Ganges, 1782
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 74
Launched : 1782 ;
Disposal date or year : 1816
Notes:

Portsmouth 24 Sep 1785 Has come into harbour.

Doubled and sheathed &c. as Gibraltar and strengthened with diagonal braces

14 Apr 1793, with a squadron which captured the San-Iago, a large Spanish galleon, under French colours and the French privateer General Dumourier, of 22 long 6-pounders and 196 men, an event which may have had some effect on the resulting war with Spain.

14 Jul 1793 departed with the Channel fleet from St. Helen's. On the 18th to the west of the Scilly Isles and subsequent manoeuvres.

31 Jul 1793 briefly sighted, but was unable to close the French fleet ; returned to Torbay on 10 Aug.

23 Aug 1793 the Channel Fleet departed to escort the Newfoundland trade, West Indian convoys in home waters.

27 Oct 1793 departed in search of the French fleet and squadrons. 18 Nov brief skirmish with a French squadron : by mid-December the fleet had returned to Spithead.

4 June 1794, Rear-admiral Montagu, Captain William Truscott, departed from Plymouth Sound with nine sail of the line and two frigates, to attempt to join Lord Howe and intercept a large French convoy from America. On the 8th, discovered and chased a French squadron, including 8 ships of the line, under the command of Rear-admiral Cornice, into bay of Bertheaume, and so stood back out to sea.

9 June 1794, sighted the French fleet of 19 sail of the line, returning from their recent meeting with the British fleet, which formed line-of-battle and briefly chased the squadron. With a squadron of equivalent rating on his other flank, Rear-admiral Montagu withdrew as quickly as the poor sailing qualities of the Ganges and Alexander would permit. Continued his search for a further 2 days, but failing in this, returned to Cawsand bay, Plymouth, on 12 June.

14 Feb 1795 the Channel fleet departed from Torbay for a brief cruise and to see various convoys safe out of the Channel.

27 Apr 1796 Sainte-Lucie. A squadron, including the Ganges, Captain Robert M'Doual, arrived with troops, to reduce the Island, which was achieved by 26 May.

4 Jun 1797, evening, departed Spithead with the Prince, Ganges, Caesar, Bedford and Formidable, under R.-Adm Sir R. Curtis to join Adm. Duncan off the Texel.

7 Jun 1797, passed by the back of the Goodwin Sands with R.-Adm Sir R. Curtis' squadron, and has been joined by the Glatton.

9 Oct 1799 Portsmouth, came into the harbour.

Circa 24 Mar to 26 Apr 1800 At Portsmouth. Mr. Henry Phillips, Carpenter of the Ganges, who accidentally fell from the ship, and was unfortunately drowned ; his body was found the following morning between two ships opposite the Common Hard. An inquest was held on the body, and the jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Circa 1 Aug 1800 Captain Freemantle is appointed to the Ganges, of 74 guns, fitting at Portsmouth.

14 Sep 1800 Portsmouth, the Scourge, lately returned from the West Indies, is paid off, and her crew turned over to the Ganges.

27 Sep 1800 Portsmouth, went out of harbour, after being refitted, presumably out to Spithead.

11 Oct 1800 Portsmouth, departed to join the Channel Fleet.

27 Feb 1801 arrived Spithead from the Channel Fleet at Torbay.

1 Mar 1801 appointed at Portsmouth, to form a part of the North Sea Fleet, St George, London, 98 ; Bellona, Ganges, Warrior, Ramilies, Russell, Saturn, and Defence, 74 ; Agincourt, 64, Harpy, 18, Alecto, Otter, fire ships ; Discovery, bomb.

3 Mar 1801 departed Spithead with a squadron bound for the Downs, Yarmouth Roads and Copenhagen.

5 Mar 1801 departed the Downs for N. Yarmouth the Ramillies, Saturn, Bellona, Ganges, Alecto, and Discovery.

10 Mar 1801 the North Sea Fleet has come together at N. Yarmouth, and consists of the London, and St George, 98 guns, Adm. Sir Hyde Parker having transferred his flag from the Ardent to the St George ; Monarch, Bellona, Saturn, Ramilies, Ganges, Warrior, Russell and Defence, 74 ; Veteran, Ardent, Polyphemus, Raisonable, Agamemnon, 64 ; Glatton, 54 ; Isis, 50 ; Desiree, Blanche, and Amazon frigates ; Pylades, Hyaena, Dart, and Arrow, sloops ; Harpy ; Biter, Blazer, Bruiser, Tigress, Pelter, Teazer, Hasty, Force, Sparkler Brigs ; Terror, Volcano, Explosion, Hecla, Zebra, Albion, Sulphur, and Discovery bombs ; Eling, schooner ; cutters Fox and Hazard ; and luggers Rover and Lark.

Circa 12 Mar 1801 fleet under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Lord Nelson, consisting of 17 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 10 gun-brigs, nearly as many bomb-ketches, with smaller vessels usually attendant on a fleet, making in the whole nearly 50 sail, got under weigh from Yarmouth Roads at the break of day, and by eight o'clock had cleared the Sands ; they directed their course to the northward, wafted by a fine breeze at S.W. as departed from Yarmouth roads for Copenhagen (Naval Chronicle). 30 Mar the vessels initially detailed to take part in the forthcoming Battle of Copenhagen. 1 Apr the vessels detailed sail for Copenhagen ; the British ships held in reserve ; the Danish positions : 2 Apr the battle commences : the truce : the casualties : the wash-up :

12 Apr 1801 the fleet departed from Copenhagen into the Baltic.

19 Jun 1801 arrived at Yarmouth from the Baltic, to join the Channel Fleet off Brest.

28 Jul 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound the Hyaena, from off Copenhagen, last from Cork ; where she left the Warrior, Tyler, Bellona, Ganges, Defiance, Russell, and Defence, of 74 guns each ; a frigate, and EItham armed schooner, where they are to victual, and then proceed on a cruise.

