HMS Terpsichore (1785)
Print by Thomas Whitcombe depicting HMS Terpsichore capturing Mahonesa on 13 October 1796
| |
History | |
---|---|
Great Britain | |
Name | HMS Terpsichore |
Ordered | 29 July 1782 |
Builder | James Betts, Mistleythorn |
Laid down | November 1782 |
Launched | 17 December 1785 |
Completed | By November 1786 |
Fate | Broken up in November 1830 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | 32-gun frigate |
Tons burthen | 6824⁄94 bm |
Length |
|
Beam | 35 ft 1+1⁄2 in (10.7 m) |
Depth of hold | 12 ft 2 in (3.7 m) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
Complement | 220 |
Armament |
|
HMS Terpsichore was a 32-gun
Terpsichore was launched in 1785, but was not prepared for active service until the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793. She was initially sent to serve in the
Terpsichore passed through several commanders after Bowen's death at Tenerife, and went out to the East Indies, where her last commander was Captain William Augustus Montagu. Montagu fought an action with a large French frigate in 1808, and though he was able to outfight her, he was not able to capture her. Terpsichore returned to Britain the following year, and spent the last years of the war laid up in ordinary. She survived in this state until 1830, when she was broken up.
Construction and commissioning
Terpsichore was ordered from James Betts, of Mistleythorn on 29 July 1782 and laid down there in November that year.[1] She was launched on 29 July 1785 and completed between 31 January and November 1786, at a cost of £8,295.18.3d, with a further £104.15.2d spent on her boats, plus £4,025 for fitting out and coppering.[1][2] The war with America was over by the time she was ready for service, and with no immediate use for her with the draw-down of the navy, Terpsichore was placed in ordinary at Chatham.[1]
Early years and French Revolutionary Wars
With the outbreak of the
North Sea and Mediterranean
Mahonesa
Bowen and the Terpsichore spent some time in the
Vestale
Bowen refitted Terpsichore and departed on another cruise, capturing several small vessels on 12 and 13 November, sending them to Gibraltar, and on 22 November he learned from an American brig that he had encountered off Cape St. Mary's, that a Spanish ship bound for
Shortly after the French surrender all of Vestale's masts and her bowsprit went by the board. She began to drift towards the breakers off Cadiz, while her crew were drunk. The British prize-crew managed to regain control, and both ships managed to ride out the storm that night.[11] It was not until the following evening that the wind changed sufficiently for Bowen to attempt to tow his prize away.[9] The line became snagged on a rock, and had to be cut for the safety of both vessels. When dawn broke the next day Bowen discovered that the French had risen up against the prize crew and retaken the ship, sailing her into Cadiz. Now bereft of his prize, Bowen returned to port empty handed, writing to Jervis that 'As we feel conscious of having done out duty, to the utmost of our power, we endeavour to console ourselves with the expectation of our conduct being approved.'[9] Jervis confirmed this, writing
Dear Bowen, The intelligence we received from the patrons of two pilot-boats, when off Cadiz, on the 17th December, that the French frigate then lying between the Diamond and Procros, had been dismasted and captured by an English frigate, impressed us all with an opinion, that the Terpsichore had achieved this gallant action. I lament exceedingly that you and your brave crew were deprived of the substantial reward of your exertions; but you cannot fail to receive the tribute due to you from the government and country at large.[9]
Santísima Trinidad
Bowen was at Gibraltar when news of Jervis's victory at the
Cutting out of Principe Fernando
In April Jervis sent Bowen in Terpsichore accompanied by Dido to reconnoitre off Tenerife, where they found the Cadiz-bound Philippine frigates Principe Fernando and El Principe d'Asturia in the Bay of Santa Cruz. On the night of 17/18 April a joint cutting out expedition was mounted by the two British frigates, each sending three boats of which those from Terpsichore under the command of its first lieutenant (Lieutenant
Santa Cruz
Jervis again sent Bowen to reconnoitre off Tenerife in mid-1797, and at midnight on 18 June he captured a rich ship from the Manillas bound for Cadiz.[13]
Next, Terpsichore participated in the bombardment of
Bowen and Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson then prepared plans for an assault on Santa Cruz de Tenerife.[16] In the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 24 July Bowen was assigned to lead the landing parties onto the Mole. He led forty or fifty of his men and managed to land on the mole and take the battery covering the harbour by storm, spiking its guns, and was advancing into the town in pursuit of the fleeing Spanish.[16] As he did so the Spanish fired a large round of grapeshot onto his party, killing Bowen, his first lieutenant (George Thorp) and many of his men, while Nelson and his men, who were just landing, were caught in the fire, Nelson being hit in his right arm.[16] Bowen's body was recovered the next morning and returned to the British ships after the withdrawal.[16] He was buried at sea on 27 July.[16]
Later French Revolutionary Wars
Bowen was succeeded by Captain William Hall Gage, who took over command two days after Bowen's death, on 26 July 1797.[1] Terpsichore worked to enforce the blockade of Malta throughout 1798.
