HMS Firm (1804)
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Firm |
Ordered | 9 January 1804 |
Builder | Josiah & Thomas Brindley, Frindsbury |
Launched | 2 July 1804 |
Commissioned | 1805 |
Honours and awards | Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Firm 24 April 1810"[1] |
Fate | Wrecked, 29 June 1811 |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type | Archer-class gun-brig |
Tons burthen | 18022⁄94 (bm) |
Length |
|
Beam | 22 ft 7+7⁄8 in (6.9 m) |
Depth of hold | 9 ft 5+1⁄2 in (2.9 m) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Sail plan | Brig |
Complement | 50 |
Armament | 10 × 18-pounder carronades + 2 x chase guns |
HMS Firm was a 12-gun Archer-class
Service history
Lieutenant Cornellius Collett commissioned Firm in July or August 1804.[2] On 9 January 1805 she left on a cruise.[3]
Early in the morning of 24 April 1805,
- Schuyt No. 52, under the command of a Sub-Lieutenant of Infantry Loriol, armed with three 24-pounders;
- Schuyt No. 48, under the command of A. Joron of the 51st the Infantry, armed with two 6-pounders, one 24-pounder and one brass howitzer;
- Schuyt No. 57, under the command of Lieutenant Loriol of 51st Infantry, armed with one 24-pounder and two 6-pounders;
- Schuyt No. 45 under the command of Sub-Lieutenant Litner of the 51st Infantry, armed with one 24-pounder, one 12-pounder and one 6-pounder;
- Schuyt No. 3. under the command of Mr. Calder, the senior commander, who left her before the British took possession of her;
- Schuyt No. 54, under the command of Sub-Lieutenant Bragur of the 51st Infantry, armed with one 24-pounder and two 6-pounders;
- Schuyt No.43, Sub Lieutenant Billa of the 51st Infantry, armed with one 24-pounder and two 6-pounders.
The next day Archer brought in two more schuyts, No.s 44 and 58, each armed with one 24-pounder and two 12-pounders.[4] On 25 April 1805 Railleur towed eight of the French schuyts into the Downs. Starling, which had received a great deal of damage, followed Railleur in. As part of the British squadron, Firm shared in the prize money for eight Dutch armed schuyts (No.'s 43, 44, 45, 48, 52, 54, 57, and 58) and the unarmed Transport No.3.[5]
At the end of April 1806 Firm detained and sent into Dover both the Danish galiot Mercurius, and the Prussian Mercurius.[6]
On 28 August 1807, Firm, still under Collett's command, captured the Dutch vessel Baer.[7]
Firm was paid off later that year. Lieutenant Henry Montressor recommissioned her in April 1808.[2]
Lieutenant John Little assumed command of Firm in August 1808. She was under the orders of Commodore Philippe d'Auvergne, and was stationed at Guernsey. There he helped people secretly communicating with supporters of the House of Bourbon.[8][9]
On 6 January 1809 Firm captured St Jean and Amies.[10] Ten months later, on 15 October 1809 Firm captured the Danish galiot Dageraag.[11]
On 20 April 1810 the boats of Firm,
Firm was at Jersey in July. There Little saved a marine by jumping into the water to rescue him.[8]
In October 1810 Firm detained and sent into Portsmouth Christiana Elizabeth, Hamphall, master, a Swedish vessel sailing from Buenos Ayres.[14]
On 12 March 1811 Firm and Challenger were off the Île de Batz, with the rest of the British blockading squadron hull down on the horizon. Firm and Challenger sighted two strange sails, which turned out to be the French frigates Prégel and Revanche. Challenger sent Firm to carry the news to the nearest British port, while trying to sail so as to draw the French vessels towards the rest of the British squadron. After a chase of three hours and the loss of two men killed on Challenger, the French frigates succeeded in capturing her; they then evaded the British squadron and took Challenger into Le Conquet.[15]
On 28 June 1811, in company with the Fylla, Firm attacked two praams off Granville. The praams were attempting to drive off British boats that were reconnoitering, but were then unable to return to harbour. The praams were in water too shallow for Firm to approach and she was unable to engage them with much effect.
The following night, while
See also
Notes
- ^ A schuyt was a Dutch flat-bottomed sailboat, broad in the beam, with square stern; usually equipped with leeboards to serve for a keel.
- ^ French records show Alcide as being from Bordeaux and commissioned in 1808 under a Captain Brun, with 30 men and 4 guns. The French records report that she was sunk on 30 April 1810 by HMS Surey [sic] off Granville.[13]
Citations
- ^ "No. 20939". The London Gazette. 26 January 1849. p. 243.
- ^ a b c Winfield (2008), p. 339.
- ^ Naval Chronicle, Vol. 13, p.83.
- ^ a b c "No. 15800". The London Gazette. 23 April 1805. pp. 553–554.
- ^ "No. 15944". The London Gazette. 9 August 1806. p. 1053.
- ^ Lloyd's List, no.4049,[1] - accessed 2 March 2015.
- ^ "No. 17115". The London Gazette. 2 March 1816. p. 410.
- ^ a b c Marshall (1835), Vol. 4, Part 2, p.73-4.
- ^ arshall (1835), Vol. 4, Part 2, p. 73-4.
- ^ "No. 16258". The London Gazette. 20 April 1809. p. 721.
- ^ "No. 16664". The London Gazette. 3 November 1812. p. 2221.
- ^ "No. 16365". The London Gazette. 28 April 1810. p. 631.
- ^ Demerliac (2003), p. 287, n°2302.
- ^ Lloyd's List, no. 4505,[2] - accessed 2 March 2015.
- ^ Hepper (1994), p. 136.
- ^ Naval Chronicle, Vol. 26, pp.53-4.
References
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Demerliac, Alain (2003). La Marine du Consulat et du Premier Empire: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1800 à 1815 (in French). Éditions Ancre. OCLC 492784876.
- Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
- Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.