Thistle, 1812
Type: Gun brig ; Armament 12
Launched : 1812 ; Disposal date or year : 1823
Notes:

Portsmouth 8 Dec 1812 arrived with a convoy from the Downs.

Deal 22 Dec 1812 arrived from the South West.

Portsmouth 7 Mar 1813 To be ready to sail with her convoy, for Newfoundland, on the first fair wind.

Falmouth 6 Jun 1813 This morning appeared off this port with 550 sail of merchant vessels under convoy for Spain, Portugal, Mediterranean, Brazils, North America, and West Indies, and were joined from hence by a number of merchantmen and the Thistle.

16 Sep 1813, arrived Halifax, with the brig Lady Delaval, from Sydney, N.S.

22 Nov 1813, arrived Halifax, from Shelburne, N.B.

2 Feb 1814, Thistle and Manly, arrived St. John's, N.B., from Halifax, with volunteers for the Lakes.

29 Jun 1814 arrived Halifax.

Aug 1814 a portion of the prize money resulting from the various actions in the Chesapeake became due for payment on 1 May 1835 : namely a dividend from the estate of the bankrupt agent Henry Abbott : no doubt one of the many fraudsters who ripped off matelots in those days : both officers and ratings being fair game.

14 Dec 1814 distribution of head-money arising from the capture of American gun-boats and sundry bales of cotton, [per London Gazette of 26 Jun 1821].

Sierra Leone Sep 1819 is reported to have arrived from Portsmouth. The colony is reported to be unhealthy.

9 Oct 1819, detained in lat. 5� 35' N. long. 9� 0' W., the Dutch slave vessel Eliza, with 1 slaves on board when detained, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Netherlands Mixed Court of Justice, at Sierra Leone, and sentenced to be condemned on 25 Nov 1819.

10 Oct 1819, detained in lat. 5� 20' N. long. 9� 0' W., the Dutch slave vessel Virginia, with 32 slaves on board when detained, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Netherlands Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and sentenced to be condemned on 15 Nov 1819.

19 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone, a letter addressed to D.M. Hamilton, Esq. Inclosed I send you a Copy of the Letter addressed by me to the British and Netherlands Mixed Court of Justice, requesting permission to appoint a Person to manage my prosecutions ; as also a Copy of the Minutes registered by the Court on that subject ; these, if found correct, I have to request you will certify to be true Copies ; and I beg also to request, I may be furnished with attested Copies of any further Records which may be entered, relative to the Schooners Eliza and Virginie, captured by me, and brought before your Honour able Court. I have, &c. Lieut R. Hagan.

10 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone (Inclosure 2.)�Lieut. Hagan to the British and Netherlands Commissioners at Sierra Leone. Gentlemen, In conformity to my Instructions, as Commander of one of His Britannic Majesty's Wessels, stationed on this coast for the suppression of the Slave-trade, I detained, on the 9th and 10th ultimo, 2 Schooners sailing under Netherlands Colours, engaged in that nefarious traffic, and have brought them into this Port for adjudication. On this day, having previously taken the preliminary steps, I attended your Honourable Court, for the purpose of proceeding against the said Schooners, when, to my utter surprise, it was intimated to me, that I would not be permitted to avail myself of the ordinary professional assistance in conducting the prosecution. I need only advert to Article VIII. of the Treaty, and to the various Annexes, to bring to view the serious responsibility in character and fortune attached to the Captors of Slave Vessels; and when it is considered, that the duties of my command, as well as my ignorance of the process of Courts, totally preclude my interference or personal attendance in protracted Cases, I do trust, that it will be admitted, I have a right to, and may require, every advice and assistance I can properly procure. From you, therefore, Gentlemen, I claim the right of appointing a proper Person to act for me, and attend to my interest before your Honourable Court; a right which Article VII of the Regulations of the Mixed Court recognizes on the part of Claimants, and which I the more confidently claim from its strict conformity to the Law of Nature and of Nations, indeed, a right coeval with the existence of Courts of Justice, and which will not, I do hope, be denied for the first time, in a Court, the basis of which is that of justice and philanthropy. Anxiously trusting to a favourable answer, I remain, &c. R. Hagan.

