Orpheus, 1780
Type: 5th rate ; Armament 32 (12-pounder)
Launched on the River Thames 1780 ;
Disposal date or year : 23 Jan 1807
Disposal Details : Wrecked on the Coral reef, Jamaica station : crew saved. Captain Thomas Briggs
Complement 217
Tons (BM) : 688
Notes:

Early 1794 the Orpheus, Captain Henry Newcome, Centurion, and Resistance, arrived on the East India station..

5 May 1794 capture of the French 34-gun ship Duguay-Trouin, late Princess-Royal, Indiaman off the Isle of France.

Circa 21 Jul 1795 The Orpheus, and Resistance, Captain Edward Pakenham, sail from Madras with troop transports to take Malacca and other Dutch settlements.

16 Feb 1796 Rear-admiral Peter Rainier arrived with a squadron, including the Orpheus, Captain Henry Newcome, off Amboyna, Molucca islands and landed troops : possession being taken without resistance.

7 Mar 1796 Rear-admiral Peter Rainier arrived with a squadron, including the Orpheus off Great-Banda, or Banda-Neira and landed troops : possession being taken with little resistance.

1 Jan 1799 Capt. W. Hills. On the East Indies station.

24 Oct 1799 captured the Dutch India-company's ships Zeelast and Zeevraght.

Circa Feb 1800 Captain B. W. Page, late of the Orpheus, is appointed to the command of the Inflexible, 64.

16 May 1800 departed Mew Bay with the Arrogant, and passed to the northward of the islands of Batavia, made the land of Java, near Point Indramago, and having Bumkin Island in sight at the same time to the eastward of Batavia discovered a large ship and a brig at anchor, to whom we gave chase ; and who, after having made some signals to each other, made all sail from us in for the land. It was late in the evening before we got near them, when we discovered the ship to be a vessel of force, and having several guns on her lower deck, and the brig also mounting fourteen guns ; finding they could not escape us they both ran on shore, at some miles distant from each other, to the Westward of Point Indramago. We were soon within random shot of the ship, and anchored as near her as the depth of water would admit, when she began firing at us, which was returned by several guns from each deck. About this time two boats were observed going from her full of men and as it grew dark shortly after, some of our boats were sent to prevent the crew of the ship from landing, and to summons her to surrender, which they could not do till the morning and this I conclude was with a design of destroying her, if they could have accomplished landing the crew in the night, but the vigilance of our boats prevented this taking place, as her boats were taken, full of men, the first time the attempt was made. At daybreak she surrendered, and was taken possession of, when we found her to be the Hertzoy de Brunswick (armed ship), belonging to the Dutch East India Company, Jan Cornelius Baune, Commander, mounting 20 guns on the upper-decks, and eight on the lower-deck, and manned with 320 men, part of whom had made their escape on shore. At the time the boats were sent to prevent the men from landing from the ship, other boats were sent under the direction of Lieutenant Blayney, to board the brig, which was some miles distant from us. This service he accomplished without loss, and soon after brought her near us, when we found her to be the Dolphin armed brig, commanded by Jan Vauntyes, belonging to the Dutch East India Company, mounting 14 guns, and having on board sixty-five men.

28 May 1800 in recent days had captured a Dutch brig, a sloop, and two prows ; the three latter being destroyed and same day ran into the anchorage to the westward of Point Indramago, where most of the prisoners were landed, some being very sickly, and then joined the Arrogant off Cheribon

4 Dec 1802 invalided personnel from the Orpheus arrived at Spithead in the Scaleby Castle, just arrived from Bombay.

Circa 10 Jan 1803 when the Imogene packet departed the Cape of Good Hope the Lancaster, Tremendous, Diomede, Jupiter, Hindustan, Braave and Penguin were lying there, and when she departed St Helena on 24 Jan., she did so in company with the Orpheus, and a number of East Indiamen.

21 Mar 1803 arrived Spithead, from the East Indies, last from St Helena.

25 Mar 1803 taken up into Portsmouth harbour, the Orpheus, Capt C. Elphinstone.

15 Apr 1803 paid off at Portsmouth. Each of her ship's company were given a certificate from the Admiralty, allowing them 14 days freedom from being taken by the press gangs.

