Hired armed cutter Telemachus
Encyclopedia
The hired armed
cutter Telemachus
served the Royal Navy
from 17 June 1795 until 15 January 1801. She was of 1285/95 tons burthen
, and was armed with fourteen 4-pounder guns. During her five and a half years of service she captured eight French privateers as well as many merchant vessels.
she sailed in pursuit of a sloop and a cutter, which fled to the east. At 11am Telemachus caught up with the sloop, recapturing the John. John, William Ayles, master, was of Weymouth and had been sailing with a cargo of coal when the enemy cutter had captured her. Crispo quickly took charge of John and then sailed in the pursuit of the enemy cutter. Telemachus caught up with the cutter off the Owers Bank at half-past two in the afternoon, and fired a shot, at which point the cutter struck. She proved to be the French privateer Marguarita, armed with four guns and four swivels
, and had a crew of 40 men. She was three days out of Cherbourg but her only capture was the John. Crispo also reported that by taking Marguarita he had saved five other vessels from being captured.
On 14 August, Telemachus captured the Pomona. Then, on 27 August, behind the Isle of Wight
, Telemachus captured a small French privateer armed with four swivels and carrying a crew of 22 men. Telemachus also captured a smuggling vessel there that same day. The privateer turned out to be the Requin.
Telemachus captured the Spanish ship Gertruda on 6 October 1796.
Telemachus was under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Newton when she and the hired armed cutter Hind and Telemachus captured the privateer Mandarin on 24 February 1797. Then on 7 March, the cutter captured the privateer Bonheur. Telemachus shared in the capture.
Telemachus recaptured the brig Prince William on 17 May 1797. Next, Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Succes some five leagues
from Needle Point. She had been armed with six carriage guns but had thrown two overboard during the chase. She had a crew of 42 men and had sailed from La Hogue the night before. She had not taken any prizes.
On 24 July Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Hardi. Hardi was armed with four carriage guns and had a crew of 30 men. She had been out of Cherbourg only about five hours and had not captured anything. That same day Telemachus recaptured two merchant brigs that had been captured by a French privateer. The day before, Telemachus had recaptured the brig Neptune and Donor.
On 29 September 1797, Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Jean Bart off Portland
after a chase of five hours. She was armed with eight swivel gun
s, had a crew of 24 men, and was three days out of Cherbourg without having captured anything.
At some point Telemachus, under the command of Lieutenant John Crup, was in company with the hired armed cutters Lion and Peggy when they captured the Ledia.
On 16 March 1798, Telemachus sighted the French privateer Sophie three miles from the Berry Head
. Telemachus gave chase and after six hours caught up with her some two or three leagues
north of the Casquets Light. Sophie was armed with four guns and had a crew of 20 men. She was two days out of Saint Malo but had taken nothing. Crispo further reported that when the chase started, Sophie was close to three British merchant brigs. joined the chase and was in sight when Telemachus made the capture.
On 30 April 1798, Telemachus, under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Newton, was near the Bill of Portland when she encountered and captured the French privateer lugger San Souci after a twelve-hour chase. San Souci was armed with a 12-pounder carronade
and two brass 4-pounder guns, and had a crew of 27 men. She had only sailed from La Hogue the night before had not yet captured anything.
In late 1799 and early 1800, Telemachus was among the seven vessels of a squadron that shared in the capture of four vessels:
Telemachus was among the vessels of a squadron that shared the proceeds for the recapture on 28 June 1800 of the Lancaster. She was also part of Sir Edward Pellew's
squadron, which shared in the proceeds of the capture of the Vigilant, Menais, Insolent, Ann, and the wreck of a vessel that was sold, and the recapture of the Industry.
Telemachus was among the innumerable vessels of Sir John Borlase Warren
s squadron that shared in the capture on 30 August 1800 of the French privateer sloop of war Guêpe. She was armed with 18 guns and had a crew of 161 men. British casualties amounted to four men killed, one drowned and 20 wounded; French casualties were 65 men killed and wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "29 Aug. Boat Service 1800" to all surviving claimants from the action. The award did not include Telemachus, or most of the other vessels in the squadron. However, Telemachus did share in the prize money and head money.
On 21 July 1801, Telemachus supported the boats of , , and when they succeeded in boarding and cutting out the French naval vessel Chevrette, which was armed with 20 guns and had a crew of 350 men. Chevrette was under the batteries of Bay of Cameret. Telemachus placed herself in the Goulet and thereby prevented the French from bringing reinforcements by boat to Chevrette. The action was a sanguinary one. The British lost 11 men killed, 57 wounded, and one missing; Chevrette lost 92 officers, seamen and troops killed, including her first captain, and 62 seamen and troops wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "21 July Boat Service 1801" to surviving claimants from the action. The award did not include Telemachus.
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...
cutter Telemachus
Hired armed cutter Telemachus
The hired armed cutter Telemachus served the Royal Navy from 17 June 1795 until 15 January 1801. She was of 1285/95 tons burthen, and was armed with fourteen 4-pounder guns...
served the 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...
from 17 June 1795 until 15 January 1801. She was of 1285/95 tons burthen
Builder'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 was armed with fourteen 4-pounder guns. During her five and a half years of service she captured eight French privateers as well as many merchant vessels.
