HMS Crescent (1784)
HMS Crescent battles La Réunion off the Cotentin Peninsula, on 20 October 1793. Thomas Whitcombe
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History | |
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Great Britain | |
Name | HMS Crescent |
Ordered | 11 August 1781 |
Builder | John Nowlan and Thomas Calhoun, Bursledon |
Laid down | November 1781 |
Launched | 28 October 1784 |
Commissioned | May 1790 |
Fate | Wrecked on 6 December 1808 |
General characteristics As built | |
Class and type | Flora-Class (36-gun frigate) |
Tons burthen | 88785⁄94 (bm) |
Length | 137 feet 2+1⁄2 inches (41.821 m) (overall) |
Beam | 38 feet 5+1⁄25 inches (11.710 m) |
Depth | 13 feet 3+1⁄2 inches (4.051 m) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
Armament |
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HMS Crescent was a 36-gun
Background
Britain's early preference for smaller warships was mainly because of a requirement to maintain a large navy and to keep the expense of doing so down. However, by the latter half of the 1770s, Britain was facing a war with France, Spain and the United States of America, and was in need of a more powerful type of frigate.[1] In 1778, the Navy Board ordered the first of two new types of frigate, the Minerva-class of 38 guns, and the Flora-class of 36-guns.[1] For both 18-pounder guns comprised the main battery. Crescent was ordered on 11 August 1781 and was to be of the 36-gun variety.[1]
Construction
Built by John Nowlan and Thomas Calhoun of Bursledon, Hampshire, Crescent was 137 feet 2.5 inches (41.821 m) along her gundeck, had a 38 feet 5+1⁄2 inches (11.722 m) beam and a depth in the hold of 13 feet 3+1⁄2 inches (4.051 m). This gave her a burthen of 887 85⁄94 tons (bm).[1] Launched on 28 October 1784, she was completed in January the following year, including copper sheathing of the hull, and was taken to Portsmouth where she was laid up in ordinary and not fitted for sea until 6 June 1790.[1] Crescent was armed with a 26-gun main battery of 18-pounders on her gundeck, eight 9-pound guns and four 18-pound carronades on her quarterdeck, and two 9-pound guns and four 18-pound carronades on her fo'c'sle.[1]
Career
Initially commissioned under
Action of 20 October 1793
On the morning of 20 October 1793, lookouts on board Crescent reported sails off Cape Barfleur, on the
A second British frigate, the 28-gun HMS Circe, was becalmed some 9 nautical miles (17 km) away and Espérance fled towards Cherbourg, leaving Réunion and Crescent to engage alone.[2] Although the French ship was bigger, 951 long tons (966 t) compared to 888 long tons (902 t), and carried a larger crew; the British ship had a slight advantage in weight of shot, 315 pounds (143 kg) to 310 pounds (141 kg) and was marginally faster.[3]
After the opening exchanges, Réunion lost her fore yard and mizzen topmast while Crescent lost the top off her foremast. Both ships had rigging cut and a number of sails damaged but Crescent was still able to manoeuvre across Réunion's stern and rake her.[2] This raking caused huge damage to the French ship and her crew, and although Réunion continued to resist for some time, she was no longer able to move effectively. With Saumarez about to cross his bow and Circe now rapidly approaching due to a strengthening wind, Dénian realised he had no choice but to surrender his vessel.[4] The engagement had lasted two hours and ten minutes during which time the cutter, Espérance, managed to escape to Cherbourg. The French frigate Sémillante, which had been anchored in the harbour, was unable to come to Réunion's rescue because of contrary wind and tides.[4]
Capitulation of Saldanha Bay
In 1795, Crescent was commanded by
Crescent remained stationed at the Cape and in 1797 she was under the command of Captain John Murray. Murray was superseded by Captain John Spranger in February 1798, then Charles Brisbane in June that same year.[1]
West Indies
Crescent was repaired and refitted at Deptford in August 1798, re-commissioned under William Lobb in April 1799 and sent to the West Indies.[1] In November, while en route, she captured the 16-gun El Galgo. Then while serving on the Jamaica station, in July 1800 Crescent took the 12-gun French corvette Diligente,[7] which the Royal Navy took into service as a 14-gun transport under her existing name.
Between 21 May and 8 August, Crescent,
Captain Lennox Thompson took command of Crescent in July 1802 and in June the following year, Crescent was recommissioned under Lord William Stuart.[1]
Return to home waters
Crescent returned to home waters in February 1806, under Captain James Carthew. She served in the North Sea before undergoing repairs between June and October 1808.[1] Recommissioned under George Reynolds in April 1808 she remained in home waters and passed to Captain John Temple who was in command when Crescent was wrecked off the coast of Jutland on 6 December. More than 200 people died as a result, including Temple himself.[1]
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Winfield (2008), p. 137.
- ^ a b c James (p.104)
- ^ a b Clowes (p.479)
- ^ a b James (p.105)
- ^ a b Rodger (p.436)
- ^ Thean Potgieter; Professor Albert Grundlingh. "Admiral Elphinstone and the Conquest and Defence of the Cape of Good Hope, 1795–96". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 35. Stellenbosch University. p. 40. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ a b "No. 15295". The London Gazette. 20 September 1800. p. 1082.
References
- ISBN 1-86176-013-2.
- Heathcote, T.A. (2005). Nelson's Trafalgar Captains and Their Battles. Barnsley, Yorks.: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 1-84415-182-4.
- Rodger, N.A.M (2005). The Command of the Ocean. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-140-28896-1.
- ISBN 0-85177-905-0.
- Potgieter, Thean; Grundlingh, Albert (2007). "Admiral Elphinstone and the Conquest and Defence of the Cape of Good Hope, 1795–96". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 35, No. 2.
- Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.
External links
- Media related to HMS Crescent (ship, 1784) at Wikimedia Commons