Dryad, 1795
Type: Frigate ; 5th rate ; Armament 36
Launched at Barnard's Yard 4 Jun 1795 ; Disposal date or year : 1860
BM: 924 tons
Complement: 251 (1796) ; 270
Notes:

13 Jun 1796 Cape Clear bearing west by north distant 12 leagues, the capture of the French frigate Proserpine by the frigate Dryad, Captain Lord Amelius Beauclerk, following a relatively brief chase. The Proserpine was taken into the RN as the Amelia, the name Proserpine being in use.

16 Oct 1796 captured the French privateer Vautour on the Irish station.

19 Aug 1797 captured the French privateer �clair on the Irish station.

9 Sep 1797 sunk the French privateer Cornelie on the Irish station.

10 Oct 1797 Dryad and Doris captured the French privateer Brune on the Irish station.

4 Feb 1798 captured the French privateer Mars.

1 Jan 1799 Capt. C. J. M. Mansfield. Off Ireland.

19 Mar 1799 at Portsmouth, in harbour fitting.

24 Apr 1799 Portsmouth, departed the West India fleet, under convoy of the Quebec and Dryad frigates.

25 Apr 1800 Plymouth, a letter from an Officer of the Dryad frigate, 36, dated Milford Haven, the 20th instant, states, that she and the Revolutionaire, 44, had arrived there in great distress, after a most fatiguing and perilous cruise. The Dryad departed from Cork to gain her cruising ground the 2d instant, but was baffled by continual hurricanes, which carried away her fore yard, and damaged the rigging much. She was on the point of returning when she fell in with La Revolutionaire in the greatest distress, having lost her rudder, and received other damage. The Dryad stuck by her, and gave her every assistance till the 13th, when both were close in with Cork, and would have anchored in an hour. Misfortune still attended them, as it blew an hard gale off shore, and obliged them to bear away for Plymouth. The 14th the wind headed them, and they could not weather Scilly or fetch Cork. They then were obliged to drift, under storm stay sails, up St George's Channel. On the morning of the 16th they found themselves close in with the rocks off Waterford. The Revolutionaire having lost her rudder, could neither wear or stay ; she made signals of distress, when the Dryad got out, and passed on board her, a stream cable, and tried to tow her off the land ; when the cable unfortunately parted, and nearly killed eleven seamen. The Dryad then bore away and supposed the Revolutionaire was wrecked; but contrary to their expectation on board the Dryad, through the interposition of Divine Providence, and the uncommon exertions of the officers and crew, the wind shifting, the Revolutionaire hauled off shore, and both ships arrived in safety at Milford Haven the 19th instant, after experiencing one of the most tempestuous cruises the older seaman on board both ships ever saw.

15 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived from Milford Haven, the Dryad, 36, to refit.

28 Jun 1800 Plymouth, went into the Sound, from Hamoaze, the Immortalite, 44 ; the Dryad, 36 ; and the Revolutionaire, 44.

28 Aug 1800 Plymouth, arrived the Albion, with rum and sugar, from Jamaica, captured by la Braave French privateer, of 44 guns, and re-taken by the Dryad, 36.

14 Nov 1800 Portsmouth a Court-Martial was held on board the Gladiator for the trial of William Ellis, who was taken as one of the crew onboard L'Eole French privateer, at her capture on the 27 June last, by the Dryad and sent to Spithead in the Serpent sloop, and who turned out to be a subject of this country, and had deserted from the Fame prison ship in December, 1798. The Court being of opinion that the charges had been proved against the prisoner, did therefore adjudge him to suffer Death, by being hanged on board such of his Majesty's ships at Spithead as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty should direct. On the morning of the I7th the above unhappy man was executed on board the Puissant, at Spithead, pursuant, to his sentence.

23 Jan 1801 departed Cork, for the West Indies, the Syren, and for Portugal, the Phoebe, with a large convoy of 150 vessels and a fine northerly breeze, which had been accumulating there since the winds were keeping the ships in harbour, the Dryad also accompanied the convoy, but only to a certain latitude. The Robert, Susanna, Martha Brae, and Union are reported to have gone aground on departing Cork and therefore missed the convoy.

