HMS Belvidera (1809)
Encyclopedia
HMS Belvidera was a 36-gun Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Apollo-class
Apollo class frigate
The Apollo-class sailing frigates were a series of twenty-seven ships that the British Admiralty commissioned be built to a 1798 design by Sir William Rule. Twenty-five served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, two being launched too late....
fifth-rate
Fifth-rate
In Britain's Royal Navy during the classic age of fighting sail, a fifth rate was the penultimate class of warships in a hierarchal system of six "ratings" based on size and firepower.-Rating:...
frigate built in Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
in 1809. She saw action in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and continued a busy career at sea into the middle of the 19th century. In 1846 she was reduced to harbour service, in 1860 she became a receiving ship, and she was finally disposed of in 1906.
Service
Belvidera was commissioned in January 1800 under Captain Charles Dashwood. In March, Captain Richard Byron replaced Dashwood.On 22 July 1810, Belvidera and Nemesis
HMS Nemesis (1780)
HMS Nemesis was a 28-gun Enterprise-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. The Nemesis was first commissioned in January 1780 under the command of Captain Richard Bligh.- References :...
, Captain William Ferris, were sailing close to the shore of Studtland, Norway. That evening a boat from Belvedera sighted three Danish gun-vessels in a large bay. Next day, seven boats from the two frigates attacked the Danes. Two of the Danish vessels, Balder and Thor, commanded by Lieutenants Dahlreup and Rasmusen, were schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
-rigged. Each mounted two long 24-pounders and six 6-pounder howitzers and had a crew of 45 men. The third gun-vessel carried one long 24-pounder and a crew of 25 men. The British captured both Balder and Thor without suffering any casualties, though the Danes lost four men killed. The remaining vessel, Gunboat No. 5, ran up a fiord where her crew abandoned her; the British then burnt her.
In 1811, Belvidera became the flagship of Admiral Herbert Sawyer
Herbert Sawyer
Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer KCB was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars. He eventually rose to the rank of Admiral....
on the Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
station.
Belvidera and the USS Constitution
The Belvidera took part in one of the earliest actions of the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
when she encountered the American heavy frigates USS President
USS President (1800)
USS President was a nominally rated 44-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was named by George Washington to reflect a principle of the United States Constitution. Forman Cheeseman was in charge of her construction, and she was launched in April 1800 from a...
, the USS Congress
USS Congress (1799)
USS Congress was a nominally rated 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was named by George Washington to reflect a principal of the United States Constitution. James Hackett built her in Portsmouth New Hampshire and she was launched on 15 August 1799...
and the USS United States
USS United States (1797)
USS United States was a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the first of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794...
on 23 June 1812, five days after the war had started. The British were not aware that war had been declared and after returning fire they managed to evade their pursuers during the night. The Belvidera's course during the fight had led the Americans away from a British convoy from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, allowing the convoy to escape attack.
On 16 July 1812, Belvidera was part of a British squadron that gave chase to the USS Constitution
USS Constitution
USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest floating commissioned naval vessel...
, another of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' heavy frigates, which was on her way from Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In the very light winds, both sides put out boats to tow the ships. The Constitution gained an advantage by using her anchors to pull herself about four miles ahead of the Belvidera. Captain Byron then copied the manoeuvre of the Constitution and managed to bring the two ships within gunshot. They exchanged fire as a light breeze came up, and by daylight on July 19 the Constitution, being newly out of port, was able to escape.
Prize-taking
For the remainder of the war, Belvidera was active in the blockadeBlockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of the American coast, capturing many American merchant ships and privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s. Between 1 June 1812 and 14 December 1812, Belvidera captured a number of merchant vessels:
- brig Malcolm, of 197 tons, sailing from Madeira to Portland, carrying dollars and wine (24 June);
- ship Fortune, of 317 tons, sailing from Cape de Verde to Newbury Port, carrying salt (25 June).
- brig Minerva, of 256 tons, sailing from Liverpool to Boston with coals and salt (6 July; with , and );
- ship Oronoko, of 427 tons, sailing from Lisbon to New York, in ballast (11 July; with Africa, Shannon, Aeolus and );
- brig Hare, of 246 tons, sailing from Naples to Boston, with brandy, silks, oil, &c. (1 August); and,
- schooner Friendship, of 98 tons, sailing from Charleston to New York, carrying cotton (11 September). Also, they captured the
- ship Eleanor (23 July).
