Sheerness, 1800
Type: Hired cutter ; Armament 10
Hired : 1800 ; Disposal date or year : 1801
Notes:

Circa Jun 1800 Lieutenant I. H. Talbot has taken the command of the Sheerness hired cutter, at Sheerness.

3 Jan 1801 departed Plymouth with the hired brig Lady Charlotte and a convoy for the Downs.

16 Mar 1801 the Sheerness and Lady Charlotte arrived Spithead with a Danish East Indiaman, from China to Copenhagen, of 1400 tons and 18 guns, with teas supposedly called the Crown Prince, which they had detained off Portland or off St. Alban's Head, depending on source, when in company with the Scout.

29 Mar 1801 captured, Cape La Hogue bearing south six leagues, a French cutter privateer named La Pluton, Charles La Nieve, Captain, mounting one four-pounder, besides muskets, manned with 14 men ; she had captured the evening before, to the westward of Portland, the Friendship brig, from London, bound to Dublin. His Majesty's armed brig Lady Charlotte having parted company from me in chase the same night, I am led to hope he has retaken her. [Subsequent research indicates that the Friendship was retaken by Hired Cutter Union.]

20 Apr 1801 weighed from Weymouth Roads at five A.M. on seeing the signal for an enemy on Portland, in Company with the hired brig Lady Charlotte ; saw the French lugger privateer La Prefect de la Manche, Captain Le Froment, mounting sixteen two-pounders, manned with forty-nine men, to the westward, and her prize to the southward ; as it was nearly calm, I judged I should not come up with her, and went in chase of her prize ; sent the mate in the gig, who, at seven P.M. boarded her near Alderney. She proves to be the Soker schooner of Colchester, in ballast. This morning, 21 Apr., at half past ten, I discovered the lugger and 4 sail to the westward ; Lieut. Morris, of the Lady Charlotte, used every exertion, and was successful in recapturing them ; at half past two I hailed the lugger, and, as he would not bring to, fired several shot at him, when after carrying away several of her sails, she struck without firing at us. Lieut. Morris will inform you of the particulars of his recaptures. I am concerned to have to state, one Englishman was killed, and one wounded in the cabin of the lugger. The good conduct of Mr. James Bellard, Mate, I beg leave to point out, who has on all occasions conducted himself to my satisfaction. I shall, on my arrival at Plymouth, to which port, the wind being easterly, I judged it prudent to put into, use every exertion to put to sea, and follow the orders you have given me.

22 Apr 1801 [and another slightly different version...] arrived Plymouth Sound this morning the French lugger privateer La Prefect de la Manche, Captain Jean Francois Froment, of Cherbourg, 18 gun, taken on the 21st about 5 leagues off Lyme [Regis], by the Sheerness, 12, hired cutter, Lt JH Talbot, and the Lady Charlotte, hired armed brig, 12, Lt G Morris, which arrived here with 3 brigs from Liverpool, 2 of which were laden with lead, the other with provisions, and a sloop in ballast, all of which had been captured by the privateer on the morning of the 21st off the Start, together with a schooner in ballast, which was retaken and sent to Weymouth. The privateer had captured on the 10th p.m., the brig Flora, of and from Dartmouth, bound for Guernsey, in ballast, W Cuming, master, which had not been retaken, but her master is arrived here in the privateer. The Sheerness fired into the Frenchman, by which, unfortunately, one of the English captains and a seaman belonging to the Flora were killed.

22 Apr 1801 [and yet another slightly different version...] arrived Plymouth Sound the with a French lugger privateer, La Perfect de la Mouche, 14 guns and 70 men, Citizen Mussuerow, of Cherbourg, taken after a long chase between the Start and Portland, the Sheerness in company. They also retook a coasting convoy, of five vessels, her prizes, laden with lead ore and other articles of value, from Liverpool and Chester for London. Mr. Artey, of the brig Vigilant, while dining on board with Citizen Mussuerow, was unfortunately killed by a spent six-pound shot from the Sheerness, Lieutenant Talbot, which he fired in chace. The following is a list of ships captured by La Prefect de la Manche : the brig Goodwill, of Southwold, Pyett, master, bound from Liverpool to London, with lead ; the brig Generous Friends, of Southwold, Elmey, master, bound from Liverpool to London, with lead and pipe staves ; the brig Vigilant, of N. Yarmouth, Geo. Arters, master, killed in the privateer's cabin by a spent shot from the Sheerness, bound from Liverpool to London, with provisions ; sloop Friendship, of Ipswich, John Foley, master, in ballast, from Plymouth to Ipswich ; and schooner Sokim, of Colchester, John Howel, master, bound from Falmouth to Swanage, in ballast, all of which had been retaken.