Argo, 1781
Type: 4th rate ; Armament 44
Launched at Howden Pans : 1781 ; Disposal date or year : 1816
Tons (BM) : 892
Notes:

25 Sep 1795, the Fortitude, Bedford, and Censeur, previously detached from the Mediterranean fleet, for England with a convoy, along with the frigates Argo, Captain Richard Randell Burgess, Juno, Lutine, and fireship Tisiphone. The Argo and Juno, with 32 sail of the convoy, parted company in the Gut.

13 Apr 1796 capture of the French frigate Unit� by the R�volutionnaire while cruising off Ushant, and forming a part of a squadron composed of the frigates Indefatigable, Argo, Captain Richard Rundell Burgess, Amazon, and Concorde.

4 May 1798 the rescue of Captain Sir Sidney Smith and others by the Arethusa, Niger and Argo from off off the mouth of the river Seine.

7 Nov 1798 a part of a squadron which arrived this day for the invasion of Minorca.

13 Nov 1798 off Minorca the Leviathan, Centaur, and Argo, along with some armed transports, chase a fast disappearing Spanish squadron, but re-capture the late British sloop Peterel, taken the previous day.

19 Nov 1798, off Minorca, with the Leviathan, Centaur, Calcutta, Ulysses, Cormorant, Aurora, Peterell, and cutter Constitution, Lt. Whiston, in support of the Army during the capture of Minorca. See also the Naval Chronicle pp. 77-80 Vol. 1, 1799.

1 Jan 1799 Capt. J. Bowen. In the Mediterranean.

6 Feb 1799 Argo captured the Spanish frigate Santa-Teresa, whilst in company with the Leviathan 74, near Majorca. The Santa-Teresa was subsequently purchased into the service.

Apr 1799 at Minorca under orders for Algiers with presents for the Dey.

May 1799 visit to Algiers.

Extract of a letter from an Officer on board HM Ship Argo dated Port Mahon 29 May 1799.

We are just returned from Algiers, where we have been to negotiate with the Dey for a supply of fresh provisions for the Army and Navy at Minorca. Capt. Bowen was so much in favour with the Dey and Regency there that he procured the freedom of six poor fellows, British subjects, that had been confined in slavery upwards of 14 years ; they are now on board, enjoying the blessings of true liberty, serving their king and country, and have requested me to get their names inserted in some of the English newspapers, that their friends, if any living, may know they are now happy, and comfortably situated. Before we came away, the Dey, as a farther mark of his friendship far Capt. Bowen, requested him to accept of a rich Turkish sabre, and two fine Arabian horses:

7 Jul 1799 at Gibraltar.

27 Nov 1799 Portsmouth, arrived with the frigates Assurance, and Apollo, from the eastward.

3 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived from Oporto, with wines, the Liberty, Sly : she left the fleet all well off this port this morning under convoy of the Argo.

11 Jun 1800 Portsmouth, departed the Argo, to join Earl St. Vincent's fleet.

10 Sep 1800 Plymouth, came in the St. Antonio, Spanish lugger, in ballast, captured by the Argo, Captain Bowen, from which she parted all well on the 19th ult.

20 Oct 1800 captured, after a 15 hours chase, the Spanish letter of marque, San Fernando, mounting twelve long six pounders and fifty-three men, 5 days from St. Andero, bound to La Vera Cruz, laden with bar iron and bale goods, belonging to the Royal Phillipine company. In addition the the following were taken or destroyed : French brig Maria Louisa, in ballast, sent in ; Spanish barque, Sel Vincento, laden with iron ore, seat in ; two Spanish barques, names unknown, laden with iron ore ; sunk.

3 Nov 1800 Portsmouth, arrived the Argo, with the Spanish letter of marque St. Fernando, fitted out with 18 guns, but pierced for 22, and laden with silks, from St. Andero, bound to Vera Cruz.

16 Dec 1800 Portsmouth, departed with sealed orders and with the Eliza, Ann, and Mornington, with stores for the Cape of Good Hope, under her convoy.

13 Mar 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound a valuable Spanish packet, prize to the Argo. She was convoyed by La Venturier, 16, Lieutenant Birdwood, from Milford.

11 Jun 1801 arrived the Downs with a convoy from China.

14 Jun 1801 arrived Spithead from the Downs having seen her convoy safe to the Downs.

15 Jun 1801 departed Spithead with the Hydra, on a cruise off Havre.

18 Jun 1801 arrived Spithead with the Trent and Wolverene, from a cruise off Havre.

27 Jun 1801 departed Spithead the Argo, Capt Bowen, ; Carysfort, Capt Drummond ; and Wolverene (or should that be Hydra?), Capt Wright, with transports, for Cowes to take troops on board. The 85th regt is at present at Newport, and will embark shortly, along with a company of Artillery, to embark on the Carysfort.

28 Jun 1801 arrived Spithead the Argo, the Carysfort, Hydra, and several transports, with the 85th regiment and forty of the artillery on board, from Cowes.

29 Jun 1801 departed Spithead the Argo, the Carysfort, Hydra, and transports, on a such a very secret expedition. Beware of irony alert = I!

5 Jul 1801 arrived Torbay and remains with the Majestic.

6 Jul 1801 departed Torbay this morning the Argo, Carysfort, and Falcon, with a convoy of troop ships &c., each with a flat bottomed boat on deck, on a secret expedition.

8 Jul 1801 due to SW winds the Argo, Carysfort, and Falcon, with convoy put back to Torbay.

11 Jul 1801 put back to Torbay, the Argo, Carysfort, Falcon, and five transports, with the 85th regiment on board for a secret expedition.

23 Jul 1801 arrived Madeira. Following consultation with the Governor the troops went ashore on the 27th and the Argo, Carysfort, Falcon were to remain until relieved.

