Diamond, 1794
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 38
Launched at Deptford 1794 ;
Disposal date or year : 1812
Notes:

7 Aug 1794 Captain Sir J B Warren, K. B., Flora, with the frigates Arethusa, Diamond, Artois, Diana, and Santa-Margarita, put to sea from Falmouth in search of cruising French frigates.

On the 23d Aug 1794, off the Penmarck rocks, the Diamond, Capt Sir Wm Sidney Smith, Artois, Santa-Margarita, and Diana reportedly chased and engaged a French frigate, name unknown, but possibly either the Volontaire or the F�licit�, and drove her on shore near the Penmarcks where they left her "disabled and irrecoverably lost."

21 Oct 1794 the capture of the French 40-gun frigate R�volutionnaire by the Artois, when cruising in company with the frigates Arethusa, Diamond, Capt Sir Wm Sidney Smith, and Galatea, off Ushant.

2 Jan 1795, following rumours that the Brest fleet had departed, the frigates Flora, Arethusa, and Diamond, Capt Sir Wm Sidney Smith, were despatched from Falmouth to ascertain the truth. The entered the port of Brest at about 1400 on the 3rd, and departed the following morning having confirmed that the French fleet had departed, along with other intelligence.

9 May 1795 the frigates Melampus, Diamond, Capt Sir Wm Sidney Smith, H�b�, Niger and Syren captured a valuable convoy off the coast of France.

18 Mar 1796 Capt Sir Wm Sidney Smith, of the Diamond, having already sounded the entrance to the port of Herqu, entered the port accompanied by the brig Liberty, and lugger Aristocrat : whilst there the Etourdie corvette, four brigs, two sloops, and one of two armed luggers, were set on fire and destroyed.

17 Apr 1796 abortive attempt to cut out the French privateer Vengeur from the port of Havre, in the River Seine, by a part of the crew of the frigate Diamond, resulting in a number of casualties and the capture of Captain Sir WS Smith and many of the boats crews.

6 May 1796 and Rattler captured the French privateer Pichegru off Cherbourg.

24 Dec 1796 captured the French privateer Esp�rance.

19 Apr 1797 the Diamond, Minerva, Cynthia, Camilla, and hired cutter Grand Falconer captured the American ship Favourite.

27 Apr 1797 captured the French privateer Esp�rance.

29 Apr 1797 it is reported that the Diamond and Minerva have been on shore near Cape Barfleur and are so damaged that they must both be docked when they return to Port. See p. 521-> www.naval-review.org/issues/1927-3.pdf.

23 Sep 1797 destroyed a French privateer, Name unknown, near Cape la Heve.

Apr ? 1798 Exchange of fire with gun boats.

30 May 1798 arrived off H�vre following the destruction of the French 36-gun frigate Confiante.

1 Jan 1799 Capt. Sir R. J. Strachan, Bart.

19 Mar 1799 at Spithead.

2 Apr 1799 came up to Spithead from St. Helen's.

24 Apr 1799 Portsmouth, departed with the East India fleet.

3 Jul 1799 Portsmouth, has captured and sent in a large Spanish ship, laden with brandy : the Diamond, and her convoy of East-India ships, arrived at Madeira in 8 days from this port.

12 Jul 1799 at Spithead, on the 20 Jun the Revolutionnaire captured L'Hippolite French letter of marque, from Cayenne, bound to Nantes, and in lat. 46 deg. N. and long. 24 deg. W. we recaptured the brig Margaret, from Greenock bound to Savannah, who had been taken but a few hours before by the French ship privateer Determine then in sight ; and which, after a chace of 14 hours, was captured by the Revolutionnaire. I have brought her to Spithead ; she is a very complete vessel, sails uncommonly fast, and is well calculated for his Majesty�s service : she is pierced for 24 guns, mounts 18 brass twelve and nineteen pounders, and had 163 men on board when taken.