3 Aug 1801 arrived Spithead in company with the Defiance along with the Lady Dundas, Bengal, and Lady Burges, homeward-bound East Indiamen, from Cork.

17 Aug 1801 at Spithead, with the Solebay, appointed in command of the next Mediterranean convoy, and would fly the appropriate signals.

31 Aug 1801 arrived Spithead from the Westward to be paid.

7 Sep 1801 a Court Martial was held on board the Gladiator, in Portsmouth harbour, for the trial of Francis Smith, Surgeon's Mate of his Majesty's ship Ganges, for drunkenness and neglect of duty. The charges being clearly proved, he was rendered incapable of ever serving in HM Navy in any capacity.

14 Sep 1801 departed Spithead the Ganges, to join the Channel Fleet.

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

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.

Circa 26 Dec 1801 Captain Baker, of the Calypso, made Post, to the Ganges, vice Freemantle.

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.

21 Jul 1802 head money for those present at the Engagement at Copenhagen, on the 2d April 1801, due for payment.

Circa 22 Sep 1802 Captain G. M'Kinley is appointed to the Ganges.

13 Jan 1803 when the Falmouth packet Leicester arrived at Port Royal, Jamaica, she found lying there the Leviathan, 74 ; Bellerophon, 74 ; Vanguard, 74 ; Elephant, 74 ; Desiree, 40 ; and sloops Shark, Pelican and Racoon ; the De Ruyter arriving on the 17 Jan, with the 87th Regt., from Curacoa, and on the 21st the Theseus, 74 ; Cumberland, 74 ; Goliath, 74 ; and Ganges, 74, from a cruise.

13 Apr 1803 Lt C C Dobson, RM, of the Goliath, court martialled on board the Ganges at Port Royal, for ungentlemanlike behaviour, and the charges being proved was dismissed the Goliath.

14 Apr 1803 Capt O Fitzgerald, RM, of the Goliath, was court martialled on board the Ganges at Port Royal, for charges brought against him by Lt B Kent, for sending him a challenge, for treating him with contempt and disrespect, and for defrauding the wardroom mess ; charges 1 and 2 being in part proved he was dismissed from the Goliath, and rendered incapable of ever serving on full pay in the RM forces.

23 Apr 1803 resulting from the court martials the Flag Officer on board the Leviathan, Adm J T Duckworth, at Port Royal, felt it necessary to observe that it appeared that discipline had broken down in the wardroom of the Goliath, particularly regarding Lt Kent, RM's irregular conduct, and made it known that he felt that the First Lieutenants on all the ships under his command would be held responsible for ensuring that good order and officer-like behaviour &c were maintained, and that any breaches should be reported to captains and commanding officers, or otherwise answer for his neglect at a court martial.

22 Jun 1803 arrived Spithead last night, the Ganges, Capt M'Kinley, from Jamaica.

Circa 27 Jun 1803 Captain Freemantle apptd to the Ganges.

1 Jul 1803 came into Portsmouth harbour from Spithead. She is to be docked and repaired for commission as soon as she is cleared, meanwhile her men are to be turned over to the Defiance, and the Magnificent.

7 Jul 1803 will be docked shortly to undergo a small repair, and will then be fitted for service.

Circa 10 Sep 1803 the Ganges relieved the Magnificent as Guard Ship at St Helen's.

3 Oct 1803 the Ganges, Capt Fremantle, has been ordered to Cork, along with the guard ship Eurus, Capt Innes.

3 Oct 1803 has moved up from St Helen's and is now moored at Spithead.

3 Oct 1803 a seaman belonging to the Ganges hung himself whilst on board.

Circa 3 Oct 1803 departed Cork, with the Eurus.

27 Oct 1803 the Magnificent, Majestic, and Ganges have joined the Thunderer at Bantry Bay, with a supply of provisions for two months.

29 Oct 1804 arrived Spithead the Ganges, Capt Fremantle, from off Ferroll.

10 Nov 1804 departed Spithead for Portsmouth harbour.

24 Nov 1804 paid off in view of her defects.

Circa 24 Nov 1804 Lieut S G Parsons apptd to the Theseus.

May 1805 Portsmouth, fitting in Ordinary.

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. 1 Aug 1807 employed in the Great Belt, preventing Danish troops crossing to Zealand.

Dec 1807 had departed from England to join a squadron under R.-Adm. Sir W. S. Smith, blockading the Tagus.

18 Jan 1811 arrived Spithead.

27 Jan 1811 The 85th Regiment embarked Spithead.

30 Jan 1811 departed Spithead.

23 Mar 1811 arrived Plymouth from Lisbon.

24 Mar 1811 Came into Plymouth take on board her lower-deck guns.

30 Mar 1811 Under orders at Plymouth to join the Baltic fleet.

Oct 1811 fitted at Plymouth Dock as a prison ship.