On 7 May 1798 Terpsichore captured the French Navy xebec Pierre, near Toulon south of Cape Sicié.[a]
A marine caused a major incident on 10 August 1798 on Terpsichore. He was on guard at a cabin door when he fired his musket into a box of gunpowder, which blew up. The explosion injured the captain, first lieutenant, doctor, master, and 20 seamen, four of whom later died.[19]
On 23 June 1799 Terpsichore captured the 14-gun San Antonio.[1]
On 25 July 1800 Terpsichore was part of a squadron that also included
Terpsichore then sailed for the Mediterranean. On 18 October, an Anglo-Portuguese squadron shared in the capture of the
Terpsichore then had a succession of different commanders over the next five years. Captain John Mackellar took command in 1801, transferring from Jamaica, sailing Terpsichore to the East Indies in June that year with dispatches and a large quantity of specie.[23]
In December Terpsichore was at
Then on 27 March 1802 the authorities in Bombay received news that the Governor, the Honourable Johnathan Duncan, while negotiating with local princes in Gujarat, had come under attack and had had to take refuge at Surat. The Political Department then instructed Mackelllar to take Terpsichore, HMS Trident, and two Indiamen, and sail to Goa. There he met with Sir William Clarke, who was conducting a siege of the city. Mackellar loaded 3000 troops from the siege and within seven days of leaving Bombay had arrived at Surat. The troops enabled Duncan to regain control of the area. Terpischore and Mackellar then returned to the siege of Goa.[23]
Mackellar was court-martialled on 20–26 May 1802 and dismissed the service for violating the Second (drunkenness and scandalous conduct) and Thirty-third (failure to follow orders while on shore) Articles of War.[b]
Napoleonic Wars
In 1803 Terpsichore came under Captain James Vashon, who was succeeded the following year by Captain Walter Bathurst.[1] Bathurst captured the privateer Zephyr in the East Indies on 27 August 1804, before being succeeded in April 1805 by Captain Henry Lambert.[1] Commander Joseph Bogue may have been in charge of Terpsichore until his death in July 1806, or possibly serving alongside Captain William Lye.[1] Thereafter Terpsichore was commanded by several lieutenants in an acting capacity, starting with Lieutenant Augustus Collins in 1807, who captured the 12-gun Jaseur on 10 July 1807.[1] Lieutenant William Wells took over later in 1807, and in 1808 command passed to Captain William Augustus Montagu.[1]
On 28 January 1808 Terpsichore was at Calcutta. News had been received of the outbreak of war between Great Britain and Denmark. Captain Elliot of Modeste sent his boats, together with those of Terpsichore and Dasher up the Hooghly River to Serampore to seize the seven Danish merchant vessels there.[24][c]
Sémillante
On 15 March 1808 Terpsichore was sailing some 60 miles off
At 2am in morning of the 20th, Terpsichore sighted a sail, which Montagu initially believed was Sémillante. However, the vessel turned out to be the brig Cadry, a prize to Piémontaise.[d] Montagu put a prize crew on board Cadry and sent her into Madras. Terpsichore herself returned to Point de Galle.[29]
A report from Île de France stated that the principle damage to Sémillante was due to an explosion in a room near the magazine, during the action. To reduce risk, the crew flooded the magazine; without usable powder, Sémillante had no choice but to attempt to break off the action with Terpsichore and return to port. Sémillante reportedly had five men killed and six wounded, including Motard, who may have had to have his arm amputated.[30] It is not clear from the report how many casualties were due to the action and how many to the explosion. Sémillante was so seriously damaged that the French removed her armament and decommissioned her on 10 July.