11 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone (Inclosure 3.)�Minutes of the Proceedings of the British and Netherlands Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, in the Case of the Eliza. An application in writing was received and read from Lieutenant Robert Hagan, Commander of His Majesty's Brig Thistle, who personally appeared, and refused to proceed in the Cause of the Schooner Eliza, captured by him under Netherlands Colours, unless the said application for leave to appear and carry on his Cause by proxy was answered in writing. The Court resumed the consideration of the subject of allowing the admission of Proctors, upon which the Court was divided in opinion;� the British Commissioners being of opinion that the same ought to be allowed when prayed for by the Parties, as requisite for conducting their Cause; but The Netherlands Commissioners being of a contrary opinion, no decision was come to. Ordered, that the Registrar may allow Lieutenant Hagan to peruse the Minutes of this day, but that he grant no attested Copy thereof, nor communicate any other answer to Lieutenant Hagan's Letter. Afterwards, on the same day, Robert Hagan, Esq. was called in and informed, that he might peruse the Minutes of the Court this day, which contained what was done in pursuance of his written application to the Court. Copied from the Minutes of the Court, November 12, 1819. J. O. N. Walsh.

22 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone (Inclosure 4.)�Lieut. Hagan to the British and Netherlands Commissioners at Sierra Leone. Gentlemen, On the 10th instant, I did myself the honour to address you, requesting permission to prosecute, by my Attorney or Agent, the Schooners Virginie and Eliza, seized by me, and brought before your Court for Adjudication; to this application, I received no other answer than a permission to peruse �Minutes,� entered on your Records, declaring, that �no decision was come to,� and that the Registrar �should grant no attested Copy thereof, nor communicate any other answer.� Understanding that the Court had thought proper to proceed in the Cases of the said Schooners, and although debarred of any professional assistance, I still supposed I would myself be allowed to prosecute ; with this view I addressed the Registrar of your Court on the 19th instant, requesting Copies of the Proceedings, or Records, taken in the Cases of these vessels; and to this application also I received no other answer than a verbal declaration, that he could not comply with it. Thus, therefore, Gentlemen, am I without the right to prosecute in the usual manner, by Proctor, and, in a Court, the proceedings of which are secret, denied the means of prosecuting personally ; for I do conceive, and doubt not, on consideration, it will so appear to you, that attempting to prosecute, without a knowledge of the proceedings taken, would be totally nugatory and useless. Under all these circumstances, Gentlemen, circumstances in which no British Subject, in a British Territory, was ever before placed, I feel myself imperiously called upon, by my duty to my Sovereign, to my Country, and to humanity, respectfully, but firmly to demand from your justice a final decision on the above points; whether I am personally to have permission to prosecute, and if so, whether I am to have a right to demand Copies of Proceedings, to administer Special Interrogatories to Witnesses, and generally to enjoy (subject to the orders of the Court) every facility necessary to prosecution. On this subject I feel the more earnest, from a report having reached me that the Court had difficulty in the Case of the Eliza Schooner, and certainly nothing can more strongly shew the necessity of granting my demands than that circumstance; for how can justice be attained if er parte evidence is taken, and no prosecution admitted to place the Case in its proper light before the Court ? Again, appealing to your justice, and expressing my utmost respect, I have, &c. R. Hagan.

25 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone, (Inclosure 8.)�Lieut. Hagan to J. W. Croker, Esq. (Extract.) I have the honour to report, for the information of the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that in proceeding along the Coast, on my passage to Biafra, in obedience to their Lordships' orders, I detained, on the 9th and 10th of October, 2 Schooners, under Netherlands Colours, from St. Eustatius, 1 having on board 32 Slaves, and the other one, although before detention the latter had on board 16 or 18, they effected their escape on shore prior to our Boat boarding ; our Crew having then been considerably weakened, and the Prisoners numerous, I deemed it necessary to return to this Port : proceedings were immediately instituted against them in the Mixed Court, and although considerable, and I believe unnecessary, delays have occurred, they have been both condemned as Prize. R. Hagan.

