Pigmy, 1793
Type: Cutter / Schooner ; Armament 14
Launched at Plymouth in 1793 ;
Disposal date or year : Aug 1805
Disposal Details : Wrecked in St Aubin's bay, Jersey: crew saved. Lieut William Smith
Notes:

8 Jan 1799 Darlstone Head bearing N. W. two miles, observed a cutter and two brigs off St. Aldan's, standing to the southward, and gave chace. At forty minutes past one came up, and retook the brig Lark, Francis Attis, master, from Cardiff to London, laden with bar iron ; and the brig Dion, Esdras Best, master, from Cardiff to London, laden with the same. Continued the chace and at four captured the French cutter privateer, La Rancune, commanded by Ant. Fran. Vic. Jos. Panpeville, manned with 21 men, and carrying two swivel guns, small arms, &c. from Cherbourg 26 hours ; had made no other capture than the two she had taken that morning. W. Shepheard.

9 Jan 1799 in Portland Roads.

31 Mar 1799 Portsmouth, departed the Fly, sloop, and Pigmy cutter, on a cruise.

Circa Jul 1799 prize money arising from the capture of the Rancune due for payment.

9 Nov 1799 departed Spithead the San Fiorenzo with the Anson, Severn, and Pigmy, on a cruise.

26 Dec 1799 - 22 Jan 1800 the Boadicea and Severn, and the Pigmy and Telemachus Hired Cutters, in Company of the Anson and Sheerness, captured Le Saint Francois, Saint Pierre de Carnac, Brig, Name-unknown, and the Sloop Anna Louisa.

Apr-5 Jun 1800 blockade of Genoa and cutting out of the Prima galley.

26 Aug 1800 a punitive expedition made against the town of Cesenatico, when all the vessels in the harbour were either set on fire or sunk and the 2 piers burnt.

6 Sep 1800 the French trebaccolo La Batagliadi Marengo, privateer, from Ravannahon a cruise ; taken by the Pigmy cutter on the Mediterranean Station.

17 Sep 1800 the Imperial trebaccolo Divine Providence, from Cesenatiro bound to France, laden with rope, &c ; taken by the Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

20 Sep 1800 the Neapolitan polacre brig Madona de Laure, from Trepano bound to Ponto Gai, laden with salt ; taken by Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

10 Oct 1800 the Imperial trebaccolo Divine Providence, from Monopoli bound to Milan, laden with oil ; taken by the Pigmy cutter on the Mediterranean Station.

16 Nov 1800 a Cisalpine trebaccolo, from Ravenna bound to Pesaro, in ballast, taken by El Corso and Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

2 Jan 1801 prize monies resulting from the captures made during the period 26 Dec 1799 - 22 Jan 1800 are ready to be paid.

17 Jan 1801 the Russian polacre ship Madona Turgliana, from the Morea, bound to Trieste, laden with leather ; taken by the El Corso and Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

13 Feb 1801 the Danish ship Adonis, from Copenhagen bound to Trieste, laden with stockfish ; detained by El Corso and Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

16 Feb 1801 the Danish brig Madellina Christiana, from Venice bound to Zante, laden with plank, &c. detained by the El Corso and Pigmy on the Mediterranean Station.

18 Feb 1801 off the Isle Lafrina, in the Mediterranean, captured the French trabacolo privateer Adelaide, mounting 2 x 12-pdrs., 1 x 6-pdr., and small arms, &c. commanded by Dominique Cannilla, with 51 men ; seven days from Ancona, and had taken one small prize, was herself formerly an Ancona fishing vessel.

27 Feb 1801 the Imperial Trebaccolo Madona del Annunciade, from Trieste bound to Fiume, laden with hemp ; retaken by El Corso and Pigmy, from a French privateer on the Mediterranean Station.

8 Mar to 2 Sep 1801 Off the coast of Egypt.

15 Mar 1801 at half past six this morning the Pigmy and Corso chased the French privateer trabaccolo Achille, commanded by Francisco Bruni, mounting 4 x 9-pounders, and 2 x 6 pounders, brass cannon, with 44 men, from Ancona one day, and had made no capture, off the north end of the Isle Lonzo until she anchored near the Isle Molata at half past eight, hoisted French colours, and struck them on my firing one shot.

8 Jun 1801 the French brig La Prudente, of two guns and thirty-six men, from Toulon bound to Alexandria, laden with ammunition, artificers' tools, and Comedians ; taken by the Pigmy cutter, Lieutenant W. Shepherd.