5 Mar 1801 after a chase of 3 hours, in lat. 50� 6' N., long. 12� W., fell in with and captured the French privateer ship Le Premier Consul, mounting 14 x 9-pdrs., but pierced for 24, 150 men, from St. Maloes, out twenty-one days, she is quite new, and on her first cruise and had captured a Portuguese schooner from Lisbon bound to Ireland, a few days before. She is quite new, and might make a good sloop of war.

18 Mar 1801 arrived Portsmouth with the Ulla Fersen, Swedish frigate, her prize, and the Premier Consul, French privateer, from St. Maloes.

30 Mar 1801 an order has been received at Portsmouth by Capt Mansfield of the Dryad to put the Ulla Fersen, which she detained and brought into this port, under the command of the Swedish officers ; the order for her complete release and departure is expected to be received tomorrow. It is therefore being debated at Portsmouth as to whether the business in the North has been settled, which won't be good for business at Portsmouth, but this ignores the fact that a fleet was on its way to Copenhagen.

Circa 26 Dec 1801 Mr. John Sheridan of the Dryad, is made Lieutenant, and appointed to the Woolwich.

26 Mar 1802 arrived Basseterre from Martinique, and reports that the Trent, Winchelsea and Dryad, arrived Martinique prior to the departure of the Gait�.

9 Jun 1802 arrived Spithead the Dryad frigate, Admiral Lord Gardner, Captain Mansfield, from Cork.

11 Sep 1802 the Dryad frigate, Captain Williams, is paid off at Spithead, and recommissioned.

2 Oct 1802 remains at Spithead.

2 Dec 1802 the Dryad frigate, Captain Williams, has made the signal for sailing.

4 Dec 1802 departed Spithead on a cruise.

31 Jan 1803 arrived at Spithead from Portland Roads.

Circa 19 Feb 1803 Capt Domett apptd to the Dryad and has arrived Portsmouth from Bath, vice Williams, apptd to the Russell.

14 Mar 1803 departed Spithead yesterday for Cork to impress seamen.

Circa 11 Jun 1803 the Dryad, Capt Giffard, is apptd to take Lord Gardner to assume his command at Cork.

16 Jun 1803 departed the Channel Fleet lying to the West of Ushant. All well apart from a "slight opthalmy is very prevalent throughout the Fleet, which has affected the eyes of some hundreds for a few days.

18 Jun 1803 the Dryad arrived Spithead from the fleet, the Culloden, Russell, and Doris forming the inshore squadron at present, whilst the Tonnant, Spartiate, and Mars were cruising off Rochefort.

27 Jun 1803 departed Spithead with Adm Gardner, to resume his command at Cork.

10 Aug 1803 the Times reports that the merchant vessel Adventure, Bruce, from St Vincent's to London, has been taken, retaken, and again captured, and since retaken by the Dryad, and taken into Cork.

12 Aug 1803 arrived Cork from a cruise. About 200 leagues to the west she had fallen in with the following ships : the Nero ; Thetis ; Trelawney Planter ; Mary & Susannah ; the Ann, King from Jamaica to London, and took them under her protection, and brought them in with Cape Clear. The others appear to have overshot that port and it is supposed that they've put in to Waterford.

24 Sep 1803 the Dryad, Capt Giffard, departed Spithead with the homeward bound East-Indiamen Skelton Castle, Cambrian, and Magnes, for the Downs.

2 Oct 1803 arrived in the Downs with 3 East Indiamen and a convoy from Ireland.

7 Oct 1803 arrived Spithead from the Downs.

9 Oct 1803 departed Spithead for Cork.

23 Jul 1804 arrived Spithead from the Cork.

27 Aug 1804 departed Spithead for Cork.

Circa 29 Dec 1804 Capt Drummond apptd to the Dryad, vice Giffard, who resigns due to ill health.

27 Jan 1805 Cork to Madeira

30 Dec 1806 arrived Plymouth from Cork.

22 Mar 1808 captured the French privateer Rennair.

28 Jul 1809 a part of a large fleet which departed from the Downs, with troops, with the aim of demolishing the dock-yards, and arsenals at Antwerp, Terneuse, and Flushing, often known as the ill-fated Walcheren Expedition.