26 Nov 1819 Sierra Leone, (Inclosure 9.)�Lieut. Hagan to Commodore Sir G. R. Collier. I have the honour to inclose, for your information, the Copies of all Letters which I have addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty since my sailing from England, which I trust will meet your approbation. I feel it my duty to lay before you the proceedings of the British and Netherlands Courts of Justice; and I trust, Sir, the resistance I have offered to their arbitrary, unjust, and unprecedented conduct, will not be considered as assuming to myself a power inconsistent with my character as Prosecutor; the surprize I felt on learning I could neither employ any one to carry on the prosecution, nor do it myself, called forth Letter (Inclosure 1); and although they had said an answer in writing would be given, I was only allowed to peruse the Minutes of the Court, as per Inclosure 3. Nothwithstanding the decided opinion of the Court, the British Judges permitted the proceedings to go on ; having no access to Papers, all the proceedings being secret, and hearing by chance only, that the Netherlands Judge had refused to condemn the Schooner with 1 Slave, and being told also, that charges were made and entered against me in the Records of the Court, although the British Judge considered my explanations fully sufficient, I made another effort by my Letter, (Inclosure 4), to which I received a verbal refusal. As the Case was now to come before the Arbitrator, I was still anxious to put things in a fair light, and therefore made another application to the Court by Letter, (Inclosure I); they then permitted Copies to be taken of the proceedings. I have the honour to inclose a Copy of Interrogatories put by the Judges, by which, Sir, you will observe, that hardly one question was put that could serve to elicit truth or detect falsehood; I immediately drew up Special Interrogatories, and I hope they have served to bring to light many points in corroboration of my original declaration. It would be presumptuous in me, Sir, to comment on these extra ordinary proceedings; but I beg leave to observe, that unless Agents or Proctors are sanctioned by the Court, and unless they are permitted to put such Special Interrogatories as they may deem necessary, the most clear and otherwise positive evidence would be useless. Mr. Sertima, the Netherlands Commissary Judge, has in all these proceedings been the Advocate of the Slave-dealers, and not the impartial Judge;� he declared on his arrival, that a Vessel with 1 Slave was quite sufficient evidence; his conduct in the case of the Eliza has been quite the reverse to this opinion. The Case having come now fairly before the Arbitrator, she was condemned ; a circumstance I have reason to apprehend would not have occurred, had I not persevered in demanding a knowledge of the proceedings. I sincerely trust, Sir, my conduct will be thought deserving your approbation; and should representations be sent to England on the point in question by Mr. Sertima, that the explanation I made in Court for taking a part of the Slaves out of the Virginie, as also the remaining Seamen, will be satisfactory ; Mr. Gregory, the British Judge, has not even insisted on any explanation being recorded in Court. His Excellency Governor Mac Carthy having requested me to take him to the Gambia (a Copy of whose Requisition is also inclosed), I have considered it my duty to comply, and shall make every exertion to join you as early as possible. I have, &c. R. Hagan.

