Bittern, 1796
Type: Sloop ; Armament 18
Launched : 1796 ; Disposal date or year : 1833
BM: 422 tons.
Notes:

15 Mar 1797 captured the French privateer Casca.

13 Sep 1797 captured the French privateer Agreable.

8 Sep 1798 captured the French privateer Dix Ao�t on the West Indies station.

16 Sep 1800 Portsmouth, arrived from the West Indies.

2 Nov 1800 Portsmouth, departed with a convoy for the Downs.

15 Dec 1800 Yarmouth Roads, following depredations to shipping by a French privateer off Scarborough, the Shannon, Bittern, lugger Phoenix and cutter Drake were sent on a cruize in order to provide protection to the homeward-bound Baltic convoys.

14 Jan 1801 arrived Yarmouth, the Pylades, Bittern, Narcissus, Nancy cutter, and Speculator lugger.

2 Feb 1801 remains in the Roads at N. Yarmouth.

12 Apr 1801 departed N. Yarmouth, on a cruise off the coast of Holland, a squadron from Adm. Dickson's North Sea Fleet, including the the Princess of Orange, flag ship for Adm. Dickson, with the Leyden, Madras, Monmouth, Texel, Agincourt, Bittern sloop, and Hart and Cobourg cutters.

16 May 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth Adm. Dickson's squadron, from a cruise off Goree, consisting of the Princess of Orange, Leyden, Agincourt, Texel, Madras, Assistance ; Squirrel, frigate ; Hart, brig ; Speculator, lugger ; Bittern, sloop ; and Griffin, cutter.

31 May 1801 the Bittern, Capt Kittoe, arrived Cuxhaven with a convoy of 40 merchantmen.

18 Jun 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth from a cruise.

21 Jun 1801 Adm Dickson's squadron departed N. Yarmouth for a cruise on the Coast off Goree, consisting of the Blenheim, flag ship ; Assistance, Leyden, Princess of Orange, Brunswick, Standard ; Bittern sloop ; and Liberty cutter.

24 Jun 1801 departed N. Yarmouth with the Speedwell on a cruise.

24 Jul 1801 departed N. Yarmouth on a cruise.

29 Jul 1801 departed N. Yarmouth for a cruise.

18 Oct 1801 arrived N. Yarmouth from a cruise.

2 Nov 1801 at the Great Nore.

10 Nov 1801 will be paid off this week at Sheerness.

12 Nov 1801 remains Sheerness, with 6 sloops and 14 gun-brigs, at the Nore.

18 Nov 1801 a Court Martial was held onboard his Majesty's ship Ardent, lying at the Nore, on the carpenter of the Bittern, for drunkenness, and neglect of duty ; when the charges being proved, he was broke, and rendered incapable of ever serving his Majesty again.

27 Nov 1801 is reported to have come into Sheerness harbour to be paid off.

30 Nov 1801 it is reported at Sheerness that the Bittern, Capt Kittoe, has been ordered to depart for N. Yarmouth shortly.

3 Dec 1801 departed Sheerness for N. Yarmouth.

20 Dec 1801 remains in N. Yarmouth Roads with the Blenheim, Adm. Dickson, and his squadron.

30 Dec 1801 arrived Sheerness, from Yarmouth.

14 Feb 1802 remain at the Nore, with the Zealand.

10 Mar 1802 arrived Spithead the Bittern, Captain Kittoe, from the Downs.

Circa 24 Apr 1802 Captain Corbett [apptd] to the Bittern, vice Kittoe.

13 May 1802 this evening the jolly boat of the Bittern, manned by a Master's Mate and 4 seamen, upset whilst going out to the Bittern, at Spithead. Unfortunately the Master's Mate drowned, despite the best efforts made to save him, but the seamen were rescued by the great efforts of the crew of the revenue cutter Antelope.