11 Aug 1809 a part of a squadron of frigates to sound and buoy the Baerlandt channel.

28 Jan 1811 sent into Plymouth the American ship Matilda.

22 Mar 1811 Sent into Plymouth the French national schooner La Balam, bound to Batavia when captured off Bordeaux.

20 Apr 1811 arrived Plymouth from Basque Roads.

3 Aug 1811 Sent into Plymouth two French chasse-marees and a sloop, prizes.

1 Oct 1811 arrived Plymouth from the coast of France.

8 Oct 1811 Went up Plymouth harbour in a leaky state.

9 Oct 1811 Sent a French brig, a prize into Plymouth.

16 Oct 1811 Went out of dock this morning.

9 Nov 1811 arrived Plymouth Dock from the Hamoaze into the Sound.

30 Jan 1812 Sent into Plymouth the Spy from New York, detained.

1 Apr 1812 departed Plymouth on a cruise off the coast of France.

23 Jul 1812 arrived Portsmouth from the coast of Spain.

24 Aug 1812 departed Plymouth with bullocks, for the Channel fleet.

3 Dec 1812 reported to be off Bourdeaux.

17 Jan 1813 Detained and sent into Plymouth the American schooner Rosa, Daniels, master, from Baltimore, bound to France.

25 Sep 1813 arrived Halifax, with the Sybille, 8 days from Newfoundland.

1-2 Oct 1813 departed Halifax, with the Sybille, for St. John's, Newfoundland.

25 Feb 1814 Eurotas discovered the French 40-gun frigate Clorinde, lat. 47� 40' N., lon. 9� 30' W., and departed in chase and was involved in a severe action, following which both ships separated. Having cleared the wreck, using jury masts the Eurotas departed in pursuit, only to be beaten to her prospective prize by the Dryad, with the Achates in sight, thus losing much of the kudos for the capture and perhaps more importantly, less prize money. Taking the prize in tow, the Dryad proceeded with her to Portsmouth ; and the Clorinde was afterwards added to the British navy by the name of Aurora.

Plymouth 2 Mar 1814 arrived the Eurotas frigate from a cruise, dismasted, having captured the Clorinde French frigate, of 44 guns and 400 men, after an action of two hours and 20 minutes, in which the prize was totally dismasted, and lost 40 men killed, and 80 wounded. The Eurotas had 20 men killed, and 30 wounded ; among the latter is Captain Phillimore. The prize is gone up Channel, towed by the Dryad frigate, which joined before the action terminated.

6 Jan 1827 Employed in the Mediterranean.

1 Jul 1827 Is reportedly due to depart Gibraltar for England.

4 Jun 1828 Is in the Archipelago.

24 Jun 1828 At Egina.

14 Nov 1829 Is to be commissioned in the near future, for foreign service.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1830 the 5th rate Dryad, 42 guns, Complement: 260, was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 1 Death, and in the absence of other information I assume the causes of death was from disease etc.

29 Sep 1830 departed St. Helen's, IoW, for the West Coast of Africa, to be Flag Ship on that station.

26 Oct 1830 sighted the mountains of Teneriffe, about 30 miles distant, and subsequently anchored at Santa Cruz.

26 Oct 1830 arrived Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, with her tender, the Seaflower, after a passage of 20 days, from Scilly Islands. The Dryad was to proceed in a few days for the Cape de Verd Islands, and thence to Sierra Leone. The Seaflower (which kept company with the frigate the whole of the way), was to sail, on the same day, on a cruise, and to meet the Dryad at Sierra Leone.

29 Oct 1830 departed Santa Cruz.

6 Nov 1830 arrive Cape Verd Islands and anchored at Porto Praya.

8 Nov 1830 departed Porto Praya, with a view to keep a look out for a couple of pirate vessels which are reputed to be in the neighbourhood.

11 Nov 1830 anchored at Porto Grande, St. Vincent.

13 Nov 1830 departed for St. Lucia, arriving there later in the day.

15 Nov 1830 departed for Port St. George, at St. Nicholas, arriving there later in the day, and departed later for Boa Vista.

17 Nov 1830 arrived Boa Vista.

19 Nov 1830 departed Boa Vista having taken on board some guns and an anchor lost by the HMS Erne on the Island of Sal in 1819.

