Immortalite, 1798
Type: Frigate ; Armament 36
Taken : 20 Oct 1798 ; Disposal date or year : 1806
Notes:

20 Oct 1798 Fisgard captured the Immortalit�. Subsequently purchased into the service.

1799 The replacement of long-guns by carronades meant that the Immortalit�, originally designed as a 38 gun frigate, was to be armed with additional carronades, making a total of 44 guns, thus making a nonsense of the current rating system.

7 May 1799 Plymouth, in dock.

24 Jun 1799 Plymouth, is gone into dock to refit.

23 Oct 1799 Plymouth, remains in dock, to repair.

11 Dec 1799 Plymouth, went down to the Sound.

Circa Jan 1800 Captain H. Hotham is appointed to command the Immortalite, of 36 guns;

28 Jun 1800 Plymouth, went into the Sound, from Hamoaze.

21 Jul 1800 Plymouth, sailed on a cruise.

12 Sep 1800 captured a small Spanish vessel laden with stone, which was scuttled off the mouth of the Gironde.

12 Sep 1800 chased the French privateer ships Brave and Bellone, who came out of the Geronde, but was unable to get near them and they disappeared during the second night of the chase of 259 miles.

20 Sep 1800 retook the English ship Monarch, 645 tons, laden with timber, which La Bellone had captured four days before on her passage from Quebec to London.

22 Sep 1800 in the latitude of Cordouan Light-house, blowing hard from the westward, chased a French brig of war it coming on dark by the time the ship got within musket shot, and as about to bring her to, we both unexpectedly took the ground (going nine knots,) on Noirmoutier, where the brig was dismasted and destroyed. At day-light the next morning had the good fortune to get off without any material damage, and with the loss of a bower anchor and cable, and a boat.

24 Sep 1800 fell in with a French schooner letter of marque, bringing coffee and sugar from Guadaloupe to Bourdeaux, but a Guernsey privateer lugger, who was also in sight, and nearer to the schooner and aborted the chase.

27 Sep 1800 Plymouth, came in, in damage, the Mercury of and from Quebec, with timber for London. She was taken the 16th instant by La Bellone, French privateer of 36 guns, and 300 men ; and retaken the 20th inst. by Immortalite, 36.

26 Oct 1800 at Sea, the Tower of Caduan E S. E. 36 leagues, in the Bay of Biscay, captured, Le Diable a Quatre French ship privateer, of 16 x 12 and 6-pounders, and 150 men; after a chase of 5 hours, the Immortalite having joined in the pursuit, and much facilitated the capture of the privateer, a fast sailer, and well found, out from Bourdeaux one day. Later purchased into the Service as Imogen.

3 Nov 1800 Plymouth, arrived the ship corvette La Diable a Quatre, 20, but only 16 mounted, and 160 men, captured after a very long chase by the Thames. The Immortalite was in sight at the capture.

4 Nov 1800 Plymouth, arrived a French schooner, L'Unique, 6 guns and 80 men, with a valuable cargo, from Guadaloupe to Bourdeaux. She was captured the 31 Oct., 36 hours from Bourdeaux, by the Thames, the Immortalite, being in sight at the capture.

16 Nov 1800 Plymouth, came in Immortalite, 44, in damage.

25 Nov 1800 Plymouth, orders came down to fit for foreign service.

24 Dec 1800 arrived Plymouth.

10 Jan 1801 departed Plymouth with the Dasher.

15 Jan 1801 came into Plymouth Sound from a cruise.

19 Jan 1801 departed Plymouth Sound on a cruise to the Westward.

26-28 Jan 1801 in company with the Oiseau, Amethyst, Sirius, Atalante, and Hired Armed Cutter Earl St Vincent at the capture of the French 36-gun frigate D�daigneuse, afterwards added to the British navy under the same name.

6 Feb 1801 accounts from the Immortalite, of 44 guns, Captain Hotham, gone on to the Straits, state that she fell in with Gentheaume's squadron, which chased the Concorde, two of them appeared disabled, with their main and fore yard on the deck.

