HMS Captain

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Captain, 1787
Type: 3rd Rate ; Armament 74
Launched : 1787 ; Disposal date or year : 22 Mar 1813
Disposal Details : Burnt in the Hamoaze, Plymouth Harbour
BM: 1639 tons
Complement: 584
Notes:

Apr / May 1793 departed under the command of Captain Samuel Reeve, as a part of a squadron for the Mediterranean Fleet, then to be based off Toulon.

30 Sep 1793 Bedford departed from Toulon for Genoa with the Captain and brig Speedy, arriving off Genoa on 5 Oct and captured the French 36-gun frigate Modeste, and two armed tartans : Modeste was taken into the RN. The Captain then went on to Spezzia bay where, on the 11 Oct she found the French 36 gun frigate Imp�rieuse had been scuttled. Over the course of 2 days the vessel was raised and also became a part of the Royal Navy.

Early Aug 1794, Captain Samuel Reeve, departed Bastia with Lord Hood in the Victory in pursuit of a French squadron, which sought safety of Gourjean bay. Leaving a squadron to blockade the French the Admiral returned to Corsica to continue operations. Due to stormy weather driving the British out to sea the French squadron was able return to Toulon.

9 Mar 1795, the Mediterranean fleet departed from Leghorn, sighting the French fleet the following day. At daylight on the 13th Adm Hotham sent out the signal for a general chase which ended the following day with the capture of the Ca-Ira and Censeur and the fleets heading off in opposite directions.

14 Jun 1795 the fleet, whilst on a cruise, was joined by a squadron from Gibraltar and England off Minorca.

8 Jul 1795, the fleet, at anchor at in San-Fiorenzo bay, once aware that the French fleet was close by, gave chase. It was sighted on the 13th and later the order was given for the general chase, but apart from the loss of a 74 by the French the result was inconclusive and resulted in not a little criticism, the consequence perhaps being Admiral Hotham's resignation on 1 Nov 1795.

6 Aug 1795, Admiral Hotham put to sea on a cruise, sighting the French fleet in Toulon road.

27 Jun 1796 Commodore Nelson, in the Captain, to which he had just been promoted, anchored off the Malora, to be ready to stop any ships that might be uninformed of the change of ownership that had taken place at Leghorn.

10 Jul 1796 Commodore Nelson, in the Captain 74 and a small frigate-squadron, with a detachment of troops, took quiet possession of Porto-Ferrajo.

14 - 21 Oct 1796 At Bastia. The 74s Captain, and Egmont, with other vessels, embarked British troops, following the invasion of Corsica by the French.

Dec 1796 Command of the naval force at Porto-Ferrajo intrusted to commodore Nelson, who shifted his pendant from the Captain, 74, to the Minerve frigate, the Captain, 74, leaving the Mediterranean with the fleet when it departed from Gibraltar on 10 Dec for the River Tiber.

21 Dec 1796 the Tagus. The Mediterranean fleet arrived.

Circa 20 Jan 1797 departed from the Tagus with a Portuguese convoy and was subsequently, 6 Feb., joined off Cape St.-Vincent by a squadron detached from the Channel fleet.

14 Feb 1797 Jervis's action with the Spanish off Cape St Vincent.

31 Mar 1797 departed from Lisbon to blockade Cadiz.

15 Jan 1799 at Spithead ; 17th dropped down to St. Helen's in preparation for a cruise off Brest ; 20th remains at St. Helen's.

28 Jan 1799 departed with the squadron under Queen Charlotte, for a cruise off Brest.

5 May 1799 arrived in Cawsand Bay from Spithead.

6 May 1799 Cawsand Bay, with other ships of the line joined the Queen Charlotte off Plymouth Sound and departed down Channel before dark.

20 May 1799 joined the fleet in the Mediterranean off Minorca and anchored in Port-Mahon that evening and departed on 22 on a cruise.

19 Jun 1799 with the advanced division of the Mediterranean fleet, captured the French vessels Junon, Alceste, Courageuse, Salamine and Alerte, which were purchased into the Service, Junon being renamed Princess Charlotte.

6 Oct 1799 Plymouth, came in from Torbay to refit.

16 Oct 1799 Plymouth, departed 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, Achilles, 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.

17 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived from off Brest with the Impetueux, and Neptune, : left the fleet all well last Wednesday. The combined fleets were sickly, and were gone into the Inner Roads.

30 May 1800 Plymouth, orders came down for the Captain, 74, to fit and victual for six months for foreign service.

25 Aug 1800 operations in support of the Army against the harbour of Ferrol on the coast of Spain.

29-30 Aug 1800 ship's boats of the London, Renown, Imp�tueux, Courageux, and Captain capture the French ship-privateer Gu�pe.

