Merlin, 1803
Type: Sloop ; Armament 16
Purchased : Jul 1803 ; Disposal date or year : 1836
Notes:

C 15 Aug 1803 Capt E P Brenton apptd to the Merlin.

10 Oct 1803 the Merlin has come down the River Thames to the Nore and sailed for the Downs.

12 Oct 1803 departed the Downs on a cruise.

27 Oct 1803 ship's boats of the Merlin chase and run on shore the French lugger-privateer Sept-Fr�res, which was subsequently destroyed by the schooner Milbrook.

2 Nov 1803 remain in the Downs the Monarch, Right Hon Adm Lord Keith ; Utrecht, R.-Adm Montague, Capt Loring ; Amaranthe, Capt Bays ; Merlin ; and Lynx, sloops ; Perseus, Capt Melhuish, bomb ; Milbrook, schooner, Lieut Starck ; Minx, Lieut Manchison, and Vixen, Lieut Brown, gun brigs.

4 Nov 1803 the Merlin departed the Downs with the Minx on a cruise.

17 Nov 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise off Ostend.

18 Nov 1803 remains in the Downs the Monarch, Utrecht, Raisonable, Magicienne, Squirrel, Amaranthe, Champion, Vulture, Hound, Merlin sloops ; Perseus, and Fury, bombs ; Seaflower, brig ; Starling, gun brig ; Findon, hired sloop, and the transports Plymouth, Supply, and Sussex Oak.

24 Nov 1803 arrived Dungeness Roads the Leopard and Merlin and remain with the Sulphur.

25 Nov 1803 departed Dungeness for off Havre the sloop Merlin. Several neutral merchantmen remained wind bound. Wind NW by W.

28 Nov 1803 put back to the Downs.

10 Dec 1803 was in company with the frigate Shannon when the latter was wrecked in a gale under the batteries near Cape la Hogue, returning on the 16th to destroy the vessel.

12 Dec 1803 arrived Portsmouth the hired cutter Princess Augusta with reports that the frigate Shannon, Capt E L Gower, on Sunday last, got ashore close under the batteries of La Hogue, and was immediately surrounded by a number of French boats and her crew taken prisoner and her stores removed. The cutters Pigmy and Minerva, with several armed vessels, were sent in to attempt to destroy her, which could not be achieved, however, Capt Brenton subsequently, with the aid of his boats and men, from the Merlin sloop, got on board as soon as the French went ashore, and set the vessel on fire, and it would appear that she had burnt down to her copper. The French batteries opened a heavy fire on the Merlin and her boats, but fortunately there were no casualties. It was understood from those who had been on board the Shannon that the French would appear to have made her ready to take into harbour on the next day.

Circa 31 Jan 1804 the Merlin reports having captured four small French craft, supposedly destined for invasion of England, but as prizes the were found to be so useless, they returned their crews to shore and destroyed the boats. That said, though I guess that they were only designed for a one way trip, across the Channel to England, and no return tickets !

8 Feb 1804 arrived Spithead, from a cruise off Havre, the Merlin, Capt Brenton, and the Megaera, Capt Duff, the Merlin having been with the squadron on the French Coast for 6 weeks.

20 Feb 1804 departed Spithead, for a cruise off Havre, the Ranger, Capt Coote, and the Merlin, Capt Brenton.

3 May 1804 arrived Spithead from off Havre.

19 May 1804 departed Spithead to cruise off Havre, the Merlin, Capt Brenton.

Circa 21 Jul 1804 the wind being favourable and the atmosphere light and favourable, reports of gunfire were heard from across the Channel and reports were subsequently received at Portsmouth from Capt Brenton, off Havre, that the sloop had been in action with a number of gunboats, but apparently, no damage done. The force at Havre is increasing in number daily as these vessels descend the Seine daily, from as high up the river as Paris.

23 Jul -1 Aug 1804 bombardment of H�vre.

24 Jul 1804 the Melpomene reports that since writing on the 17th winds were light and variable, succeeded by a gale from the north when the the bombs had difficulty keeping clear of the shore. Yesterday the wind veered round to the SW and the squadron stood in towards Havre, and at 11 the bombs tested their range, and at a quarter past eleven began a tremendous fire of shell and carcasse, which continued for an hour and a half, and not long afterwards the town was observed to be on fire and it was agreed that vessels in the vicinity of the peers were so closely packed that it was impossible for them not to have suffered considerably. The enemy's mortar batteries had been considerably increased since the bombardment of the 16th, and whilst some damage was done to some of the bombs no injuries were experienced by the crews. A shell passed through the mizen stay sail of the Zebra, and another carried away the spare topsail yard of the Merlin, and two chain plates grazed her side. Similarly a 42 pound shot cut the spare topmast and some other spars, and lodged in the booms of the Hecla. And whilst the RN crews of the bombs received their due commendations for the way the vessels were handled and positioned, so a too were the officers and men of the Royal Artillery who were responsible for manning the mortars. Unfortunately due to the tight binding of the newspapers the resulting poor quality of the print close to the binding precludes a more full account from the Hampshire Telegraph of 30 Jul 1804.

Circa 28 Jul 1804 the Pluto, Capt Janverin, brings an account of a more serious attack being made by Capt Oliver, of the Melpomene, and the Havre squadron, on the gun boats of that port, than any yet effected. The Squadron has been strengthened by the Trusty, Magnanime, Locust, Gun vessels, and Explosion, Zebra and Hecla, bombs.

31 Jul 1804 in company with the Melpomene, Trusty, Ariadne, Magnanime, Pluto, Meteor, Favorite, Merlin, Hecla, and Zebra, Locust Brig, and Nancy and King George Cutters captured the Postilion.

8 Sep 1804 departed Portsmouth harbour for Spithead.

12 Sep 1804 departed Spithead to cruise off Havre.

4 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead, the Merlin, Capt Brenton, from off La Hogue.

17 Dec 1804 departed Spithead, with orders for the Havre squadron.

May 1805 Spithead

1830 Receiving ship, Portsmouth