11 Jun 1802 departed Spithead the Bittern, Captain Corbert, to the Eastward.

13 Jun 1802 passed through the Downs from Spithead to Sheerness.

20 Jun 1802 departed N. Yarmouth on a cruise against smugglers.

15 Sep 1802 taken into Dock at Sheerness.

14 Oct 1802 paid-off and recommissioned at Sheerness.

24 Nov 1802 just came down, [from the River], passed through the Downs to the Westward.

2 Dec 1802 arrived Cawsand Bay, from the Westward, seeking protection from a tremendous S.S.E. gale that has been running with very high seas.

6 Dec 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound from Leith, last from the Downs with the Oiseau, 36.

9 Dec 1802 the Bittern, 18, has had Blue Peter flying all day at Plymouth as a signal for sailing.

118 Dec 1802 departed Plymouth on a cruise against smugglers.

25 Dec 1802 at Spithead, the Bittern, sloop, Capt Corbett, is ordered to the Mediterranean.

3 Jan 1803 the sloop Bittern, and her convoy, the naval storeship Abundance, laden with naval stores for the Mediterranean, have made signals for sailing.

5 Jan 1803 departed Spithead this morning the Bittern, Capt Corbett, with the Abundance for the Mediterranean, however the Abundance went ashore near the Needles, and the departure was delayed.

10 Jan 1803 departed Spithead for Gibraltar.

21 Jan 1803 arrived at Gibraltar, having parted from the Abundance in a gale, and arrived on the 23rd.

23 Jan 1803 departed Gibraltar to join the fleet, last reported to be off Sardinia.

Circa 1 May when the Juno arrived Gibraltar the Maidstone, Victorieuse, and Bittern were lying there.

7 Sep 1803 departed Lisbon in company with the Prince of Wales packet, from Falmouth, and accompanied her for a few leagues before proceeding for Gibraltar.

10 Sep 1803 captured the French privateer Caille, fitted for 14, but only 6 guns in board, and 60 men, in the Straits, one of many privateers that infest the Gut.

28 Apr 1804 the Bittern, Capt Corbet, reports to Capt Schomberg, his senior officer at Malta, that he had captured the French cutter privateer L'Hirondelle, 14, and recaptured the Mentor and Catherine, her prizes with valuable cargoes.

May 1805 Mediterranean

2 Aug 1807 captured the Spanish privateer El Verga del Rosaria, settee, 2 guns, 20 men, on the Mediterranean station.

11 Sep 1812 Came down Plymouth harbour, into the Sound, after having been refitted.

21 Nov 1812 arrived Plymouth from Liverpool.

5 Dec 1812 departed Plymouth for Liverpool.

12 Jan 1813 arrived Plymouth from Liverpool.

20 Aug 1813 departed Plymouth for Liverpool.

2 Oct 1813 departed Plymouth for Falmouth.

12 Apr 1814 arrived Plymouth from the westward.

9 May 1814 departed Plymouth to the westward.

20 Jun 1814 arrived Portsmouth from a cruise.

4 Jul 1814 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

12 Jul 1814 departed Portsmouth for Gibraltar.

1 Aug 1814 arrived Plymouth from a cruise.

2 Sep 1814 arrived Falmouth from Plymouth and has departed for Liverpool.

18 Jul 1815 departed Deal on a cruise off Dungeness.

21 Aug 1815 departed Plymouth for Ireland.

16 Sep 1815 arrived Plymouth from a cruise.

8 Nov 1815 arrived at Plymouth.

c 29 Aug 1825 arrived Falmouth, from Liverpool, en route for Plymouth.

c 31 Aug 1825 departed Falmouth for Plymouth.

29 Dec 1825 remains Plymouth.

30 Sep 1826 arrived Devonport with seamen from Liverpool.

30 Sep 1826 arrived Portsmouth from Plymouth with seamen and departed when they had been disembarked.

19 Dec 1826 departed Plymouth to the westward.

31 Jan 1828 Plymouth Sound.

1830 Plymouth.

30 Aug 1833 offered for sale at Plymouth in a Dutch auction at �2,000, and sold at �1,930.