Hired armed cutter Nimrod
Encyclopedia
During the French Revolutionary
and Napoleonic Wars
the Admiralty also made use of hired armed vessels
, one of which was the hired armed cutter Nimrod. Three such vessels are recorded, but the descriptions of these vessels and the dates of their service are such that they may well represent one vessel under successive contracts. The vessel or vessels cruised, blockaded, carried despatches and performed reconnaissance.
and eight 3-pounder guns that served from 27 September 1794 to 9 April 1802. On 21 April 1798, Nimrod was among the vessels that shared in the capture of the French ship Hercule. Nimrod shared with , and in the capture of the Anna Christiana on 17 May. In August Nimrod captured the chasse maree Francine with , commanded by Captain Henry Jenkins, and .
Under Lieutenant William Marsh, on 23 March 1799 Nimrod, captured the Spanish ship Golondrina. On 1 August, Nimrod arrived in Plymouth with dispatches from Vice Admiral Pole, off the Isle of Aix
. Then on 25 December she helped rescue the crew of . On 28 December 1799 she re-captured the brig Neptune. In February 1800 salvage money resulting from the re-capture of the Neptune was due to be paid.
Nimrod was part of Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren
's squadron and so entitled to share in the proceeds from the recapture of the Lancaster on 28 June 1800. She also shared in the proceeds of the Vigilant, Menais, the salvage of the Industry, the sale of a wreck, and the proceeds of Insolent and Ann, all taken by Captain Edward Pellew's squadron. Next Nimrod shared in the prize money from the squadron's capture of the French privateer Guêppe.
on 16 July and Admiral William Cornwallis
placed her inshore, after warning her to be careful as she was not strongly armed.
On 17 August captured the French privateer Messager in sight of the Nimrod, commanded by William Marsh. In January 1805 head and prize money from the proceeds of the French privateer Messager was due to be paid. The fact that her captain was William Marsh suggests that the first and second Nimrods were the same vessel, despite the slight discrepancies in their descriptions.
On 1 January 1809 Nimrod was under the command of Master's Mate Edward Tapley and shared in the proceeds of the recapture of the ship Crawford by .
In April 1809 Nimrod served at the Battle of the Basque Roads
. William Congreve, who had arrived with a transport, fitted Whiting
, Nimrod and the other hired armed cutter, King George
, with rockets
. On 11 April the three vessels took up a position near the Boyart Shoal (see Fort Boyard
) while fireships made a night attack on the French ships. The next day all three, together with a number of other vessels, opened fire upon Océan
, Régulus
, and the frigate Indienne, as those ships lay aground. The first two eventually escaped, and the last was one of four eventually destroyed, though by her own crew some days later to avoid capture. In 1847 the surviving members of the crews of all the British vessels at the battle qualified for the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Basque Roads 1809".
On 9 November 1809 Nimrod was among the vessels that shared in 's capture of the French brig Modeste. Around the end of December, Nimrod, under the command of Jno. Tapley, recaptured the ship Elshon.
On 12 September 1810, Nimrod was under the command of William Peake when she captured the Sophie. Then on 28 September Nimrod was among the vessels sharing in the capture of the San Nicolas and the Aventura. Next, on 13 December 1810 Nimrod was in company with and several other vessels at the capture of the Goede Trouw. Lastly, on 18 December, Nimrod and were in sight when captured the American schooner Polly.
On 7 January 1811 Nimrod captured the Maria Francoise and sent her into in Plymouth as a prize. Prize money was due to be paid in August 1811. On 22 April Nimrod shared in the capture of the cargo of the French vessel Auguste. The British ships that captured her had removed her cargo of wine before destroying her. On 22 November, Nimrod, under the command of Thomas Peake, captured the Belisario.
On 23 December 1812, Nimrod, Thomas Peake, Master and Commander, was in company with when they recaptured the English brig Sparkler, which was under the command of A. Brown. On 9 March 1813, Nimrod re captured the Margaret, which was under the command of J. Simpson. The American privateer True Blooded Yankee had taken Margaret and put on board a prize crew that included a British seaman, John Wiltshire. The British tried Wiltshire for piracy and hanged him.
