Neptune, 1797
Type: 2nd rate ; Armament 98
Launched : 1797 ; Disposal date or year : 1818
Notes:

Apr 1787 commissioned for Channel service Capt J Vashon.

22-26 Jun 1797 Richard Parker, leading mutineer from the mutiny of the Nore, court martialled onboard - see p. 74 www.naval-review.org/issues/1929-1.pdf.

15 Jan 1799 Spithead ; 17th dropped down to St. Helen's in preparation for a cruise off Brest ; 20 Jan 1799 Friday, in going out to St. Helen's, the Triumph missed stays, ran foul of the Neptune, and received considerable damage : she went aground on the Hawse, but was got off yesterday.

19 Mar 1799 at Spithead.

Neptune 7 Apr 1799 Portsmouth, departed on a cruize in the Channel, but put back on the 9th to St, Helen's, owing to strong contrary winds and departed on the 13th with a fine breeze from the eastward.

25 Apr 1799 cruising off Brest.

8 Jun 1799 Plymouth, reports received here advise that 16 ships of the line and 4 frigates were detached by Lord Bridport for the Straits.

7 Jul 1799 joined the Mediterranean fleet off Minorca.

7 Dec 1799 Plymouth, arrived, from the Channel Fleet, Neptune, 98 ; Russell, 74 ; Ruby, 64, Swan and Joseph cutters, and Plymouth, lugger.

14 Dec 1799 Plymouth, departed for Torbay with the St George.

15 Jan 1800 Plymouth, departed for Torbay, with the Triumph.

24 Apr 1800 Torbay, departed with the Channel Fleet, under the command of Sir Alan Gardner.

6 May 1800 Fitted for carronades.

17 May 1800 Plymouth, arrived from off Brest with the Impetueux, and Captain, : left the fleet all well last Wednesday. The combined fleets were sickly, and were gone into the Inner Roads.

2 Jun 1800 Plymouth, departed with the Amelia 44, Amethyst, 36, Shannon 32, and Bourdelais, on a cruise.

27 Sep 1800 arrived Cawsand Bay, owing to very heavy S. W. gales.

5 Oct 1800 departed Cawsand Bay to join the fleet in Torbay.

19 Oct 1800 arrived Cawsand Bay from Earl St. Vincent's fleet.

26 Oct 1800 departed Cawsand Bay with the Temeraire, and Centaur, 74, to join the Channel Fleet.

12 Mar 1801 the Ville de Paris, Adm. Cornwallis, arrived Torbay with the Royal George, San Josef, Prince George, Windsor Castle, Glory, Temeraire, Neptune, Atlas, Prince, and Captain from off Brest, where R.-Adm Saumarez remained with a strong squadron.

15 Mar 1801 departed Torbay with the fleet which arrived on Thursday evening, the 12th, along with the Unicorn, which arrived Friday evening.

17 Mar 1801 has just come to anchor in Torbay the fleet which departed on the 15th.

21 Mar 1801 the weather being reportedly blowing a heavy gale at W by N the fleet consisting of the same vessels as on 12 Mar., along with the Venerable, is taking shelter in Torbay.

21 Mar 1801 arrived Spithead from the Channel Fleet, to receive the flag of Vice-Admiral Gambier.

28 Mar 1801 V.-Adm. Gambier hoisted his flag on board the Neptune, Capt E Brace.

4 Apr 1801 departed Spithead to join the Channel Fleet.

7 May 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay with the Atlas from the Channel Fleet to refit.

11 May 1801 departed Cawsand Bay with R-.Adm. Gambier for the Channel Fleet.

5 Sep 1801 Capt Austen appointed in command of the Neptune, vice Brace, Flag ship of V.-Adm Gambier.

13 Sep 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet, which was left all well the 11th inst. the enemy had not made any movement. She has struck her top-masts and is to have her "rigging new set up and overhauled."

23 Sep 1801 departed Cawsand Bay with the Atlas, and bullocks for the Channel Fleet.

19 Nov 1801 remained in Torbay the Ville de Paris, Royal Sovereign, Prince of Wales, Neptune, Prince, Royal George, San Joseph, London, Magnificent, Bellerophon, Hercule, Donegal, Robust, Edgar, Belleisle, Courageux, Fisgard, Amelia, Indefatigable, Childers, Atlanta, Nimrod. The Nile cutter departing for Plymouth to be paid off.