During this action the future French Admiral Charles Baudin was severely wounded, losing an arm. Baudin recounts, in his memoirs, the kindnesses showed to him by an Englishwoman, wife of Captain Skene, master of the Gilwell, a prize Sémillante had taken earlier.[31]
Return to England
Terpsichore was refitted, and remained in the Indian Ocean until she returned to Britain with a convoy.[1] On 15 February 1809 she sailed from Point de Galle with HMS Culloden escorting a fleet of 15 East Indiamen bound for England.
On 14 March, off Mauritius, a gale developed. Four of the ships, Bengal, Calcutta, Jane, Duchess of Gordon, and Lady Jane Dundas, parted company with the main convoy. They were never heard of again.
Later years
On her return to England, Terpsichore was fitted as a
Notes
- ^ Pierre, of six 6-pounder guns and 60 men, had been launched at Toulon Dockyard in August 1795.[17] French records give the location of the capture as about four miles further east at Cape Cépet, and the commander of Pierre as enseigne de vaisseau Camus.[18]
- ^ In 1804 he became for six years the governor of the naval hospital at Halifax (Melville Island (Nova Scotia)). He returned to the Navy in 1815, commanded several vessels, and eventually became an Admiral.[23]
- ^ The seven were Waldemarr, Elizabeth, Freya, Holstein, Maria, Mary, and Nymphe.[25]
- struck to HMS St Fiorenzoon 8 March.
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Winfield. British Warships of the Age of Sail: 1714-1792. p. 206.
- ^ a b Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 347.
- ^ Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 77.
- ^ a b Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 78.
- ^ a b c d Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 79.
- ^ Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 80.
- ^ Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 81.
- ^ Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 212.
- ^ a b c d Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 82.
- ^ a b c Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 83.
- ^ a b c Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 84.
- ^ a b Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 86.
- ^ a b Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 87.
- ^ Letters from Lieutenant George Thorp to his family
- ^ "No. 14032". The London Gazette. 29 July 1797. p. 717.
- ^ a b c d e Campbell. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 89.
- ^ Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 295.
- ^ Fonds Marine, p. 216.
- ^ Grocott (1997), p. 60.
- ^ a b Naval Chronicle, Vol. 4, p. 157.
- ^ London Chronicle, 26–29 July 1800, p. 104.
- ^ "No. 15810". The London Gazette. 25 May 1805. p. 709.
- ^ a b c d Marshall (1824), Vol. 2, Part 1, pp. 218–20.
- ^ Seton-Karr & Sandeman (1868), Vol. 4, p. 196.
- ^ "No. 16982". The London Gazette. 7 February 1815.
- ^ a b James. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 282.
- ^ a b c James. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 283.
- ^ a b c James. Naval history of Great Britain. p. 284.
- ^ Asiatic Register, (1811), Vol. 10, pp. 251–2.
- ^ Asiatic Register, (1811), Vol. 10, p. 67.
- ^ "L'Amiral Baudin" by Jurien De La Gravière, p. 50 (590 on the file) to 53 (593)
References
- Campbell, John (1818). Naval History of Great Britain: Including the History and Lives of the British Admirals. Vol. 7. London: Baldwyn and Co.
- Clarke, James Stanier; Jones, Stephen (1810). The Naval Chronicle. Vol. 23. London: J. Gold.
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- "Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 482 (1790-1826)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2013.*
- Grocott, Terence (1997). Shipwrecks of the Revolutionary & Napoleonic Eras. London: Chatham. ISBN 1861760302.
- James, William (1824). The Naval History of Great Britain, from the Declaration of War by France in 1793, to the Accession of George IV. Vol. 1. R. Bentley.
- Jurien de La Gravière, Jean Pierre Edmond (1888). L'Amiral Baudin(in French). Paris: Plon, Nourrit et Compagnie. (available from page 535 on this PDF file)
- Seton-Karr, Walter Scott & H.D. Sandeman, eds., (1868) Selections from Calcutta gazettes of the years 1784 (-1823) showing the political and social conditions of the English in India, Volume 4.
- 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.
- Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.