2 Feb 1820 Commodore Sir Geo Collier, of the Tartar wrote as follows to Mr. Croker [at the Admiralty]:- "I sailed from Sierra Leone on the 25 Jan having the Thistle, Lieut Hagan, in company. A considerable part of these�papers�is occupied with the particulars of an outrage committed by the�slave-traders�on the Rio Pongas on a British officer and some seamen, and of the means employed by Governor MacCarthy to obtain redress. The account given of the outrage by Lieutenant Hagan, of his Majesty�s brig Thistle, is as follows :� �On my arrival here, at the Isles de Loss, I received a letter from Michael Proctor, Esq., a merchant here, complaining of the piratical seizure of his vessel in the Rio Pongas ; and this being fully substantiated by his protest, copies of which are enclosed herewith, I considered it my duty to repair there, and demand her release: for which purpose, and also to examine any vessel in the river, I dispatched, on the 4th instant, Mr. Robert Inman, Admiralty-Midshipman, in whose skill, bravery, and local knowledge I placed the firmest reliance : copies of my orders to that officer, as also my letter to Mr. Curtis, are enclosed for your information: but with feelings of sincere regret, I have to report that Mr. Inman in execution of his duty fell a victim, with five or six others of the boat's crew, to the savage barbarity of the natives under the immediate orders and directions of Mr. Curtis senior. In the absence of positive information, I am not able to detail the particulars attending this during and atrocious violation of their wonted good conduct; but it appears too true that, after the death of the officer, the crew, finding a further resistance useless, laid down their arms, and then the loss which I have to lament took place. No quarter was given by those merciless savages, and not while one remained unhurt did they cease to pour in a most dreadful fire. Two have, I believe, escaped, and eleven have been killed or wounded : the wounded are in the hands of Mr. Curtis ; and I hope Mr. Wilson, a British merchant, residing in the river, to whom I am indebted (although at the risk of his life) for this information, will be the means of restoring them to the service.
I should do injustice to my feelings were I to neglect reporting that the most savage and horrid barbarities were committed on the bodies of the unfortunate officer and men who fell on this occasion ; and I feel assured, unless a most prompt and severe punishment is inflicted, that in other parts of the river, they will grasp the first opportunity for similar acts.
On receiving this information an expedition was prepared with extraordinary promptitude, and it proceeded without delay to the Rio Pongas. It consisted of his Majesty�s ships Myrmidon and Morgiana, and his Majesty�s brigs Snapper and Thistle, with 150 men of the 2nd West-India regiment. A disposition was at first shewn by Curtis and his native adherents to resist this force, but the gallantry of the assailants soon put them to flight ; a fort also, which Curtis had erected for his protection was taken and demolished, and the guns mounted upon it removed. Three towns and a considerable quantity of property belonging to him were also destroyed, together with the towns of the chiefs who were found aiding him. In consequence of the terror occasioned by this success, the seamen who were still alive, being six in number, were given up to the commanding officer ; and the main object of the expedition having been accomplished by the recovery of these men, and by� the punishment of the savages who so barbarously put their comrades to death after their surrender, the squadron returned to Sierra Leone after an absence of eleven days with the loss of two men killed and two wounded. It is most gratifying to the Committee to remark the uniform zeal and vigilance manifested, by Governor Sir Charles MacCarthy, for the suppression of the�slave trade. [see Foreign Slave Trade 1821]

19 Feb 1820 departed Sierra Leone for the Southward, to make land near St Anne's Shoals, as Commodore Collier sent his boats in shore at the same time with a view to attempt to detain Mr Kearney, a British subject, thought guilty of slave trading.

12 Sep 1820 capture of the schooner Two Sisters [bounty on slaves per London Gazette of 14 Dec 1827].

11 Oct 1820 the Admiralty announced that the commanding officers of the following vessels now cruising on the West Coast of Africa, ie the Tartar, Capt Collier ; Pheasant, Capt Kelly ; Morgiana, Capt Wm Finlaison ; Capt Locke, Myrmidon ; Lieut R Nash, Snapper ; Lieut R Hagan, have been supplied with their instructions, should the right circumstances arise, authorising them to detain Portuguese or Spanish vessels in accordance with the several Treaties with foreign powers for preventing the Illegal Traffic in slaves with those countries.

16 Oct 1820, detained in lat. 6� 8' N. long. 10� 55' W., the Spanish slave vessel Neustra Senora de Regia, with 84 slaves on board when detained, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone and sentenced to be condemned on 2 Nov 1820.

23 Mar 1821 detained, despite being fired on by the Slave ship, who claimed that she thought they were native canoes, in the River Bonny 4� 26' N., by the boats of the Tartar and Thistle, the Donna Eugenia, of 154 tons, with 83 slaves onboard, was fitted out at Pernambuco for a slave trading voyage to Cabinda and Molembo, places situated on the south of the Equator; she was provided with the royal passport required by the slave trade restriction treaty, and with the usual official documents to enable her to engage in a legal traffic in slaves. She was armed with six twelve-pound guns, and manned with 25 men ; the papers exhibited in court pointed out Manoel Louis Silvera, native of Oporto, but residing at Pernambuco, as the owner of the vessel ; but there was nothing shown that proved his title to her. The vessel was to return to Pernambuco from Cabinda and Molembo by the way of Para, but on 19 May 1821, having been detained she was condemned by British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, at Sierra Leone and the surviving 78 slaves, 5 having died en route for Sierra Leone, were emancipated. It should perhaps be pointed out that the Donna Eugenia fired on the boats from the boats of the Tartar and Thistle but claimed that she thought they were native canoes.