19 Sep 1801 captured the Ottoman Polacre St. Michele. William Shepheard, Commander.

1 Dec 1801 prize money on the proceeds of the cargo and Ottoman Polacre St. Michele due to be paid.

23 Jul 1802 arrived Spithead the Caesar, 80, Europa, and the Pigmy cutter, Lt Shepheard, from Gibraltar.

7 Aug 1802 arrived Plymouth Sound from Guernsey the Pigmy cutter, Lieutenant Shepheard, an advice-boat to the squadron. The wind being fair, she went up the harbour to her moorings to be stripped and paid off. She was received as an old friend returned to port after a long absence. She was launched in 1793, and has been in active service ever since ; was in the battle of the glorious 1st of June 1794 ; was engaged, 5 Jul 1801, and again off Cadiz on the 12th of the same month, when the little British squadron defeated a superior fleet, and the two Spanish first rates blew up with a dreadful explosion, and the St. Antoine, 74, was taken.

NA : Masters' Logs ADM 52/3291 - Pigmy - 1 Jan 1798 - 10 Aug 1802.

Circa 17 Jan 1803 Lt M. White apptd in command of the Pigmy.

14 Mar 1803 went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

18 Mar 1803 departed Spithead, for Cowes, to impress seamen.

25 Mar 1803 arrived Spithead with pressed seamen from Poole, Dorset.

30 Mar 1803 dropped down from Spithead to St Helen's to examine merchant vessels and press such hands that have no protections.

7 May 1803 departed Spithead on particular service.

9 May 1803 arrived Spithead from the Eastward.

16 May 1803 departed Spithead, the cutter Pigmy for Guernsey, it is understood, to order to lay an embargo on French vessels, a similar order having been issued at Portsmouth.

10 Jun 1803 arrived Spithead for repair, with the loss of her boom the preceding day in a gale.

3 Sep 1803 arrived Plymouth from Jersey.

27 Sep 1803 departed Plymouth, the cutter Pigmy, Lieut White, with a convoy for Guernsey.

18 Nov 1803 departed Alderney, for Spithead, and can confirm that rumours that the Island had been attacked by the French are unfounded.

20 Nov 1803 arrived Spithead, the Pigmy cutter, Lt White, yesterday, from Guernsey, and came into Portsmouth harbour today.

Circa 26 Nov 1803 the cook of the Pigmy cutter, Thomas Phillips, was found dead in his bed ; the coroner, Mr R Calloway concluded that he had died by a visitation of God.

26 Nov 1803 came into Portsmouth Harbour from Spithead.

28 Nov 1803 departed Portsmouth harbour for Spithead.

30 Nov 1803 departed Spithead with a convoy for Guernsey, the Pigmy, Lt White.

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, it appears that she has since gone to pieces in the recent bad weather.

3 Jan 1804 departed Spithead the Pigmy for Guernsey.

Circa 13 Feb 1804 Lieut Burgess apptd to the Pigmy, vice White, who has resigned due to ill health.

4 Jun 1804 departed Spithead, the Prospero, Capt C Jones, and the Pigmy cutter, Lieut Burgess, for off Cherbourg.

8 Jun 1804 since she Pigmy accompanied the Prospero to Cherbourg I would suggest that she may well have been the Prospero's tender, ie most bombs required a tender to perform their task, so would suggest that the Pigmy may have accompanied the Prospero when she attempted to carry out their operation, but, unfortunately found it impossible to attack 35 French gun vessels, since they were so defensively moored under the batteries at Cape Barfleur, where they'd been driven by the Tribune, Decade and Hydra, and were thus obliged to retire.

3 Oct 1804 a Court Martial was held on a seaman of the Pigmy, W. Lloyd, for taking a ship's boat and deserting the ship when at St Helier, Jersey, and was ordered to receive 300 lashes.

5 Oct 1804 departed Spithead for Guernsey.

24 Nov 1804 at Spithead.

26 Nov 1804 departed Spithead, the Pigmy, on a cruise.

7 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead with 2 transports from Guernsey.

11 Dec 1804 arrived Spithead from a cruise.

Circa 19 Dec 1804 whilst lying in Guernsey Roads the weather was so bad the Niobe had to cut away her main and fore-masts and mizen top, and the Thisbe and Sylph were totally dismasted by the weather and in danger of driving on the rocks ; the Pigmy cutter parted her cables and drove on shore at the back of the South Pier, but has since got off. The Niobe has since arrived at Plymouth. The Severn, despite every effort, ran on shore in Granville Bay, Jersey and was lost. The Alcmene was similarly threatened but managed to ride out the gale.

May 1805 Spithead Lieut. William Smith.