In January 1814, while serving in the blockade of Brest, Nimrod was present when captured the brig Henriette. This gave rise to a court case in which the Clarence claimed sole prize rights and the other vessels in the blockading squadron claimed shares. The Court ruled that as a matter of principle:
"When a prize is taken coming out of a blockaded port, by one of the blockading squadron stationed off the mouth of the harbour, the other ships of the squadron, although stationed at some distance, are entitled to share." However, when the case came up for a hearing on the evidence, the court rejected the squadron's claim on the grounds that the Henriette did not come out from Brest but rather was a small coaster traveling between Legue and Croisi that had taken shelter in Cannonet Bay.
on 15 September 1795. She may have been the same vessel as the first Nimrod above, but if so she would not have been operating simultaneously under a contract with the Royal Navy and a letter of marque.
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and 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...
the Admiralty also made use of hired armed vessels
Hired armed vessels
right|thumb|250px|Armed cutter, etching in the [[National Maritime Museum]], [[Greenwich]]During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels...
, one of which was the hired armed cutter Nimrod. Three such vessels are recorded, but the descriptions of these vessels and the dates of their service are such that they may well represent one vessel under successive contracts. The vessel or vessels cruised, blockaded, carried despatches and performed reconnaissance.
The first Nimrod
There was a Nimrod of 70 37/94 tons burthenBuilder's Old Measurement
Builder's Old Measurement is the method of calculating the size or cargo capacity of a ship used in England from approximately 1720 to 1849. It estimated the tonnage of a ship based on length and maximum beam...
and eight 3-pounder guns that served from 27 September 1794 to 9 April 1802. On 21 April 1798, Nimrod was among the vessels that shared in the capture of the French ship Hercule. Nimrod shared with , and in the capture of the Anna Christiana on 17 May. In August Nimrod captured the chasse maree Francine with , commanded by Captain Henry Jenkins, and .
Under Lieutenant William Marsh, on 23 March 1799 Nimrod, captured the Spanish ship Golondrina. On 1 August, Nimrod arrived in Plymouth with dispatches from Vice Admiral Pole, off the Isle of Aix
Île-d'Aix
Île-d'Aix is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department off the west coast of France. It occupies the territory of small island of Île d'Aix in the Atlantic. It is a popular place for tourist day-trips during the summer months.-Location:...
. Then on 25 December she helped rescue the crew of . On 28 December 1799 she re-captured the brig Neptune. In February 1800 salvage money resulting from the re-capture of the Neptune was due to be paid.
Nimrod was part of Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren
John Borlase Warren
Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet , was an English admiral, politician and diplomat. Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, he was the son and heir of John Borlase Warren of Stapleford and Little Marlow...
's squadron and so entitled to share in the proceeds from the recapture of the Lancaster on 28 June 1800. She also shared in the proceeds of the Vigilant, Menais, the salvage of the Industry, the sale of a wreck, and the proceeds of Insolent and Ann, all taken by Captain Edward Pellew's squadron. Next Nimrod shared in the prize money from the squadron's capture of the French privateer Guêppe.
The second Nimrod
There was a Nimrod of 69 78/94 tons burthen and six 3-pounder guns that served from 25 June 1803 to 10 October 1808. She joined the blockade of BrestBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
on 16 July and Admiral William Cornwallis
William Cornwallis
Admiral the Honourable Sir William Cornwallis GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
placed her inshore, after warning her to be careful as she was not strongly armed.
On 17 August captured the French privateer Messager in sight of the Nimrod, commanded by William Marsh. In January 1805 head and prize money from the proceeds of the French privateer Messager was due to be paid. The fact that her captain was William Marsh suggests that the first and second Nimrods were the same vessel, despite the slight discrepancies in their descriptions.
The third Nimrod
There was a Nimrod of 75 62/94 tons burthen and six 3-pounder guns that served from 11 October 1808 to 20 May 1814.On 1 January 1809 Nimrod was under the command of Master's Mate Edward Tapley and shared in the proceeds of the recapture of the ship Crawford by .
In April 1809 Nimrod served at the Battle of the Basque Roads
Battle of the Basque Roads
The Battle of the Basque Roads, also Battle of Aix Roads was a naval battle during the Napoleonic Wars off the Island of Aix...