Naval service
On 5 August 1796 she was under the command of Lieutenant John Crispo when off The NeedlesThe Needles
The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation...
she sailed in pursuit of a sloop and a cutter, which fled to the east. At 11am Telemachus caught up with the sloop, recapturing the John. John, William Ayles, master, was of Weymouth and had been sailing with a cargo of coal when the enemy cutter had captured her. Crispo quickly took charge of John and then sailed in the pursuit of the enemy cutter. Telemachus caught up with the cutter off the Owers Bank at half-past two in the afternoon, and fired a shot, at which point the cutter struck. She proved to be the French privateer Marguarita, armed with four guns and four swivels
Swivel gun
The term swivel gun usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun with two barrels that rotated along their axes to allow the shooter to...
, and had a crew of 40 men. She was three days out of Cherbourg but her only capture was the John. Crispo also reported that by taking Marguarita he had saved five other vessels from being captured.
On 14 August, Telemachus captured the Pomona. Then, on 27 August, behind the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, Telemachus captured a small French privateer armed with four swivels and carrying a crew of 22 men. Telemachus also captured a smuggling vessel there that same day. The privateer turned out to be the Requin.
Telemachus captured the Spanish ship Gertruda on 6 October 1796.
Telemachus was under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Newton when she and the hired armed cutter Hind and Telemachus captured the privateer Mandarin on 24 February 1797. Then on 7 March, the cutter captured the privateer Bonheur. Telemachus shared in the capture.
Telemachus recaptured the brig Prince William on 17 May 1797. Next, Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Succes some five leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from Needle Point. She had been armed with six carriage guns but had thrown two overboard during the chase. She had a crew of 42 men and had sailed from La Hogue the night before. She had not taken any prizes.
On 24 July Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Hardi. Hardi was armed with four carriage guns and had a crew of 30 men. She had been out of Cherbourg only about five hours and had not captured anything. That same day Telemachus recaptured two merchant brigs that had been captured by a French privateer. The day before, Telemachus had recaptured the brig Neptune and Donor.
On 29 September 1797, Telemachus captured the French privateer lugger Jean Bart off Portland
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
after a chase of five hours. She was armed with eight swivel gun
Swivel gun
The term swivel gun usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun with two barrels that rotated along their axes to allow the shooter to...
s, had a crew of 24 men, and was three days out of Cherbourg without having captured anything.
At some point Telemachus, under the command of Lieutenant John Crup, was in company with the hired armed cutters Lion and Peggy when they captured the Ledia.
On 16 March 1798, Telemachus sighted the French privateer Sophie three miles from the Berry Head
Berry Head
Berry Head is a coastal headland at the southern end of Torbay, to the southeast of Brixham, Devon, England.-National Nature Reserve:Berry Head to Sharkham Point is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed...
. Telemachus gave chase and after six hours caught up with her some two or three leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
north of the Casquets Light. Sophie was armed with four guns and had a crew of 20 men. She was two days out of Saint Malo but had taken nothing. Crispo further reported that when the chase started, Sophie was close to three British merchant brigs. joined the chase and was in sight when Telemachus made the capture.
On 30 April 1798, Telemachus, under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Newton, was near the Bill of Portland when she encountered and captured the French privateer lugger San Souci after a twelve-hour chase. San Souci was armed with a 12-pounder carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
and two brass 4-pounder guns, and had a crew of 27 men. She had only sailed from La Hogue the night before had not yet captured anything.
In late 1799 and early 1800, Telemachus was among the seven vessels of a squadron that shared in the capture of four vessels:
- St Francois, taken 25 December 1799;
- St Pierre de Carnac, taken 12 January 1800;
- a brig, name unknown, taken 17 January 1800; and
- Anna Louisa, taken 22 January 1800.
Telemachus was among the vessels of a squadron that shared the proceeds for the recapture on 28 June 1800 of the Lancaster. She was also part of Sir Edward Pellew's
Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary, and the Napoleonic Wars...
squadron, which shared in the proceeds of the capture of the Vigilant, Menais, Insolent, Ann, and the wreck of a vessel that was sold, and the recapture of the Industry.
Telemachus was among the innumerable vessels of 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 that shared in the capture on 30 August 1800 of the French privateer sloop of war Guêpe. She was armed with 18 guns and had a crew of 161 men. British casualties amounted to four men killed, one drowned and 20 wounded; French casualties were 65 men killed and wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "29 Aug. Boat Service 1800" to all surviving claimants from the action. The award did not include Telemachus, or most of the other vessels in the squadron. However, Telemachus did share in the prize money and head money.
On 21 July 1801, Telemachus supported the boats of , , and when they succeeded in boarding and cutting out the French naval vessel Chevrette, which was armed with 20 guns and had a crew of 350 men. Chevrette was under the batteries of Bay of Cameret. Telemachus placed herself in the Goulet and thereby prevented the French from bringing reinforcements by boat to Chevrette. The action was a sanguinary one. The British lost 11 men killed, 57 wounded, and one missing; Chevrette lost 92 officers, seamen and troops killed, including her first captain, and 62 seamen and troops wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "21 July Boat Service 1801" to surviving claimants from the action. The award did not include Telemachus.