24 Feb 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound the Swedish ship Lykka Walgang, Wennerberg, master, with salt, bound from Alicant to Copenhagen / stockholm [depending on source], detained by the Immortalit�.

26 Feb 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound a Danish bark Anna Catharina, of and from Bergen, bound to Leghorn, laden with stock-fish, detained on the 3rd inst. by the Immortalite.

27 Feb 1801 arrived Torbay.

28 Feb 1801 departed Torbay, L'Immortalite, and Alcmene, frigates, Magaera, fire ship, and Dolly, cutter, to join the Channel Fleet.

20 Mar 1801 wind S.W. at Plymouth, Blows a Hurricane, with Rain at Plymouth. It blew last night, and until two P.M. this afternoon, with the fury of an equinoctial gale, with a tremendous rolling sea in the Sound and Cutwater. The Santa Margaritta, 36 guns, Sirius 36, Immortalit� 40, and Fisgard 48, had signals of assistance flying all the forenoon, have drove, but by getting out other anchors, and the ground in the Sound being good and firm, though they pitched and rolled most dreadfully, yet they weathered the hurricane very well.

24 Mar 1801 departed Plymouth Sound on a cruise.

3 Apr 1801 spoke to the Falmouth packet Prince of Wales, and advised her that the Immortalit� had recently captured a French cutter.

14 Apr 1801 in lat. 49� 8' N., long. 13� 25' W., fell in with and captured La Laure French privateer brig of fourteen guns and 78 men, who had been 15 days out from St. Maloes, and had taken nothing but a Portuguese vessel from Bristol bound to Lisbon ; but during her former cruises had made seventeen captures.

2 May 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise off the coast of France ; she has brought in a beautiful French Corvette, La Loire, of 18 x 6 pdrs. and 110 men, from St. Maloes which is reputed to have committed great depredations on our trade.

5 May 1801 departed Plymouth Sound on a cruise off the coast of France.

13 May 1801 letters received at Plymouth from the Doris, dated the 8th inst., off Camaret Point, state that the Immortalite and Unicorn had looked in to the Outer Road of Brest, and counted distinctly seven three-deckers, thirteen two-deckers, three frigates, and four corvettes, which were apparently ready for sea, with top-gallant yards across.

28 Jun 1801 by the Fisgard is learnt that the French pilot of the Immortalite, of 36 guns, Captain Hotham, one of the advanced frigates off Brest Outer Road, went on shore at Brest, and visited several Cabenets, (wine houses), drank with some of the troops, and got information that the combined fleets were 22 sail of the line, 14 frigates, several corvettes and store ships, besides small craft, with 15,000 troops onboard, of which one third were artillery men ; their destination (if they get out) is said to be Egypt, and they talk of sailing the first easterly wind; the pilot got safe to his own ship in a fishing boat.

27 Jul 1801 Immortalite and Arethusa capture the Invention, French privateer in the Channel.

2 Aug 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound with a French corvette, of 26 guns and 170 men, called L'Invention, of St. Maloes ; she is of a curious construction, and has four masts completely rigged and sails as usual ; she was taken after a long chase.

3 Aug 1801 went up Plymouth harbour, L'Invention, of 26 guns, and 4 masts ; she is 148 feet long, and 25 feet beam, is an handsome ship, quite new, being her first cruise prize to the Immortalite.

11 Aug 1801 departed Plymouth with a convoy of victuallers with fresh provisions and water for the Fleet.

13 Sep 1801 spoke with the Falmouth packet Harlequin in the chops of the Channel, after a chase of some hours.

25 Oct 1801 remains in Carrick Roads, at Falmouth, following the departure of the Requin and her convoy.

12 Nov 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from a cruise in the Bay, last from Torbay.

9 Dec 1801 parted her best bower at one o'clock this morning, in the Sound, and was firing her signal guns until eleven o'clock this forenoon, when this dockyard sent a supply, and she now rides safely, the gale also having much abated.

15 Dec 1801 departed Plymouth Sound for Torbay, the Immortalite, with orders for the fleet there.

28 Dec 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound from Torbay.

30 Dec 1801 arrived last night at St Helen's, from Plymouth, the Immortalite, Capt Hotham, to join Sir A. Mitchell's squadron.