28 Dec 1801 remained with the Channel Fleet in Torbay with the Ville de Paris.

30 Dec 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from Torbay, to be paid and victualled, the Neptune, 98 ; Prince, 98, and Childers, 14.

2 Jan 1802 was paid 6 months wages.

4 Jan 1802 departed Cawsand Bay for Torbay.

8 Apr 1802 a Court Martial was held on board his Majesty's ship Neptune, in Torbay, on Lieut. W. Hill, of HM ship Hercule, for insulting and shaking his fist in Lieut. Collet's face ; also, on Capt. Mortimer and Lieut. Dymock, of the Marine Forces, belonging to the said ship, for scurrilous and scandalous behaviour to the Rev. Charles Burnes. The charges being proved against Lieut. Hill, he was sentenced to be dismissed HM service ; and the charges being only in part proved against Capt. Mortimer and Lieut. Dymock, the former was severely reprimanded and the latter dismissed the ship. The Rev. C. Burnes was afterwards tried on a charge of drunkenness exhibited against him by Lieut. Hill, which case he could not substantiate, he was therefore acquitted.

20 Apr 1802 departed Torbay for Portsmouth, to be paid off.

22 Apr 1802 arrived St Helen's last night from Torbay and is ordered into Portsmouth harbour.

2 Oct 1802 remains in harbour Neptune, 98, Captain Drury.

Circa 20 Oct 1802 Captain W. O'Brien Drury, apptd to the Neptune, 98.

22 Oct 1802 the Neptune, 98, Captain Drury, is ordered out of harbour to Spithead, to receive the Port Admiral's flag.

27 Oct 1802 a Court Martial was held on board the Neptune at Portsmouth, on John Geram, Pilot of his Majesty's ship Pomone, for having run the said ship on the rocks going into St. Aubin's Bay, on the evening of the 8th of September last. The Court agreed that the charges had been proved against the Pilot, and that much blame was imputable to him, for attempting to enter the Bay of St. Aubin's in the night, at a time when she might have remained with safety at sea until day-light, and did adjudge him to be mulcted of all the pay and allowances due to him for his services done as a Pilot on board that ship ; and to be imprisoned in the Marshalsea for three months from that day.

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

29 Oct 1802 went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

5 Nov 1802 Admiral Milbanke has shifted his flag from the Doris to the Neptune, 98, Captain Drury at Spithead .

3 Dec 1802 a Court Martial was held on board the Neptune, at Portsmouth on Stephen Holloway, a marine, for having deserted from HM ship Camilla, in the month of May last. He was found guilty, and sentenced to receive one hundred lashes.

27 Dec 1802 the Neptune, Adm Milbank, Capt Drury, remains at Spithead.

27 Dec 1802 a court martial was held on board the Neptune, on T. Lyons, Master at Arms, of the Hercule, for Drunkenness, and the charge being proved he was sentenced to be dismissed the Service.

28 Dec 1802 a court martial was held on board the Neptune, on 3 seamen from the Port Mahon, J. Roscon, W. Price, and John Moore, for desertion, when Roscon was sentenced to 150 lashes ; Price 100 ; and Moore 50.

23 Jan 1803 remains at Spithead.

10 Mar 1803 Dockyard boats &c., have been out to the Neptune at Spithead with her remaining guns and powder, and to complete her ordnance stores.

13 Mar 1803 three sloops containing pressed men were sent out to put them on board the Neptune at Spithead.

25 Mar 1803 this morning Lord Gardner hoisted his flag, blue at the main, on board the Neptune, Capt Drury, as C-in-C of Portsmouth, in the room of Adm. Milbanke.

25 Mar 1803 the Puissant, 74, is fitting for the flag of Lord Gardner, the Neptune being ordered to Cawsand Bay, where a squadron is to assemble for cruising in the Channel.