13 Jul 1799 Portsmouth, arrived with a French schooner, 18 guns, which she captured a few days since.

7 Aug 1799 Plymouth, arrived from Portsmouth.

8 Aug 1799 Plymouth, departed with secret orders with the Clyde, and Fowey cutter, on a cruise to the westward.

27 Aug 1799 Plymouth, in the Sound.

25 Sep 1799 Plymouth, arrived with the Beaulieu, and Valiant lugger, from off Brest.

1 Oct 1799 Plymouth, departed on a cruise.

12 Oct 1799 Plymouth, arrived N. S. de Solidad from Bilboa, sent in by the Diamond.

26 Nov 1799 Plymouth, arrived from the coast of France.

26 Dec 1799 Plymouth, arrived from a cruise.

29 Dec 1799 arrived at Plymouth, where people were experiencing a long and hard frost.

2 Mar 1800 Plymouth, arrived from a cruise.

21 Mar 1800 Plymouth, departed with the Telegraph, on a cruise.

30 Apr 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Nordyfit, Torrager, from Charante, bound to Altona, with brandies, detained and sent in by the Diamond.

1 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived a French brig with sundries, prize to the Diamond frigate.

12 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Alcmene, 32, Capt. Digby, having struck on the Black Rocks near the Penmarks, where she lost her rudder. She was in imminent danger of being wrecked, but got off without any other damage ; the Diamond frigate, Captain Griffiths, convoyed her safe into port.

5 Jun 1800 joined the Impetueux, at Quiberon bay and the Morbihan to aid the royalists.

12 Jun 1800 Plymouth, departed the Diamond, 36, with the heavy baggage and clothing of the 2d, or Queen's Royal, departed on the secret expedition some time since.

4 Jul 1800 Plymouth, arrived from off Quimper ; she ran on some rocks, and knocked a hole in her bottom in the attack on the forts off Quimper, with the boats of the squadron : she directly ran up Hamoaze, and is to go into dock to repair. She brought the Captain and officers of a gun brig, of 14 guns, which was run ashore, set on fire, and blown up.

15 Aug 1800 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

27 Sep 1800 captured the French brig privateer La Rancune, 14 guns, and 60 men.

20 Jan 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise.

1 Feb 1801 departed Plymouth Sound to join R.-Adm. Calder's squadron as it chased after Contre-amiral Ganteaume's squadron to the West Indies.

16 Feb 1801 the Prince of Wales was reported to be off Lisbon with La Juste, Pompee, Courageux, Cumberland and Spencer, ships of the line, along with the frigates Diamond and Thames by the packet arriving from Falmouth.

21 Feb 1801 proceeded to the Southward ; and the squadron was joined by the frigate Diamond.

22 Feb 1801 made Cape St Vincent ; no intelligence.

23 Feb 1801 stood to the S.W.

25 Feb 1801 detached the Thames towards Madeira.

26 Feb 1801 fell in with the outward-bound West India fleet, under convoy of the Topaze, frigate, and a sloop of war.

26 Feb 1801 the Prince of Wales, Adm. Sir R. Calder, with the Pomp�e, 80 ; La Juste, Courageux, Cumberland and Spencer, 74 ; and the frigates Diamond and Thames, 38, reported to be at Madeira, and did not anchor, but departed the following day for the Canaries, en route for Martinique.

27 Feb 1801 the squadron and convoy arrive at Madeira. The convoy anchor. Received here a few bullocks and some wine for the use of the squadron. Also, received some vague information of the enemy's squadron being at Teneriffe.

28 Feb 1801 set all sail towards Teneriffe.

1 Mar 1801 saw Teneriffe ; prepared the ships for battle and anchorage.

2 Mar 1801 the squadron plying to windward towards the Bay of Teneriffe, where a few small vessels only were found under the batteries.

3 Mar 1801 stood over to the Grand Canary.

4 Mar 1801 captured a Spanish brig laden with wheat.

5 Mar 1801 detached the Diamond to the Eastward, and prize with her.

6 Mar 1801 being in quest of a French ship privateer, supposed to be cruising about the island of Palma on the morning of the 6th fell in with her between that island and Teneriffe, and after an arduous chase, obliged her, in consequence of the damage she sustained from our fire, to run on shore on the north side of the island of Gomera, where she very soon became a wreck. Having occasion to land some prisoners, I sent an Officer in for that purpose with a flag of truce, who was informed by the Captain of the privateer, that her name was La Mouche, of 18 guns, and 160 men, belonging to Bourdeaux ; the destruction of this vessel gave me particular satisfaction, as she had been a most active and successful cruiser in those seas.