26 Jan 1802 at Plymouth leave for the Immortalite, Fisgard, Amelia, Amethyst, Cambrian, Imogene has been stopped and their women sent ashore, while the ships are victualled, watered and stored for 3 months in preparation for a major effort, it is said, for the frigates to reduce the amount of smuggling on the coast, which, since the peace has increased considerably, and the vessels are to cruise off the Start Point, the Praule, Ram Head, the Deadman's Point, the Lizard, and off Mount's Bay. Lighters are now alongside discharging their provisions, beer and water.

27 Jan 1802 departed Plymouth, the Immortalite, Hon Capt Hotham, to cruise against the smugglers. It is reported that the smugglers have taken to using larger vessels, lately used as privateers until the peace, which are larger and better armed than the revenue cruisers, a large lugger having recently fired into 2 revenue cruisers, and hence the use of frigates and sloops, waiting to be paid off, to deal with the problem that has now arisen.

5 Feb 1802 arrived Falmouth, the Immortalite, from a cruise against the smugglers. Wind Southerly.

12 Feb 1802 departed Falmouth on a cruise.

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.

8 Mar 1802 arrived Falmouth from a cruise.

14 Mar 1802 departed Falmouth on a cruise against smugglers.

24 Mar 1802 arrived Plymouth from a cruise off the Scilly Isles, after smugglers.

22 Apr 1802 to be paid off at Plymouth, all standing, and to be recommissioned again, manned by volunteers.

Circa 24 Apr 1802 Captain Owen apptd to the Immortalite.

4 May 1802 by order received at Plymouth to take on board 150 such Irish seamen for Cork, Waterford, Dublin and Belfast, as may "choose to take their passage to their respective homes."

17 May 1802 departed Plymouth with 150 discharged seamen for Cork, Waterford, and Dublin.

3 Jun 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound the Immortalite, 40, Capt. Hotham, from Cork and Dublin. She spoke a dismasted sloop off the Lizard ; and same point the Glenmore, 36, having under convoy L'Engageante, 38, Lieut. Donocliff, late receiving ship during the war at Cork, hourly expected at Plymouth.

5 Jun 1802 departed Plymouth Sound for Spithead,

6 Jun 1802 arrived Spithead from Ireland, last from Plymouth.

1 Jul 1802 Capt Owen of the Immortalite has been instructed to depart Spithead for Weymouth with HM Barge.

4 Jul 1802 departed Spithead for Weymouth with HM Barge.

8 Jul 1802 arrived Spithead the Immortalite, Captain Owen, from Weymouth.

11 Jul 1802 several guns of distress were distinctly heard from the eastward, in consequence of which the Immortalite, Magicienne, and Pique hoisted anchors and got under weigh from Spithead. Since their sailing we learn that it is the Woolwich storeship aground near the Oars in coming round from the Downs.

14 Jul 1802 departed Spithead on a cruise.

30 Aug 1802 remained in the Downs with the Immortalite, Camel, and Vixen.

31 Aug 1802 departed the Downs on a cruise.

10 Sep 1802 arrived in the Downs.

15 Sep 1802 departed the Downs on a cruise.

4 Oct 1802 arrived in the Downs from a cruise.

6 Nov 1802 remain in the Downs with the Immortalite, Topaze, Constance, Jamaica, Magicienne, Clyde frigates ; Driver sloop ; Snipe gun brig ; Diligent store ship.

26 Nov 1802 remain in the Downs the Immortalite, Topaze, Jamaica frigates ; Arrow and Bittern sloops ; Snipe, Vixen, and Bloodhound gun brigs.

1 Dec 1802 remain in the Downs the Immortalite, and Jamaica frigates ; and Snipe, gun brig.

24 Dec 1802 remain in the Downs the Penelope, Capt Broughton ; Immortalite, Owen ; and Jamaica, Rose, frigates ; and Arrow, Vincent ; Driver, Fane, sloops.