9 Apr 1821 the Thistle and Tartar detained the slave vessel Gaviao, which on being sent for adjudication was restored to her master with costs of �1520 13s. 9d.

17 Jun 1921 had departed Sierra Leone to the Banana Islands.

27 Nov 1821 Is in commission and based off the Coast of Africa.

11 Jan 1822, detained in the River Pongos the Spanish slave schooner Rosalia, with 60 slaves on board when detained, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and sentenced to be condemned on 31 Jan 1822. It is observed that the papers for the Mixed Court, when condemning the vessel, noted that the Thistle's quartermaster, Jeremiah Cox, was on board the Rosalia, with a party of men from the Thistle, prior to her being detained, but were under strict orders not to do anything that might ruin the court case for the condemnation of the Rosalia until Lieut Hagan returned, when the vessel was taken as a prize.

13 Jan 1822 off the River Pongas.

16 Jan 1822 arrived Sierra Leone with the slave ship Rosalia.

25 May 1822 boarded the brig Bom Caminho, Jose Pedro De Susa, master, with general cargo from Bahia for Molembo and return.

26 May 1822 boarded the hermaphrodite Conceicao, Manoel Jaquim de Almuda, master, with general cargo from Bahia for Molembo and return.

27 May 1822 boarded the brig Paquete de Vianna, at Quita, with tobacco & rum from Bahia for Prince's Island, St Thomas, and Molembo and return.

28 & 29 May 1822 boarded 4 vessels similar to 27th, named Juliana, Louistance, Sacramento, Minerva de Concia : received information regarding 2 vessels being in the R Benin with slaves on board.

23 Jun 1822, detained in lat. 4� 40' N., en route from the Old Calabar to Princes Island, the Portuguese slave schooner boat San Joze Xalaea, aka San Jose Xalara / St Jos� Hallaxa / St Jos� Hallam, 7 tons, with 20 slaves on board when detained, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone and sentenced to be condemned on 28 Aug 1822.

29 Jun 1822, detained in the Bight of Benin, in lat. 5� 1' N. long. 5� 20' E., the Portuguese slave vessel Estrella, 163 tons, 34 men, Manoel Pereira dos Santos, Master, and owned by Manoel Francisco Moreyra, with 296 slaves on board when detained, although she was fitted for 406. She was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone and sentenced to be condemned on 6 Aug 1822.

19 Jul 1822 arrived Sierra Leone, with the slave ship Estrella.

Report of Lieut Hagan of the Thistle. From the Sierra Leone Gazette, Sept. 28, 1822. The thistle, during her last cruize, visited the Biassao river, also the river and settlement of Cacheo. Lieut Hagan received in the latter place, a full corroboration of the information he before obtained of the trade in slaves being still carried on in that settlement. About the middle of August, a Portuguese brig belonging to Mr. Coelho, a character well known at the Cape de Verds, sailed with a full cargo (supposed five hundred) of slaves ; another brig, (the Apollo) the property of a Mr. John Pereira, Member of the Junta in St. Jago, arrived in June for the same purpose ; but Lieutenant Hagan was told that she did not take away any, owing to the indisposition of Mr. Pereira, who, it was said, sailed for Lisbon for the purpose of receiving medical assistance. Lieutenant Hagan had reason, however to doubt this story. Lieut Hagan describes the town of Cacheo as the most wretched slave factory he ever visited. The low, damp, and confined cells for the slaves, were loathsome in the extreme, many of them being below the high tide mark of the river. The blockhouse, or, as it is called, the fort, is in a most wretched state of decay; one gun only is mounted, the others being dismounted with a log of wood under the muzzle. The swamps and stagnant pools immediately in rear of the town, render Cacheo assuredly the most unhealthy place that can be imagined; but this is not sufficient to deter the slave traders, who generally lose one-half of their crews, frequently all their Europeans. Lieut Hagan was not able to procure any stock, although it was in the town in great abundance: he was even refused a pilot to take him out � the greatest jealousy appearing to prevail from a visit, as unexpected as it was unwelcome. The Thistle however, by keeping the boats a-head and other precautions, found no difficulty in the navigation.