27 Nov 1830 in lat. 9� 25' N., long. 17� 21' W.

29 Nov 1830 50 miles from Sierra Leone and sighted the Plumper which had just finished examining a French vessel loaded with slaves, but being French was unable, at this date, to detain her.

1 Dec 1830 arrived Freetown, Sierra Leone.

7 Dec 1830 remained at Sierra Leone on the departure of the Primrose for England.

24 Dec 1830 departed Sierra Leone for the Gallinas.

17 Jan 1831 returned to Sierra Leone, with reports of having seen tornadoes and water spouts.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1831 was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 1 Death in Action and 1 by Accident, Total No of Deaths: 8, and I assume that the balance of deaths will be made up from those men who died from disease.

3 Mar 1831 arrived at Sierra Leone.

19 Mar 1831 due to depart Sierra Leone on a cruise.

24 Mar 1831 the Dryad departed with her tenders Fair Rosamond and Black Joke, to run down the coast to Prince's Island and Fernando Po.

27 Mar 1831 Off Cape Mount, and have set a course to the south, however, by the 31st the current has taken us some 45 miles off course and we are now off Cestos/Sestos.

1 Apr 1831 Off Cape Palmos.

5 Apr 1831 Are now aware that the rainy season has started the daily showers penetrating through to the skin in no time.

12 Apr 1831 in sight of the Isle of St. Thomas.

17 Apr 1831 arrived off West Bay, St. Prince's Island.

19 Apr 1831 the Atholl, Medina, and Sea Flower, the latter also tender to the Dryad, arrive at Prince's Island from Fernando Po.

24 Apr 1831 departed Prince's Island to cruise off the river Bonny for a week for slave traders, but were unsuccessful and subsequently departed Fernando Po.

2 May 1831 arrived Clarence Settlement at Fernando Po.

11 May 1831 departed on a cruise to the west to Cape St. Paul's, which proved fruitless.

29 May 1831 arrived at the Island of Anabona, in lat. 1� 22' S., long. 5� 27' 49" E.

30 May 1831 departed for St. Thomas, stopping briefly at the Isle de Rolle, and departed for Prince's Island on 31st.

2 Jun 1831 arrived off West Bay, St. Prince's Island.

15 Jun 1831 departed for the River Bonny.

20 Jun 1831 arrived off the mouth of the River Bonny and anchored some 16 miles off shore.

23 Jun 1831 departed and fell in with the Black Joke, who was returning from Prince's Island, where she had been to water : we then departed for Fernando Po, where we arrived on the 24th.

Circa 8 Jul 1831 departed Fernando Po for Ascension, looking for the non-existent island of St. Michaels en route.

19 Jul 1831 Fair Rosamond tender to the Dryad : seized and condemned the Spanish schooner El Potosi for illicitly trafficking in slaves.

29 Jul 1831 arrived Ascension from the West Coast of Africa in order to give the crew access to fresh provisions and allow them ashore for recreation: and to water, refit and paint ship.

29 Aug 1831 Navy Pay Office revokes the licence granted to Samuel Solomon, of Chatham, on the 14 Jun 1831, to act as an Agent in the receipt of pay, wages, prize and bounty money for petty officers, seamen, and others, which licence is withdrawn by me, on the ground of a fraudulent transaction in the case of a prize order granted by Joseph Cassar, late of His Majesty's ships Sybille, Atholl, and Dryad (per London Gazette).

9 Sep 1831 departed Ascension.

10 Sep 1831 the Black Joke, tender to the Dryad, captured the Spanish vessel Regulo ; an account of the half bounty granted for the capture of 39 slaves will be delivered to the High Court of Admiralty, on 7 Jan 1833.

10 Sep 1831 the Black Joke, tender to the Dryad, captured the Spanish vessel Regulo ; a distribution of the hull bounty granted for twenty-nine slaves (formerly disallowed), who died previous to condemnation of the Regulo, will be made on the 28 Jan 1834.

21 Sep 1831 arrived Prince's Island.

3 Oct 1831 anchored at Fernando Po. The Black Joke tender has been hauled up on a rude slip in order to make repairs, and members of the Dryad's ship's company working on board appear to be suffering from the climate, fevers and whatever else it is that makes Fernando Po such an awful place to be sent.

