Tonnant / Tonant, 1798
Type: 3rd rate ; Armament 80 (32 � 32pdr, 34 � 18pdr, 18 � 32pdr )
Taken : 1 Aug 1798 ; Disposal date or year : 1821
BM: 2281 tons
Dimensions : Length of lower deck 194 ft. 2 in. Breadth extreme 51 ft. 9� in. Depth of hold 23 ft.3 in.
Notes:

14 Aug 1798 the Orion, Bellerophon, Minotaur, Defence, Audacious, Theseus, and Majestic, accompanied by the prizes Franklin, Tonnant, Aquilon, Conqu�rant, Peuple-Souverain and Spartiate leave Aboukir Bay.

Mid Sep 1798 arrive Gibraltar with prizes and after making repairs sail for England leaving the Peuple-Souverain (re-named Guerrier) behind as a guard ship.

The Tonnant, built at Toulon and due to the superior durability of Adriatic oak, her value became greatly enhanced. The Tonnant was launched in 1791-2.

13 Jul 1799 Plymouth, arrived this morning from off the Rock of Lisbon, the Royal Sovereign, Caesar, Russell, with five of Lord Nelson's prizes, viz. Tonnant 84, Canopus 84, Spartiate 74, Aboukir 74, and Conquerant 74.

17 Jul 1799 Plymouth, passed up the harbour this morning, the Mars, with the Tonnant, Canopus, Spartiate, Aboukir, and Conquerant, French prizes, with bands playing and cheers from the spectators, and each ship returning the cheers as she passed.

1 Apr 1802 in Hamoaze the Conqueror, 74, now in dock, is almost ready to go out, and the Tonnant, 84, and Culloden, 74, are completely stripped to have their timbers thoroughly examined.

4 Oct 1802 went into dock at Plymouth, the Impetueux, 84, and remains in dock with the Tonnant, 84, Mars, 74 ; Terrible, 74 ; and Fisgard. 48, to be repaired.

9 Dec 1802 the Tonnant, 84, one of the Nile prizes, which is thoroughly repaired, will come out of dock, most probably the 13th or I4th instant and will be replaced by the Conquerant, 74, to be broken up.

22 Dec 1802 the Tonnant, still in the Great Parlby Dock, North of Plymouth Dockyard, reputedly the largest in the World, was being coppered, and the work being performed by task work, the artificers even working their dinner hours, it was expected that she would be completed for her commission, at least by the next tide.

8 Jan 1803 has been taken out of dock having been coppered and fitted for sea.

11 Mar 1803 in view of the apparent unravelling of the Peace of Amiens and the reintroduction of Impressment the Admiralty order the following ships of the line to be commissioned at Plymouth : Mars, Malta, Tonant, Conqueror, and Spartiate.

12 Mar 1803 Capt Sir E Pellew apptd to the Tonant.

21 Mar 1803 Capt Sir E Pellew came on board.

23 Mar 1803 has got all he lower rigging over head, and top-masts up.

31 Mar 1803 remains in Hamoaze fitting for sea.

5 Apr 1803 has been warped down to the lower sailing moorings, previous to her going out to Cawsand Bay.

10 Apr 1803 has gone down from Hamoaze to Cawsand Bay.

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.

1 Jun 1803 departed Plymouth to join the Channel Fleet.

5 Jun 1803 arrived Falmouth a prize to the Tonant, the Dutch brig Marsluys Welvareen, Capt G Scheepen, from Cette to Amsterdam, with wine.

18 Jun 1803 the Dryad arrived Spithead from the fleet, the Culloden, Russell, and Doris forming the inshore squadron at present, whilst the Tonnant, Spartiate, and Mars were cruising off Rochefort.

14-26 Aug 1803 the capture of the EIC ship Lord Nelson by the French privateer Bellone and subsequent attempts to re-take her by an English cutter-privateer ; brig-sloop Seagull and her recovery by the 74s Colossus and Tonnant.

20 Sep 1803 arrived Plymouth the Tonnant, Sir Edw Pellew, from a cruise, to refit.

5 Oct 1803 has embarked live oxen and vegetables in Cawsand Bay.

8 Oct 1803 departed Cawsand Bay for the Channel Fleet.

2 Nov 1803 a letter dated 20 Oct 1803, received at Plymouth, from off Ferrol reports that the squadron under the command of Commodore Sir E Pellew, is all well, and is made up of the Tonant, Cdre Pellew ; Impeteux, Capt T B Martin ; Colossus, Capt G Martin ; Spartiate, Capt Manley ; Dragon, Capt Griffith, all ships of the line ; and the frigate Sirius, Capt Prowse.