12 Mar 1801 off the N.E. end of Teneriffe captured a small Spanish polacre, laden in part with sundry merchandise.

8 May 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise off the Western Islands and coast of spain. On one of the islands of the former station she drove on shore and destroyed the famous Creole privateer La Grand Mouche, of 24 guns, and 170 men.

30 May 1801 departed Plymouth Sound with bullocks for the Channel Fleet.

9 Jul 1801 came into Plymouth Sound the Excellent, 74, and Diamond, 32, from the Channel fleet off the Lizard, last Tuesday evening, having been blown off their station by a violent gale of wind at S.W.

18 Jul 1801 departed Plymouth Sound to join the Channel Fleet.

6 Aug 1801 the Hired Armed Brig Earl St. Vincent captured the French Schooner L'Elise, in sight of HM Ship Diamond, Edward Griffith ; [and the will, therefore, probably be entitled to a share of prize monies resulting from the capture.]

20 Aug 1801 ships' boats capture the Spanish vessel Neptuno and 2 others.

8 Oct 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise off Cape Finisterre, with the American brig Star laden with hides, bound for Hamburgh, detained off Corunna.

24 Oct 1801 went up to Plymouth harbour, the Diamond, to refit.

29 Oct 1801 departed Plymouth Sound the Diamond, and the Lapwing, on a cruise off Havre.

13 Nov 1801 went into dock at Plymouth the Diamond, to have her bottom thoroughly examined, and is to be lifted upon Sibbins' new plan.

9 Jan 1802 the Diamond, 32, Capt. Griffiths, was paid wages and prize-money in Plymouth Sound.

28 Jan 1802 made a signal in the harbour for going into the Sound about day break this morning, but the wind being fresh SSE she could not get down the harbour, but came to between Devil's Point and Government House. She is also reputed to be joining the Amelia, Fisgard, Blanche, Amethyst, Nymph and Urania in the current attempt to reduce smuggling on the South Devon and Cornwall coasts, which has increased considerably over the last few months, since the signing Peace in early October. In some instances the boats used by the smugglers were too big and for the small revenue vessels to deal with, and in recent weeks a large lugger fired into two small revenue cutters.

24 Feb 1802 departed Falmouth the Amethyst, Capt Glynn ; Diamond, Capt Griffiths ; Immortalite, Capt Hotham ; and the Hunter brig, Jones, to cruise against the smugglers, wind westerly.

2 Mar 1802 was in danger in the late gales of wind at N.N.E. in Mount's Bay, she rode very hard, and parted two cables and anchors an end, was forced to put to sea, and bore away for this port ; she went directly into Barnpool, near Mount Edgecumbe.

8 Mar 1802 went into Barnpool, Plymouth, to refit, the Diamond, 36, having in the late gales of wind at N.E. carried away two cables and anchors an end, and put to sea directly.

10 Mar 1802 the Diamond, refitting in Barnpool and paying her yards, bends and rigging, caught fire forward, by a pitch kettle boiling over, but from the great exertions of the officers and ship's company, the fire was soon got under with little damage.

13 Mar 1802 has been sent into Plymouth Sound.

18 Mar 1802 departed Plymouth on a cruise.

26 Mar 1802 departed Plymouth Sound with the Sirius, 36, on a cruise.

19 Apr 1802 Admiral Cornwallis struck his flag on board the Ville de Paris, 110, and proceeded in the Diamond frigate, Captain Griffiths, with his baggage for Portsmouth ; the Ville de Paris is hourly expected here.

24 Apr 1802 arrived Spithead, from Torbay and landed the Admiral and his baggage at the Sally Port, Portsmouth.

26 Apr 1802 departed Spithead with dispatches for Lisbon.

22 May 1802 arrived Spithead with dispatches from Lisbon.

Circa 25 May 1802 Captain T. Elphinstone apptd to the Diamond.

