French ship Puissant (1782): Difference between revisions
Acad Ronin (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
British career: 1803-1816 amended. |
||
Line 75: | Line 75: | ||
}} |
}} |
||
|} |
|} |
||
''Puissant'' was built in 1781-82 to a design by [[Antoine Groignard]] as a [[Pégase class ship of the line|''Pégase'' class]] [[74-gun]] ship of the line. Her captain handed her over to the British at Toulon on 29 August 1793. She arrived at Portsmouth on 3 May 1794. She then remained there as an unarmed receiving ship, sheer hulk, and flagship until her sale in 1816. |
''Puissant'' was built in 1781-82 to a design by [[Antoine Groignard]] as a [[Pégase class ship of the line|''Pégase'' class]] [[74-gun]] ship of the line. Her captain handed her over to the British at Toulon on 29 August 1793. She arrived at Portsmouth on 3 May 1794. She then remained there as an unarmed [[receiving ship]], sheer hulk, and flagship until her sale in 1816. |
||
==British career== |
==British career== |
||
Line 84: | Line 84: | ||
In February and March 1796 ''Puissant'' was fitted as a receiving ship (at a cost of £10,044) and was commissioned in April under Commander David Hotchkiss.<ref name=Winfield>Winfield (2008), p.69.</ref> From March 1798 she was under the command of Lieutenant R. Allen, in March 1799 under Lieutenant J. Baker, and then between October 1799 and 1801 under Commander William Syme.<ref name=Winfield/> |
In February and March 1796 ''Puissant'' was fitted as a receiving ship (at a cost of £10,044) and was commissioned in April under Commander David Hotchkiss.<ref name=Winfield>Winfield (2008), p.69.</ref> From March 1798 she was under the command of Lieutenant R. Allen, in March 1799 under Lieutenant J. Baker, and then between October 1799 and 1801 under Commander William Syme.<ref name=Winfield/> |
||
In 1803 Lieutenant James Bowen recommissioned her as a receiving ship. Later that year she became a sheer hulk. |
|||
⚫ | |||
Captain Robert Hall assumed command in 1809.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sylvanus Urban (pseud. van Edward Cave.)|title=Gentleman's Magazine, Or Monthly Intelligencer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bPRfAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA207|volume=53|year=1842|publisher=Edward Cave|page=207}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Salisbury and Winchester Journal|issue=3772|page=4|date=5 June 1809}}</ref> Later that same year James Nehemiah Taylor, surgeon of HMS ''Jamaica'', was held prisoner on board ''Puissant'' while awaiting execution for the crime of [[homosexuality]]. The sentence was carried out shortly before 11 o’clock on 30 December 1809 on board HMS ''Jamaica''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sun (London)|issue=5400|page=4|date=2 January 1810}}</ref> |
|||
⚫ | Commander James Irwin was appointed her captain after Captain Hall was removed to HMS ''[[HMS Prince (1670)|Royal William]]'' in April 1810.<ref>{{cite news|title=Star (London)|issue=7202|page=3|date=3 April 1810}}</ref> Captain Charles William Paterson succeeded Irwin in 1811 and remained in command until 12 August 1812. In September 1812 Captain Benjamin Page became her captain and she served as the flagship for Admiral Sir [[Sir Richard Bickerton, 2nd Baronet|Richard Bickerton]]. She was paid off (decommissioned) in October 1815, and sold on 11 July 1816 (for £2,250) to be taken to pieces. |
||
==Prize-money== |
==Prize-money== |
Revision as of 10:39, 9 April 2020
History | |
---|---|
France | |
Name | Puissant |
Builder | Lorient |
Laid down | August 1781 |
Launched | 13 March 1782 |
UK | |
Name | Puissant |
Acquired | 29 August 1793 by surrender |
Fate | Sold 1816 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Pégase class |
Type | Third rate |
Tonnage | 179949⁄94 (bm) |
Length |
|
Beam | 48 ft 0+3⁄4 in (14.649 m) |
Depth of hold | 21 ft 4 in (6.50 m) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Armament |
Puissant was built in 1781-82 to a design by Antoine Groignard as a Pégase class 74-gun ship of the line. Her captain handed her over to the British at Toulon on 29 August 1793. She arrived at Portsmouth on 3 May 1794. She then remained there as an unarmed receiving ship, sheer hulk, and flagship until her sale in 1816.