9 Nov 1831 departed for West Bay, Prince's Island and stored with fresh provisions not available at Fernando Po.

15 Nov 1831 departed for Fernando Po and much of the crew restored to better health.

17 Nov 1831 arrived Fernando Po.

8 Dec 1831 departed the pestilent and destructive atmosphere of Clarence Town, Fernando Po, for George's Bay and Ascension.

8 Dec 1831 anchored in George's Bay, Fernando Po, much healthier than Clarence Town.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1832 was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 2 Deaths by Accident, Total No of Deaths: 4, and I assume that the balance of deaths will be made up from those men who died from disease.

5 Jan 1832 arrived at Ascension and stored ship with fresh provisions.

28 Jan 1832 arrived at Sierra Leone, where the Isis, with the flag of Rear Admiral Warren, had arrived to take command of the Cape of Good Hope Station, and the good news that the Dryad was being replaced and could soon go home.

3 Feb 1832 departed Sierra Leone in search of her tenders, who she needs to see before she leaves the station.

14 Feb 1832 stopped briefly at Cape Coast Castle.

15 Feb 1832 arrived at Accra.

22 Feb 1832 departed the Gold Coast.

29 Feb 1832 found the Black Joke at Fernando Po, where, on the 15th, she was reported to have captured the Spanish slave schooner Frasquita, of 115 tons, with 290 slaves on board, bound from the River Bonny for Cuba, the prize being sent to Sierra Leone on the 16th for adjudication. 2 Mar 1832 departed Fernando Po for Prince's Island for wood and water and to bid adieu.

26 Mar 1832 arrived at Ascension where it was learned that the Fair Rosamond had been put in quarantine at Comfort Cove and as a result were now suffering from dysentery.

28 Mar 1832 refitting at Ascension.

At sea 9 Apr 1832 Proceeding from Ascension to Sierra Leone.

29 Apr 1832 arrived at Sierra Leone, where the Black Joke was burnt before the departure of the Dryad.

9 May 1832 departed from Sierra Leone for the river Gambia escorting a small schooner with emancipated negroes to be disembarked at the Gambia. However the schooner was far too small and with dysentery breaking out on board a number died in conditions that were compared unfavourably with a slave ship by the Dryad's Naval Surgeon.

31 May 1832 departed Gambia for England, via the Azores, where she arrived on 4th and departed on 6 Jul.

4 Jul 1832 arrived at St. Michael's, departing 2 days later.

25 Jul 1832 arrived Spithead from the coast of Africa, with her tenders, the Fair Rosamond and the Sea Flower. The surgeon reported that of the 300 men on board the Dryad and her tenders only 10 were lost from disease. She is being refitted for sea at Spithead with a view to joining Adm. Sir P. Malcolm's squadron at Cork.

10 Aug 1832, was paid out at Spithead, along with prize money due in respect of Slave Bounties. The Petty Officers and ship's company presented a silver call to the Boatswain, Mr James Beer, as a testimony of their good feeling towards him etc.

12 Aug 1832 departed Spithead for Cork.

17 Aug 1832 reported to be off the Lizard.

25-29 Aug 1832 V.-Adm. Sir P. Malcolm's squadron, including the Donegal(flag), Castor, Tyne, Trinculo, Nimrod, and the revenue cruiser Prince of Wales, along with the Vernon, Dryad, Snake and Dee assembled at Torbay for sailing trials, and were joined by the Stag on Thursday, just arrived from off Oporto. The Board of Admiralty arrived on the 27th from Portsmouth, in the Lightning, and observed some of the relative sailing qualities of the vessels taking part in the trials, before departing for Plymouth. Per some of the commentators details of the trials would appear to be too fragmented to make much sense, and it might be that someone was attempting to obfuscate the results as they didn't provide the results that some people wanted to see........

30 Aug 1832 arrived Spithead from off Torbay.

31 Aug 1832 came into harbour at Portsmouth to be paid off and laid up in Ordinary.

13 Sep 1832 paid off into Ordinary.

1832 Harbour Service

20 Dec 1848 Receiving Ship, Portsmouth