11 Sep 1800 in Cawsand Bay.

18 Sep 1800 Plymouth, departed to join the Channel fleet.

30 Sep 1800 Plymouth, letters from the Caesar, 84, of 26th, state, that the Caesar, 84. Pompee, 84, Captain, 74, Montague, 74, Sinus, 36, and Megaera, 24, compose the in-shore flying squadron in Dauarnez Bay, near Brest, where, in the late heavy gales of wind at S. W. they lay as snug as in Torbay or Cawsand bay, without splitting a rope yarn. The Megaera in expected in soon to refit. Captain spoke with a large West Indiaman from Jamaica, of 600 tons, taken by La Grand Mouche French privateer of Bourdeaux, and recaptured going into that port by the Alarm, Dispatch, and Marquis of Townsend privateers, of Guernsey : when the West Indiaman was boarded by the above privateers, the prize-master found seven of the mutineers of his Majesty's late ship Danae, who on being discovered, were put in irons. It should be observed, that the Danae's mutineers entered at Bourdeaux, principally on board the French privateers La Grand Mouche, 36, and 300 men, and La Bellone, 36, and 300 men.

8 Oct 1800 Plymouth, the Captain, 74, and Mars, 74, appeared off the Sound from the westward, laid to for orders, and then departed for Torbay.

12 Oct 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Renown, 74, Impeteux, 84 ; Captain, 74 ; Courageux, 74 ; Superb, 74; from the secret expedition. Since the failure at Ferrol the above squadron has been cruising in the Bay.

4 Nov 1800 loss of the Marlborough, 74, when in company with the Captain, 74, off the coast of France.

17 Nov 1800 ships' boats destroy French 20-gun ship-corvette R�olaise in Port Navalo and capture a merchant vessel. 7 men belonging to the Captain were wounded.

2 Dec 1800 Plymouth, letters received from the Suworow, 14 guns, Lt Nicholson, dated the 14th ult. state, that near the Glenan Isles, the Captain, 74, chased a fine French corvette, of 24 guns, on shore. Conceiving it possible to destroy her, the Suworow towed in four boats, with Lieutenant Hannah, and a party of marines and seamen. The Nile, 14, Lt Argles, and Lurcher, 14, Lt Forbes, towed in four other boats, manned and armed, close in shore, though annoyed by a tremendous fire of grape, round, and musquetry, from a battery high above her. They however succeeded in landing, set her on fire, and, after seeing her blow up with a dreadful explosion, the seamen and marines gave three cheers and re-embarked with their gallant leaders, with the loss of only one man killed by a shot striking the flute of the Suworow's anchor through his head, and seven men wounded, three dangerously. The Suworow was much cut up in her sails and rigging ; and having all her anchors shot away, was fastened to the Captain by an hawser.

11 Jan 1801 arrived Plymouth from the coast of France, very leaky, attended by the Fisgard, and Lord Nelson cutter, off the sound ; she fired guns of distress from Pontie points, till she got into the narrows, when all the boats of the yard and fleet came to her assistance, and she got into Hamoaze very leaky, pumping all her trip from the Black Rocks.

11 Jan 1801 arrived Plymouth a French sloop, with wine and brandy, bound to Brest, prize to the Captain, and Nelson cutter, Lieutenant Pearce. Also a Prussian galliot, with hemp and iron, cleared out from Elsineur to Lisbon, with a passport from the French Consul, at the former port, she was found at anchor off Quiberon, waiting for a pilot for Brest.

12 Jan 1801 by accounts received it appears that she struck on a sunken rock off Ushant, with so violent a shock under the step of the foremast, that she made water very fast almost 3 inches a minute, but with the great exertion of the officers and crew, by continual pumping, they kept her free till her arrival in this port, when the leak had increased very much : she will go into dock to be overhauled : it is said the rock on which she struck, was laid down wrong.

13 Jan 1801 her stores are reported to have been removed in order that she can be taken into dock.

3 Mar 1801 reported to be ready for sea.

5 Mar 1801 went into Cawsand Bay.

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

12 Mar 1801 the Ville de Paris, Adm. Cornwallis, arrived Torbay with the Royal George, San Josef, Prince George, Windsor Castle, Glory, Temeraire, Neptune, Atlas, Prince, and Captain from off Brest, where R.-Adm Saumarez remained with a strong squadron.

15 Mar 1801 departed Torbay with the fleet which arrived on Thursday evening, the 12th, along with the Unicorn, which arrived Friday evening.

17 Mar 1801 has just come to anchor in Torbay the fleet which departed on the 15th.

21 Mar 1801 the weather being reportedly blowing a heavy gale at W by N the fleet consisting of the same vessels as on 12 Mar., along with the Venerable, is taking shelter in Torbay.

30 Jul 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from Commodore Pellew's squadron, which he left all well off Rochefort the 25th inst. after a cruise of twenty weeks.

6 Aug 1801 departed Plymouth this morning for the Channel Fleet, the Prince, Captain, Capt R.J. Strachan, 74s, and Doris, frigate, Capt Brisbane.