31 Mar 1803 dropped down to St Helen's, and will depart for Cawsand Bay, Plymouth, when the wind sets fair.

1 Apr 1803 departed St Helen's for Cawsand Bay.

2 Apr 1803 arrived Cawsand Bay.

12 Apr 1803 the Neptune, and Courageux, departed Cawsand Bay for Torbay.

13 Apr 1803 arrived Torbay at 3.00 pm, from Cawsand Bay.

29 Apr 1803 as a result of the expected forthcoming collapse of the Treaty of Amiens, aka, Peace of Amiens, the following squadron was arriving from Cawsand Bay and slowly forming up off Brixham Quay, at Torbay, the Culloden, Neptune, Ardent, Albion, Courageux, Venerable, and Thunderer.

16 May 1803 Adm Cornwallis sailed on Monday from Torbay, with a squadron consisting of the following ships : Dreadnought, 98, Hon Adm Cornwallis, First Capt Murray, Second Capt Brace ; Neptune, 98, Capt Drury ; Albion, 74, Capt Ferrier ; Minotaur, 74, Capt Louis ; Ardent, 64, Capt Winthorp ; Culloden, 74, R.-Adm Campbell, Capt Lane ; Venerable, 74, Capt Searle ; Sceptre, 74, Capt Dickson ; Thunderer, 74, Capt Bedford ; and Russel, 74, Capt Williams. The Tonant, Malta, Spartiate, Plantagenet, Mars and Conqueror, lying in Cawsand Bay are nearly ready for sea, and want but few men to complete their complement.

16 Jul 1803 arrived Plymouth from the Channel Fleet, to refit, with the French brig Prudente, from Martinique to Havre, her prize.

17 Jul 1803 the Albion, and Russell departed Plymouth with the Ann, Glory, Northampton, Anna, and General Stewart, under convoy to the East Indies.

29 Jul 1803 the Neptune, Capt Drury, went up into Hamoaze to be repaired. Her ship's company is to be turned over to the San Josef, Foudroyant, and Prince, to man them to join the Channel Fleet.

6 Aug 1803 the Neptune is now in Dock at Plymouth.

24 Oct 1803 is now in Hamoaze and fitting for sea, already has 270 men on board.

13 Dec 1803 went down Hamoaze, and the Sound, into Cawsand Bay to moor.

Circa 28 Apr 1804 Capt Sir T Williams, apptd to the Neptune.

May 1805 Channel Fleet

10 Aug 1805 joined Sir Robert Calder's squadron off Ferrol.

10 Oct 1805 off Cadiz - the tactical preparations etc. for the forthcoming battle. 20 Oct combined fleet departed Cadiz, fleet manoeuvres.

21 Oct 1805 England expects�.. &c. signalled, the first shots of the Battle of Trafalgar are fired. Nelson shot. Resum� of what had taken place. Individual ship actions and losses : Neptune. The post-mortem commences ; Summary of British casualties ; Death of Nelson ;

22-30 Oct 1805 losses amongst the prizes due to bad weather etc: Redoutable, Rayo, Monarca (sank) ; Fougueux, Bucentaure, Indomptable, San-Francisco-de-Asis, Aigle, Berwick (wrecked) ; Alg�siras (taken into Cadiz) ; Santa-Ana, Neptuno (recaptured) ; Santisima-Trinidad (scuttled) ; Achille, Intr�pide, San-Augustin (burnt) ; the washup ; burial of Nelson ;

22 Oct 1805 Euryalus transferred the tow of the Royal-Sovereign to the Neptune.

24 Oct 1805 Neptune and Prince clear and scuttle the Santisima-Trinidad.

28 Oct 1805 Victory arrived at Gibraltar, under tow by the Neptune.

30 Jan-24 Feb 1809 a part of a expedition under R.-adm Sir A Cochrane which arrived off Martinique with a view to taking the Island.

12-17 Apr 1809 a part of a British squadron, off the Saintes, West Indies, which chased a French squadron, and captured the French 74-gun d'Haupoult of 1871 tons, which, under the name of Abercromby, cruised for three or four years in the British service. 1 May 1835 a portion of the prize money resulting from this action due for payment : namely a dividend from the estate of the bankrupt agent Henry Abbott's : no doubt one of the many fraudsters who ripped off matelots in those days : officers and ratings being fair game.

14 Jan 1810 departed Spithead with the West-India convoy.

3 Sep 1811 went out of dock at Plymouth.