21 May 1803 went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead, the Orpheus, Capt Hill.

22 Jun 1803 departed Spithead for a cruise.

4 Jul 1803 arrived Spithead from a cruise.

24 Jul 1803 the Orpheus made a signal for a convoy for Newfoundland and Halifax.

29 Jul 1803 waiting for a fine wind to depart for Newfoundland and Halifax.

10 Aug 1803 following the sound of guns warning of a French invasion Adm Holloway shifted his flag from the Gladiator to the Magnificent at St Helen's, and put to sea ; with the Orpheus, Galatea, and Starling. Following a night of many alarms and excursions the warning turned out to have been caused by the approach of a fleet of coasters, in company with several American vessels.

15 Aug 1803 departed Spithead with a convoy for Newfoundland and Halifax.

15 Sep 1803 the Greyhound cutter, Capt Wilkinson, arrived Spithead, reports that she left the frigate Orpheus, Capt Hill, with the Newfoundland convoy, on 26 Aug., in lat 45 30 long 21 30 W., all well.

31 Oct 1803 departed Quebec for England, with a convoy, and Lt Col Doyle a passenger.

10 Dec 1803 arrived Spithead with a convoy from Halifax.

11 Dec 1803 departed Spithead for the Downs.

13 Dec 1803 arrived in the Downs from a cruise.

14 Dec 1803 departed the Downs with a convoy for Spithead.

15 Dec 1803 arrived Spithead, last from the Downs, with a convoy from Quebec, the Orpheus, Capt Hill.

22 Dec 1803 departed Spithead for a cruise off Cape Clear.

9 Jan 1804 arrived Spithead from Cork.

25 Jan 1804 departed Spithead, the Hydra, and Orpheus, on a cruise off Cherburgh.

Circa 4 Feb 1804 Mr G Godfrey apptd Purser of the Orpheus.

5 Feb 1804 arrived Spithead, from a cruise, the Orpheus, Capt Hill, and the Peterell, Capt Lamborn.

13 Feb 1804 departed Spithead for Lisbon, the Orpheus.

16 May 1804 arrived at Spithead from Lisbon, last from the Downs.

16 May 1804 arrived Portsmouth the remaining officers and crew of the Apollo brought back to Portsmouth in the frigate Orpheus, Capt Hill.

31 May 1804 departed Spithead to join Lord Keith's squadron.

15 Jun 1804 arrived Spithead, from off Havre. She chased on Saturday last, in company with the Ranger, a French lugger privateer of 14 guns, within 2 miles of Brighton, but from her gaining the wind on shore, she escaped, after receiving a broadside from the Ranger.

23 Jun 1804 departed Spithead, the Orpheus, in search of a French privateer, at the back of the Isle of Wight, which has made several captures.

26 Jun 1804 arrived Spithead, the Orpheus, Capt Hill, from a cruise, having detained a smuggling lugger, which had thrown her cargo overboard.

27 Jun 1804 departed Spithead with the Meteor bomb, on a cruise.

Circa 14 Jul 1804 the Orpheus and sloop Ranger have been ordered to prepare for Service in the Mediterranean. Cancelled.

17 Jul 1804 arrived Spithead from a cruise.

20 Jul 1804 Courts Martial were held on Lieuts Blennerhassett and W Evans, of the Orpheus, the former for contempt to Capt Hill, the latter for disobedience and disrespect. They were both acquitted.

Circa 21 Jul 1804 the Orpheus and sloop Ranger have been apptd to the next Newfoundland and Halifax convoy, and have hoisted signals accordingly.

2 Aug 1804 departed Spithead, the Orpheus, with a convoy, including the Indiaman Mangles, for Halifax and Quebec.

22 Aug 1804 the Orpheus and Ranger departed Falmouth, with a convoy for Newfoundland and Halifax.

17 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead the Orpheus, Capt Hill, from Quebec, last from the Downs.

May 1805 Cruising, Coast of Spain.

16 Apr 1806 the Orpheus, the Badger Revenue cutter in company, captured the Prussian ships Vrou Fingina and Vyf Gesusters.

25 Sep 1806 captured the French privateer Guadaloupe on the Jamaica station.

12 Nov 1806 captured the Spanish privateer Susannah, 4 guns, 20 men.

20 Nov 1806 ship's barge captured the Spanish schooner Dolores.