6 Sep 1801 came into Plymouth Sound the Captain, from the fleet off Rochefort, which she left all well last Tuesday.

8 Sep 1801 Captain C. Boyles took the command of the Captain, and departed to rejoin the Rochefort squadron with live cattle and vegetables.

30 Oct 1801 the Goliath, Elephant, Captain, Ganges, and Brunswick arrived off Madeira and departed the same day.

3 Nov 1801 the Falmouth packet Leicester, Steel, arrived Port Royal, Jamaica, where the Santa Margarita, Crescent, Carnatic, Retribution, Topaze, Mosquito/Musquito, and Abergavenny were present. During the Leicester's stay at Port Royal the HM ships Bourdelais, Snake, Echo, Ambuscade, Tisiphone, Calypso, Juno, Sans Pareil, Melampus, Pelican, Captain, Goliah/Goliath, Brunswick, and Elephant arrived there.

10 Nov 1801 letters received Plymouth from the Captain, dated off Brest, state, that the following ships, with sealed orders, were detached from the Channel fleet, supposed for Jamaica, viz. Goliath, of 74 guns, Commodore Essington ; the Captain, Ganges, Brunswick, and Elephant.

30 Nov 1801 the Ganges, Brunswick, Elephant, Captain and Goliath, ships of the line, and frigate Ambuscade arrived at Port Royal from the Channel fleet in a month and 4 days. The Ambuscade departed Port Royal 7 Dec 1801 and arrived Spithead 19 Jan 1802.

19 Jan 1802 arrived Spithead the Ambuscade, 36, Captain the Hon. John Colvill, from Jamaica. She sailed from Port Royal on the 7th of December, and left there R.-Adm. Montagu, in the Sans Pareil, with H.M. ships Carnatic, Abergavenny, Crescent, Melampus, Juno, Circe, Bourdelais, and Tisiphone. The following ships were also there, having been detached from the Channel fleet, and arrived at Port Royal on the 26th of November, viz. Goliath, Elephant, Captain, Ganges, and Brunswick.

23 Jan 1802 letters received Plymouth from the Captain, 74, Captain Boyles, dated the 5th December, 1800, state, her safe arrival there, [presumably at Jamaica}, with four sail of the line and two frigates ; the squadron was so healthy as to have scarcely a man upon the sick list.

10 Jul 1802 came up to Spithead from St. Helen's the following men of war from the West Indies. They left St. Domingo on the 16 June, several large packets of letters were landed from them, and sent off to London. The St. George, Warrior, Resolution ; Captain, 74, Captain Boyles ; Zealous, and Robust.

12 Jul 1802 departed Spithead the Foudroyant, and Captain, for Plymouth, to be paid off.

14 Jul 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound to be paid off, dismantled, and laid up in ordinary in the river Tamar ; she will go up the first fair wind.

17 Jul 1802 is lying at single anchor in Plymouth Sound, waiting for a wind to go up the harbour.

20 Jul 1802 went up into Hamoaze to be stripped and paid off, with a fine wind at W.N.W.

29 Jul 1802 was paid off and laid up in ordinary, and her crew discharged.

Doubled and sheathed &c.from top of the side down to six strakes under the wale and strengthened with diagonal braces.

May 1805 Plymouth, repairing

7 Jul 1805 joined the Channel fleet off Brest, from Plymouth.

23 Jan 1807 Captain Wolley is appointed to command.

26 Jul 1807 departed as a part of a fleet of 38 vessels for Copenhagen and was present from 15 Aug - 20 Oct 1807 for the siege and bombardment of Copenhagen and capture of Danish Fleet by Adm. Gambier.

24 Dec 1807 occupation of the island of Madeira.

13 Jun 1808 commanding officer, Capt. Wolley, attended court of inquiry held on board the York, at Barbados, regarding the sending ashore of Robert Jeffery by Lieutenant Lake, commanding officer of the Recruit, to the uninhabited island of Sombrero.

30 Jan-24 Feb 1809 a part of a expedition under R.-adm Sir A Cochrane which arrived off Martinique with a view to taking the Island.

12-17 Apr 1809 a part of a British squadron, off the Saintes, West Indies, which chased a French squadron, and captured the French 74-gun d'Haupoult of 1871 tons, and, under the name of Abercromby, cruised for three or four years in the British service. 1 May 1835 a portion of the prize money resulting from this action due for payment : namely a dividend from the estate of the bankrupt agent Henry Abbott's : no doubt one of the many fraudsters who ripped off matelots in those days : officers and ratings being fair game.

Plymouth 26 Oct 1812 Receiving hulk, used as an accommodation ship for crews of vessels which have been put into dock.

Plymouth 22 May 1813 The remains of the Captain have been warped ashore, so that that part of the harbour is now clear.