. William Congreve, who had arrived with a transport, fitted Whiting
HMS Whiting (1805)
HMS Whiting was a Royal Navy Ballahoo-class schooner of four 12-pounder carronades and a crew of 20. The prime contractor for the vessel was Goodrich & Co., in Bermuda, and she was launched in 1805...
, Nimrod and the other hired armed cutter, King George
Hired armed cutter King George
The Royal Navy used several vessels that were described as the hired armed cutter King George. Some of these may have been the same vessel on repeat contract.-First hired armed cutter King George:...
, with rockets
Congreve rocket
The Congreve Rocket was a British military weapon designed and developed by Sir William Congreve in 1804.The rocket was developed by the British Royal Arsenal following the experiences of the Second, Third and Fourth Mysore Wars. The wars fought between the British East India Company and the...
. On 11 April the three vessels took up a position near the Boyart Shoal (see Fort Boyard
Fort Boyard
Fort Boyard is a fort located between the Île-d'Aix and the Île d'Oléron in the Pertuis d'Antioche straits, on the west coast of France. Though a fort on Boyard bank was suggested as early as the 17th century, it was not until the 1800s under Napoleon Bonaparte that work began.-Layout:Fort...
) while fireships made a night attack on the French ships. The next day all three, together with a number of other vessels, opened fire upon Océan
French ship Océan (1790)
Océan was a 118-gun first-rate three-decker ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.She was ordered as États de Bourgogne and was launched at Brest in 1790...
, Régulus
French ship Régulus (1805)
The Régulus was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.From 25 May 1801, her armament was upgraded to sport between 80 and 86 guns....
, and the frigate Indienne, as those ships lay aground. The first two eventually escaped, and the last was one of four eventually destroyed, though by her own crew some days later to avoid capture. In 1847 the surviving members of the crews of all the British vessels at the battle qualified for the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Basque Roads 1809".
On 9 November 1809 Nimrod was among the vessels that shared in 's capture of the French brig Modeste. Around the end of December, Nimrod, under the command of Jno. Tapley, recaptured the ship Elshon.
On 12 September 1810, Nimrod was under the command of William Peake when she captured the Sophie. Then on 28 September Nimrod was among the vessels sharing in the capture of the San Nicolas and the Aventura. Next, on 13 December 1810 Nimrod was in company with and several other vessels at the capture of the Goede Trouw. Lastly, on 18 December, Nimrod and were in sight when captured the American schooner Polly.
On 7 January 1811 Nimrod captured the Maria Francoise and sent her into in Plymouth as a prize. Prize money was due to be paid in August 1811. On 22 April Nimrod shared in the capture of the cargo of the French vessel Auguste. The British ships that captured her had removed her cargo of wine before destroying her. On 22 November, Nimrod, under the command of Thomas Peake, captured the Belisario.
On 23 December 1812, Nimrod, Thomas Peake, Master and Commander, was in company with when they recaptured the English brig Sparkler, which was under the command of A. Brown. On 9 March 1813, Nimrod re captured the Margaret, which was under the command of J. Simpson. The American privateer True Blooded Yankee had taken Margaret and put on board a prize crew that included a British seaman, John Wiltshire. The British tried Wiltshire for piracy and hanged him.
In January 1814, while serving in the blockade of Brest, Nimrod was present when captured the brig Henriette. This gave rise to a court case in which the Clarence claimed sole prize rights and the other vessels in the blockading squadron claimed shares. The Court ruled that as a matter of principle:
"When a prize is taken coming out of a blockaded port, by one of the blockading squadron stationed off the mouth of the harbour, the other ships of the squadron, although stationed at some distance, are entitled to share." However, when the case came up for a hearing on the evidence, the court rejected the squadron's claim on the grounds that the Henriette did not come out from Brest but rather was a small coaster traveling between Legue and Croisi that had taken shelter in Cannonet Bay.
Other Nimrods
There was also a Nimrod of 69 tons burthen, eight 3-pounder guns, and under the command of Thomas Tapley, that received a letter of marqueLetter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
on 15 September 1795. She may have been the same vessel as the first Nimrod above, but if so she would not have been operating simultaneously under a contract with the Royal Navy and a letter of marque.