23 Jul 1802 departed Spithead the Diamond, Revolutionaire, Magicienne, Pomone, Alcmene, and Alarm frigate, Sophie, and Racoon, sloops of war, for Lymington and Jersey, to convey the Dutch troops from those places to Cuxhaven.

25 Aug 1802 arrived in the Downs, the Fortun�e, Diamond, Alcmene, and Autumn, with Dutch troops from Lymington, for the Texel.

1 Sep 1802 passed by the Downs at the back of the Goodwin Sands this morning : the Glenmore, Amelia, Galatea, and Oiseau, frigates ; and the sloops Sophie and Racoon, bound from the Texel to the westward.

8 Sep 1802 arrived in the Downs, from Jersey, the Fortune and Diamond frigates, with Dutch troops for the Texel.

9 Sep 1802 departed the Downs for the Texel.

10 Sep 1802 entered the Texel in a WSW gale in which no pilots would venture off. The Fortune and Diamond struck several times ; and owing to the Dover pilot mistaking a buoy the Fortune went aground, the Diamond having anchored off the sandbank. In the course of the night the weather worsened and the masts of the Fortune were cut away, but nevertheless she lost her rudder and was starting to fill fast when the crew abandoned ship. The next morning the Diamond was eventually got into the Texel, leaving the recovery of the Fortune to a later date.

15 Sep 1802 once the weather moderated, with the assistance of the crews of the other vessels involved, the officers and men of the Fortune were able to refloat the Fortune, and anchor her safely whilst she was re-rigged with jury masts, to be accompanied to England by the Magicienne, Capt Vansittart.

24 Sep 1802 arrived Spithead, from the Texel, with news that the Fortune, recently aground on a sandbank in the Texel, had been got afloat again and was due shortly, at Spithead in the company of the Magicienne. The Diamond also got stuck on the same sandbank briefly, but had dropped an anchor and was able to pull herself off, whereas the Fortune was initially reported to have been lost.

2 Oct 1802 remains at Spithead.

27 Oct 1802 a Court Martial was held on board the Neptune at Portsmouth, on Mathew Easton, a seaman of HM ship Diamond, for desertion, when he was acquitted.

26 Nov 1802 was paid off at Portsmouth on Wednesday, and recommissioned.

27 Dec 1802 remains in Portsmouth harbour, Capt Elphinstone.

23 Jan 1803 remains in Portsmouth harbour, fitting out.

22 Mar 1803 has made a signal to go out of harbour.

24 Mar 1803 went out of harbour to Spithead.

10 Apr 1803 departed Spithead for Yarmouth, to impress men....however, the article didn't say which Yarmouth, so I guess we'll have to wait and see if any future detail tells is if this was Yarmouth, IoW, or North Yarmouth, now Great Yarmouth.

1 Jun 1803 arrived Spithead from Weymouth, with a prize.

2 Jun 1803 Adm Collingwood arrived at Portsmouth and embarked and hoisted his flag on board the Diamond.

5 Jun 1803 having been delayed by gales the Diamond departed Spithead with R.-Adm Collingwood to join the Channel Fleet. Also went with Capt G Reynolds and Capt J A Wood, as passengers to join the Venerable and Acasta, respectively.

17 Sep 1803 arrived Plymouth, from a cruise.

10 Oct 1803 departed Plymouth to the Westward.

30 Jan 1804 arrived Spithead the Diamond, Capt Elphinstone from a 17 week cruise with the Channel Fleet, 9 of which was with the inshore squadron.

21 Feb 1804 departed Spithead, to join the Channel Fleet, the Diamond, Capt Elphinston.

Circa 29 Sep 1804 the Naiad, Sirius, Aigle, and Diamond, frigates, and Hazard, sloop, are reported at Portsmouth to have departed Plymouth for cruises to the Westward.

May 1805 Channel, cruising

1 Jan 1807 arrived Portsmouth from a cruise off Havre.