Circa Aug 1801 Mr. Naesmith, Purser of the Argo, to be purser of the Texel.

6-7 Sep 1801 departed Plymouth Sound the hired armed brig Louisa, Lt Wm Truscott, to Madeira, with dispatches for Capt Bowen, of the Argo, 44, and Col Clinton, and a Lieutenant for the Argo, along with her Master.

19 Mar 1802 arrived St Helen's the Argo, 44, Captain Bowen, from the coast of Guinea, on the Coast of Africa.

31 Mar 1802 at Spithead, and has been ordered to Woolwich to be paid off.

5 Apr 1802 departed Spithead to the Eastward to be paid off.

9 Apr 1802 arrived at Sheerness and then departed with a light breeze for Chatham.

1 Nov 1802 the Argo came down from Chatham and passed through the Downs, joining the Pylades, just departing the Downs for the Westwards.

25 Apr 1803 arrived Barbadoes from the Coast of Africa.

12 May 1803 a letter as dated from Barbadoes reports that the Centaur, Argo, Emerald, Heureux, Cyane, Osprey, Gauchapin, Drake, Netley, and L'Eclair are now gone to Martinique, and the Venus and Hornet cruise off Guadaloupe.

Circa 14 Jul 1803 per a letter received from the Centaur she has reported the deaths of Lt Mowatt, of the Ulysses ; Mids Willer and Child, and Mr Archdeacon, purser of the Emerald ; and Mid Cole of the Blenheim. Lt Woolcombe of the Argo has been apptd to the Centaur and Lt K Nowseley of the Ulysses to the Argo.

14 Aug 1803 arrived Spithead with dispatches from the West Indies, the Argo, Capt Hallowell.

Circa 19 Aug 1803 a court martial was held on board the Gladiator, at Portsmouth, on Mr J Brown, Boatswain of the Argo, on a charge of causing the death of his yeoman, with blows and other violence. The charge was not proved, being malicious and ill-founded and he was acquitted.

2 Sep 1803 departed Spithead on a cruise.

12 Sep 1803 captured the French privateer cutter Oiseau, 9 days out from Rochfort, and not made any captures.

14 Sep 1803 met a West Indian convoy at about Lat 49:15 � Long 20:19, having taken a French privateer yesterday.

20 Sep 1803 the convoy divides : those for Liverpool going up St George's Channel with the Venus.

22 Sep 1803 arrived Spithead the French privateer Oiseau.

11 Oct 1803 Lt W de Busk, late of the Argo, died at RNH Haslar, possibly from wounds that he received recently at in a action at St Lucia.

7 Nov 1803 arrived Spithead from a cruise.

Circa 12 Nov 1803 has made a signal at Spithead for a convoy for the Mediterranean, the Argos, Capt Hallowell. Circa 26 Nov has annulled her signal, having been replaced by the Diana.

20 Dec 1803 His Excellency Elfi Bey embarked on the Argo with his staff, for Egypt, and the following day was shown around Portsmouth Dockyard and other places of interest, and was particularly interested in the steam engine employed in the Yard. The Argo departs when a more favourable wind returns.

Circa 31 Dec 1803 during the recent gales the ship Matthew, a part of the West Indies convoy, drove foul of the Argo, carrying away her bowsprit and yards, but these are now repaired and she is still awaiting a favourable breeze.

2 Jan 1804 the Argo departed Spithead with His Excellency Elfi Bey bound for Alexandria.

Circa 12 May 1804 Capt Gosselin apptd to the Argo.

17 Jun 1804 the Argo, Capt Hallowell, arrived Spithead, from Alexandria.

22 Jun 1804 a Court Martial was held on board the Gladiator at Portsmouth on Mr J Armstrong, boatswain of the Argo, for grossly insulting Mr Thompson, midshipman of that ship, and was sentenced to be reprimanded and admonished to be more careful in the future.

6 Jul 1804 departed Spithead in company with the Magnanime, with a convoy for the Downs. The Argo then departs on a Secret Service.

Circa 21 Jul 1804 Capt Codrington, apptd to the Argo.

May 1805 Deptford, fitting

5 Aug 5 1806 departed Deal with a squadron on a cruize.

10 Jan 1811 is ordered to depart Spithead for Leith to bring back the crews of the late ships Nymphe and Pallas for Court Martial.

28 Jan 1811 has gone down to St. Helen's.

30 Jan 1811 departed Spithead with a squadron for Lisbon.

6 Sep 1811 departed Spithead for Algiers.

6 Dec 1811 arrived at the Motherbank from Malta, ie put under quarantine.

9 Dec 1811 came up to Spithead from the Motherbank, having been released from quarantine.

3 Feb 1812 departed Spithead.

4 Mar 1812 arrived Spithead from off Brest.

8 Apr 1812 departed Spithead for Constantinople.

22 Jan 1813 departed Spithead with the West India convoy.

14 Apr 1813 the Argo captured the American schooner Fly on the N.A. & W. Indies station : sent to Jamaica



28 Apr 1813 the Argo captured the Spanish schooner Anna on the N.A. & W. Indies station : sent to Jamaica.

30 Sep 1814 arrived Jamaica with a convoy from Carthagena.

17 Oct 1814 departed Jamaica with convoy for England.

14 Dec 1814 arrived Spithead from Jamaica, having parted with her convoy in a gale some weeks since.

23 Dec 1814 departed Spithead for Plymouth

24 Dec 1814 arrived Plymouth from the Downs.

25 Jan 1815 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

3 May 1815 arrived in the Downs from Portsmouth to receive the flag of Admiral Scott, the Flag Officer at the Downs.

26 Jul 1815 remains in the Downs.