already arrived at Portsmouth.

24 Jul 1803 departed Spithead on a cruise to the westwards.

23 Aug 1803 arrived in the Downs with a convoy of 3 East India ships, ie the Sir Wm Bentley, Fame, and Verona.

24 Aug 1803 departed the Downs, the Apollo, Capt Dixon, on a cruise.

1 Dec 1803 arrived Spithead, the Apollo, Capt Dixon, from Cork.

7 Dec 1803 a court martial was held on board the Gladiator at Spithead on Lieut W H Douglas of the Apollo, for neglect of duty and disobedience ; the charge in part proved the court adjudged him to be reprimanded.

12 Dec 1803 ordered to rejoin Lord Gardener's squadron off Cork.

31 Dec 1803 dropped down from Spithead to St Helen's.

3 Jan 1804 departed Spithead the Apollo with a convoy for Cork.

26 Mar 1804 the wrecking of the Apollo and a part of the West Indies convoy on the coast of Portugal and the escape of Carysfort and rest of the convoy.

Circa 9 Apr 1804 it is reported at Portsmouth that the Apollo has departed Cork for the West Indies with a convoy.

Circa 19 May 1804 it is reported at Portsmouth that the remaining officers and crew of the Apollo that were wrecked on the coast of Portugal, on a sandy desert, had to march 18 miles to Figeura, from whence they were conveyed to Lisbon in a schooner, and brought back to Portsmouth in the frigate Orpheus, Capt Hill. Mr Manly, with many of the officers and men, were on the wreck for 72 hours, without the least sustenance. The names of the officers arrived are Lieuts W H Douglas, and E Harvey ; G Ramsden, Master ; W Manly, Purser ; J Pope, Carpenter ; Capt Myers, of the 15th Regt., passenger to Barbadoes ; Midshipmen Matthews, Walker, Crouch, Ramsden, and Roper ; E Lewis, Clerk ; 76 men and 6 boys ; and Lieut J Campbell, and 8 marines.
Officers and men lost : Capt Dixon ; Lieut C Wilson ; Rance, Surgeon ; Lawton, Gunner ; Stanley, Mate ; Hayes, and Proby, Midshipmen ; McCabe, surgeon's mate ; 40 men, 7 boys, 5 marines, and 1 servant.

22 May 1804 a Court Martial was held at Portsmouth to investigate the loss of the Apollo, and agreed that the loss was caused by her running on shore near Cape Mondego, on the Coast of Portugal, on 2 Apr., by means of an error in her reckoning ; but that no blame was imputable to the surviving officers and company for their conduct on that occasion ; and did adjudge them to be acquitted.

Circa 16 Jun 1804 Mr Manby, late of the Apollo, apptd to the Hindostan.