24 Jan 1803 remain in the Downs the Immortalite, Jamaica, and Arrow.

11 Feb 1803 remain in the Downs the Immortalite, and Bloodhound.

16 Feb 1803 remain in the Downs the Immortalite, Ambuscade, Lapwing and Locust.

18 Feb 1803 departed the Downs for Sheerness.

16 May 1803 arrived Sheerness from the River.

20 May 1803 came down through to the Downs from Sheerness, the Immortalite.

14 Jun 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise, the Immortalite, Capt Owen.

14 Jun 1803 ship's boats capture a French brig and schooner from off the French coast.

16 Jun 1803 arrived Deal last night, the frigate Immortalite, the sloops Jalouse, and Cruiser, and the gun brig Vixen, from the French coast, from a cruise, per the last item.

14 Jul 1803 the Immortalite, frigate ; Sulphur, bomb ; and Locust, gun brig, departed the Downs for a cruise on the French coast.

21 Jul 1803 the Immortalite, in company with the Hydra, and Bloodhound, stood in close to Havre and fired at the gun-boats in the harbour, whilst the Sulphur bomb lobbed several shells into the town. They also detained the Danish ship De Lebre, with wine from Havre.

24 Jul 1803 this evening arrived Portsmouth the Danish ship De Lebre, with wine, from Havre, sent in by the Immortalite, Hydra, Bloodhound, and Sulphur.

8 Aug 1803 the Immortalite departed the Downs with the Perseus bomb, on a cruise to the coast of France.

8 Aug 1803 the Hampshire Telegraph reports the case of Lieut Spears of the Immortalite being charged for the murder of a seaman, Thomas Fleming, at the Kent Assizes, relating to when he boarded an East Indiaman as part of a press gang to press some of the ship's company, but was opposed by the ship's company carrying boarding pikes, and having fired a warning shot from his pistol, without ball, ie only with powder, he finally had to resort to firing a loaded pistol in his own defence and the jury threw out the bill for murder.

17 Aug 1803 the bomb Terror arrived in the Downs from the Coast of France this morning, where she and the Immortalite had attacked the town of Boulogne that evening : the Terror placing herself close enough to the town to throw in shells which destroyed much of the Lower Town. In addition a party of Royal Marines and Seamen were landed and set fire to a number of houses, and sufficiently damaged some new works in the harbour to make them useless, before returning to their ships.

22 Aug 1803 the boats of the Immortalite, Perseus, and Terror were sent into Boulogne to destroy some new works, but were discovered and with the alarm being general they returned to their vessels.

23 Aug 1803 the boats of the Immortalite, Perseus, and Terror were sent into Boulogne again to destroy some new works, and this time were able to get on shore and destroy everything that the French had built, and return without the loss of a man, notwithstanding a heavy fire of shot and shells. [By Ed : Sometimes a little difficult to date some of the reports, but hopefully this will give the reader an idea of what was going on.]

29 Aug 1803 arrived in the Downs, the Immortalite, and the Terror, bomb, from a cruise.

4 Sep 1803 remain in the Downs the Monarch, Adm Lord Keith ; Utrecht, R.-Adm Montague, Capt Rogers ; Raisonable, Capt Hotham ; Immortalite, Capt Owen ; Ranger, Capt Coote ; Sulphur, Capt McLeod ; and Conflict, Mariner, Speculation, gun brigs ; the transports Comet, Canada, Aurora, and Minerva, under the command of Capt Watson, RN.

7 Sep 1803 departed the Downs, the Immortalite, and Sulphur, on a cruise off the Coast of France.

14 Sep 1803 attacks on Dieppe and St.-Valery en Caux, on the French coast.

21 Sep 1803 arrived in the Downs the Immortalite, Autumn, and Amaranthe ; Fury and Explosion, bombs ; Mariner, Conflict, and Jackall, gun brigs ; and Millbrook schooner, from the French coast.

30 Sep 1803 the York, Immortalite, Harpy and Circe departed the Downs on a cruise. Wind W., with rain.

1 Oct 1803 put back to the Downs, the wind having gone round to the NW, blowing them on to the French coast.

5 Oct 1803 arrived from a cruise off the Coast of France.

6 Oct 1803 departed the Downs for the Coast of France.

21 Oct 1803 the Immortalite, Griffin and armed cutter Tartar depart the downs for the Coast of France.

28 Oct 1803 the Immortalite sent into the Downs 2 Dutch doggers laden with timber.

1 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs the Immortalite, Capt Owen. Wind ENE, blows hard.

