HMS Galatea (1776)

HMS Galatea was a 20-gun Sphinx-class sixth-rate post-ship of the Royal Navy. She served during the American War of Independence.

History
Great Britain
Name: HMS Galatea
Ordered: 15 April and 1 December 1773
Builder: Deptford Dockyard
Laid down: October 1774
Launched: 21 March 1776
Completed: By 26 May 1776
Fate: Broken up in April 1783
General characteristics
Type: Sphinx-class sixth-rate post-ship
Tons burthen: 429 23/94 bm
Length:
  • 108 ft (33 m) (gundeck)
  • 89 ft 8 in (27.33 m) (keel)
Beam: 30 ft (9.1 m)
Propulsion: Sail
Sail plan: Full-rigged ship
Complement: 140
Armament: 20 × 9-pounder guns
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Galatea.

History

In 1776, the ship was sent to North America under the command of Captain Thomas Jordan with a crew of 200.[1] She took part in the capture of 30 American ships. An American naval squadron led by Samuel Elbert attacked the ship near St. Simons Island in what became known as the Frederica naval action. Although the Americans captured her other three escort ships, Galatea's crew ran her aground and managed to escape without being captured.

The American privateer Gustavus Conyngham was captured and held aboard the Galatea. By his own report he was kept in irons until he reached prison, and was given no more than a “cold plank as my bed, a stone for a pillow”. Additionally, he was not fed properly, causing him to lose fifty pounds while imprisoned on the ship en route to his English prison.

Fate

She was broken up in April 1783.

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References
  1. Clark, William Bell; Morgan, William James; Crawford, Michael J. (1964). Naval documents of the American Revolution, Volume 7. Naval History Division, Dept. of the Nav.
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