British career
On 28 August 1793, Admiral Lord Hood of the Royal Navy and Admiral Juan de Lángara of the Spanish Navy, committed a force of 13,000 British, Spanish, Neapolitan and Piedmontese troops to the French royalists' cause at Toulon. The next day, the royalists handed over a number of their vessels to the British.[2]
Puissant was under the command of Mon. Ferrand. After her hand-over to British control she spent several weeks laying opposite and firing on a shore battery of 24-pounders at the head of La Seine in Toulon harbor. She then sailed to Portsmouth, arriving there on 3 May 1794. The British government awarded Ferrand a pension of £200 per annum for his services.[3]
In February and March 1796 Puissant was fitted as a receiving ship (at a cost of £10,044) and was commissioned in April under Commander David Hotchkiss.[1] From March 1798 she was under the command of Lieutenant R. Allen, in March 1799 under Lieutenant J. Baker, and then between October 1799 and 1801 under Commander William Syme.[1]
In 1803 Lieutenant James Bowen recommissioned her as a receiving ship. Later that year she became a sheer hulk.
Captain Robert Hall assumed command in 1809.[4][5] Later that same year James Nehemiah Taylor, surgeon of HMS Jamaica, was held prisoner on board Puissant while awaiting execution for the crime of homosexuality. The sentence was carried out shortly before 11 o’clock on 30 December 1809 on board HMS Jamaica.[6]
Commander James Irwin was appointed her captain after Captain Hall was removed to HMS Royal William in April 1810.[7] Captain Charles William Paterson succeeded Irwin in 1811 and remained in command until 12 August 1812. In September 1812 Captain Benjamin Page became her captain and she served as the flagship for Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. She was paid off (decommissioned) in October 1815, and sold on 11 July 1816 (for £2,250) to be taken to pieces.
Prize-money
Although Puissant was unarmed and confined to port, her crew did earn prize money on three occasions. On 26 October 1807, Tsar Alexander I of Russia declared war on Great Britain. The official news did not arrive there until 2 December, at which time the British declared an embargo on all Russian vessels in British ports. Puissant was one of some 70 vessels that shared in the seizure of the 44-gun Russian frigate Speshnoy (Speshnyy), then in Portsmouth harbour. The British seized the Russian storeship Wilhelmina (Vilghemina) at the same time.[8] The Russian vessels were carrying the payroll for Vice-Admiral Dmitry Senyavin’s squadron in the Mediterranean.[9][Note 1]
Then on 27 August 1808, Puissant and the "armed cutter" Linnet shared in the detention of the Danish ship Deodaris.[11] At the time, Linnet may have been acting as a tender to Puissant.
Lastly, when news of the outbreak of the War of 1812 reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. Puissant was among the Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships Belleville, Janus, Aeos, Ganges and Leonidas seized there on 31 July 1812.[12][Note 2]
Fate
Puissant was paid off in October 1815. She was then sold on 11 July 1816 for £2,250.[1]
See also
Notes, citations, and references
Notes
Citations
- ^ a b c d Winfield (2008), p.69.
- ^ "No. 13613". The London Gazette. 17 January 1794. pp. 44–45.
- ^ Naval Chronicle, Vol. 2, p.199.
- ^ Sylvanus Urban (pseud. van Edward Cave.) (1842). Gentleman's Magazine, Or Monthly Intelligencer. Vol. 53. Edward Cave. p. 207.
- ^ "Salisbury and Winchester Journal". No. 3772. 5 June 1809. p. 4.
- ^ "Sun (London)". No. 5400. 2 January 1810. p. 4.
- ^ "Star (London)". No. 7202. 3 April 1810. p. 3.
- ^ "No. 16276". The London Gazette. 15 July 1809. p. 1129.
- ^ Tredea & Sozaev (2010), p. 198 & p.391.
- ^ "No. 16195". The London Gazette. 25 October 1808. p. 1460.
- ^ "No. 16465". The London Gazette. 19 March 1811. p. 531.
- ^ "No. 17124". The London Gazette. 2 April 1816. p. 327.
- ^ "No. 17135". The London Gazette. 30 October 1821. p. 880.
References
- Tredrea, John and Eduard Sozaev (2010) Russian Warships in the Age of Sail, 1696-1860. (Seaforth). ISBN 978-1-84832-058-1
- Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.