3 Nov 1803 the Immortalite, Capt Owen, departed the Downs with the Vulture, Capt Green, and gun brig Mariner, Lieut Lapslay, on a cruise to the coast of France.

6 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise off Boulogne.

8 Nov 1803 departed the Downs for Sheerness.

14 Nov 1803 has got in her new foremast at Sheerness and departed for the Little Nore.

15 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs, where Gen Dundas embarked, accompanied by 2 engineers, to reconnoitre the French batteries, however, due to bad weather the trip was cancelled.

18 Nov 1803 departed the Downs the Immortalite, Trompeuse, Lark and Lynx, sloops, Conflict, Mariner, and Bloodhound, gun brigs, and Viper cutter, on a cruise off the Coast of France.

Circa 26 Nov 1803 V.-Adm Patton apptd to the command of the Downs.

1 Dec 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise.

Circa 3 Dec 1803 S Curry Esq., Purser of the Arethusa, to be Secretary to V.-Adm Patton, commanding in the Downs.

4 Dec 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise of the French Coast.

11 Dec 1803 arrived in the Downs from off the French Coast. During her cruise of Friday night a large enemy vessel was found, which was discovered to be aground and was set on fire, despite the heavy fire of musquetry being received from the shore, and soon burnt to the water's edge.

14 Dec 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise.

Circa 15 Dec 1803 the Leopard and Sulphur, bomb, surveyed the French Coast in the region of Boulogne, and were joined later by the Immortalite, Hardy, Leda, Fortunee, and Bloodhound. On the 17th they observed a convoy of 22 brigs &c., get into Boulogne from the Westward, and were close to cutting some of them off. They note that there about 100 gun boats in Boulogne, exclusive of brigs.

Circa 7 Jan 1804 the Immortalite, in company with the Archer, on the French coast, between Calais and Boulogne, observed a French flotilla of 50-60 sail, and managed to extract 20 of these vessels, 5 of which are arrived at Deal, including a lugger, a dogger and 2 gun boats.

19 Feb 1804 the Immortalite, in company with the Duchess of Cumberland, and Griffin cutter, attacked some gun boats between Cap Grisnez, and Boulogne. A severe fire was maintained by the shore batteries, but they didn't do any damage ; in return the Immortalite shot away the masts of one of the gun boats.

19-20 Jul 1804 action off the road of Boulogne

25-28 Aug 1804 seminal action off Boulogne

1-3 Oct 1804 fire ships expended and the trial of a new form of fire boat known as a "catamaran," on the French flotillas anchored off Boulogne. The officers in charge of the fire or explosion vessels were as follows : Capts MacLeod, of the Sulphur ; Jackson, of the Autumn ; Edwards of the Fury ; Collard of the Railleur ; and Searle of the Helder defence ship. Lieuts Stewart of the Monarch ; Lowry of the Leopard ; Payne of the Immortalite ; Templer of the Sulphur ; Midshipman Bartholomew of the Inflexible ; Capts Winthrop of the Ardent ; and Owen of the Immortalite, superintended the operations from the Southward ; and Hon Capt Blackwood, of the Euryalus, from the Northward. Keith.

23 Oct 1804 when off Boulogne, somewhat later in the day Capt W W C R Owen, Immortalite, accompanied by the Orestes and Basilisk, reported that at half past three this afternoon, as he approached Cape Grisnez, he observed a division of 15 of the enemy's small vessels keeping close inshore, undercover of their batteries and accompanying horse artillery, making the best of their way to shelter themselves within the Banc de Laine. The rest of the report can be found in the online London Gazette: Publication date: 23 October 1804 ; Issue: 15748 Page:1320.

7 Mar 1805 captured the Spanish privateer El Intripede Corune, 14 guns, 66 men.

May 1805 On a cruise westward.

18-23 Jul 1805 attacks on convoys off Calais - Vimereux - Ambleteuse.