Circa 28 Apr 1804 Capt Jervis, apptd to the Tonnant.

1805 Captain Wm. Henry Jervis drowned.

May 1805 Channel Fleet.

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 : Tonnant. 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 the prize crew from the Tonnant, on board the French prize Alg�siras, released the French crew when the ship was in danger of drifting on to rocks and was taken into Cadiz.

15 May 1810 Is reported by the Leda to be at Cadiz.

Torbay 6 Jan 1810 departed for off the Isle of Bas.

29 Apr 1810 At Cadiz.

8 Mar 1811 Present off Lorient when M. Allemand made his escape.

Portsmouth 21 Apr 1811 arrived from Lisbon.

Plymouth 11 Jun 1811 Has recaptured the George and Mary, homeward bound West Indiaman, which had been captured by the Adelphi French privateer.

Plymouth 30 Jul 1811 departed for the coast of France.

Plymouth 18 Sep 1811 Sent in the brig Creole, cartel, from Bencal, with French prisoners, bound to France. She is expected to sail for France tomorrow.

Circa 24 Sep 1811 chased the French 40-gun frigate Clorinde off the Saintes islands, on her return from the Isle de France, but the latter escaped into the road of Brest.

Plymouth 27 Sep 1811 arrived from off Brest.

Plymouth 28 Sep 1811 departed to resume her station off Brest.

Plymouth 3 Nov 1811 arrived, last night, from a cruise off Brest, to refit sails.

Plymouth 5 Nov 1811 arrived from off Brest.

Plymouth 6 Nov 1811 The brig Mary, anchored in Cawsand Bay, parted her cables, and ran foul of the Tonnant, causing severe damage to the Mary ; no lives were lost.

Plymouth 23 Nov 1811 Went up the harbour to be refitted.

Plymouth Dock 11 Jan 1812 departed for the Rochfort station.

Plymouth 21 Feb 1812 Put back.

Plymouth Dock 23 Feb 1812 Put back into Cawsand Bay with foul wind.

Cawsand Bay 25 Feb 1812 was struck by lightning. Several men were stunned and one had a narrow escape : having taken shelter close to the main-mast, the lightning knocked him down, partially burnt his jacket and shirt off his back and side, leaving an impression on his skin resembling a branch of sea-weed.

9 Mar 1812 the Tonnant, Northumberland, Colossus, and Bulwark blockading Lorient, discovered the French squadron had escaped ; departed in search. French sighted by the Diana on the 9th and on the 10th, when she was joined by the Pomp�e and by Tremendous and Poictiers, but lost sight of the French in fog on the 11th.

24 Mar 1812 captured the French privateer Emelie.

Plymouth Dock 10 Jun 1812 arrived from off Brest.

Plymouth 15 Jun 1812 arrived from off Basque Roads.

Portsmouth 28 Mar 1814 arrived from the River.

Portsmouth 4 Apr 1814 Will sail to-morrow morning for Quebec with marines on board.

Portsmouth 6 Apr 1814 Went down to St. Helen's preparatory to sailing in the morning with troops for North America.

2 Aug 1814 Tonnant and Euryalus departed from Bermuda for Chesapeake bay, where they arrived 14 Aug.

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.

19 Sep 1814 Tonnant and Surprise departed for Halifax.

11 Oct 1814, Tonnant departed Halifax, flag of V.-Adm. Sir A. Cochrane, with the Calliope, Newcastle, and Morgiana.

Guadaloupe 10 Nov 1814 Remained.

8 Dec 1814 Tonnant anchored off the Chandeleur islands.

12-14 Dec 1814 boats of the fleet, congregating for the assault on New Orleans, including the Armide, Seahorse and Tonnant, assisted by the Manly and Meteor involved in actions against gun-boats etc.

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].

20 Mar 1815, reported to be at Bermuda.

Torbay 6 Aug 1815 This afternoon anchored off Berry Head, and at 5 o'clock getting under way again.

Plymouth 7 Aug 1818 arrived from a 2 month cruise and exercises in the Channel.