First-class shares of the prize money were worth ₤90 12s
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
10¼d (Minerva), ₤97 16s 7½d (Oroonoko) and ₤44 4s 11¾d (Eleanor). Sixth-class shares, those of an ordinary seamen, were worth 15s 7½d, 17s 1½d and 7s 10¾d.
Belvidera, Aeolus, Africa, Shannon and Guerriere were among the vessels that shared in the proceeds of the capture of the USS Nautilus
USS Nautilus (1799)
Nautilus was a schooner launched in 1799. The United States Navy purchased her in May 1803, renaming her the USS Nautilus; she thus became the first ship to bear that name. She served in the First Barbary War. She was altered to a brigantine. The British captured Nautilus early in the War of 1812...
on 16 July. At the time of her capture she mounted 16 guns, had crew of 106 men and was under the command of Lieutenant William M. Crane
William M. Crane
Commodore William Montgomery Crane was an officer in the United States Navy during the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of Gen. William Crane who was wounded at the Battle of Quebec while serving under Richard Montgomery in honor of whom he was given the middle name of...
. A first-class share of the prize money was worth ₤12 5s 8¼d; a sixth-class share was worth 12s 0¾d.
On 21 August Belvidera captured the U.S. privateer 7-gun schooner Bunker's Hill, with 72 men. On 10 September Belvidera detained the Citizen. Two days later Belvidera captured the American schooner Hiram.
On 8 February 1813, boats of , Belvidera, and , which were at anchor in Lynhaven Bay, chased and captured the schooner Lottery, of 225 tons, and pierced for 16 guns though only carrying six 12-pounder carronades. She had a crew 28 men and was sailing from Baltimore to Bordeaux with a cargo of coffee, sugar, and logwood. In the engagement the British had six men wounded, one of whom later died, but Belvidera herself suffered no casualties. The Americans had 19 men wounded. The British took Lottery into service as the 10-gun schooner .
Belvidera was among the numerous British warships that shared in the capture of the American ship St. Michael on 10 February. On 25 September 1813, Belvidera, Statira and were in company when they captured the Ambition.
On 19 December and captured the Rising States. Belvidera and shared in the proceeds of the capture by agreement with Jaseur. Then on Christmas Day, Belvidera captured the schooner USS Vixen
USS Vixen (1813)
The second USS Vixen was a brig in commission in the United States Navy in 1813.Vixen was purchased by the U.S. Navy at Savannah, Georgia in 1813. She was captured at sea by the British Royal Navy frigate HMS Belvidera on 25 December 1813 while sailing from Wilmington, North Carolina, to...
, which was attempting to get from Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, to Newcastle, Delaware. The US had purchased Vixen at Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, in 1813 but when Belvidera captured her she had not yet received her armament of 14 guns nor naval stores.
On 7 March 1814, Belvidera, and captured the American privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
Mars. Mars was armed with 15 guns and had a crew of 70 men. A later report has them destroying her on 10 March. Belvidera was also among the vessels sharing in the proceeds of the capture of the brigs Christina and Massasoit on 3 and 14 March.
On 2 April 1814, Belvidera captured the US ship New Zealander, of 256 tons, armed with six guns and with a crew of 17 men. She was sailing from the Marquesas to Philadelphia carrying a cargo of spermaceti
Spermaceti
Spermaceti is a wax present in the head cavities of the sperm whale . Originally mistaken for the whales' sperm , spermaceti is created in the spermaceti organ inside the whale's head and connected to its nasal passage...
oil. New Zealander, a prize to the USS Essex
USS Essex (1799)
The first USS Essex of the United States Navy was a 36-gun or 32-gun sailing frigate that participated in the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War, and in the War of 1812, during which she was captured by the British in 1814 and served as HMS Essex until sold at public auction on 6 June...
, had departed Valparaiso for the United States and was only one day out of New York when Belvidera captured her. In addition Belvidera captured the following American vessels:
- schooner Nancy and Polly, carrying shingles (19 June);
- sloop Alonzo (22 June);
- sloop Hunter, of 60 tons and nine men, sailing from New Burn to New York, carrying tar and turpentine (24 June).
Post-war
At the end of 1814, Belvidera was decommissioned at PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. She was relaunched on 26 September 1817, having been refitted. She made numerous cruises to the Mediterranean, Portugal, Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, and the West Indies. In 1834 she took troops to St Kitts and then on a second trip, to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. On 17 May 1835 she was reported to be at Puerto Rico, where she was attempting to recover either escaped slaves, or slaves that had been improperly sold.
In October 1846 Belvedera was fitted at Portsmouth as a store depot.