HMS Thistle (1812)

HMS Thistle was a 14-gun Bold-class gun-brig built by Mary Ross at Rochester, Kent. She was launched in 1812 and broken up at Portsmouth in July 1823.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Thistle.

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Thistle
Ordered: 16 November 1811
Builder: Mrs Mary Ross, Rochester, Kent
Laid down: March 1812
Launched: 13 July 1812
Commissioned: 12 September 1812
Fate: Broken up at Portsmouth July 1823
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Bold-class gun-brig
Tons burthen: 186​39⁄94 bm
Length:
  • 84 ft 4 1⁄2 in (25.7 m) (overall)
  • 70 ft 9 1⁄2 in (21.6 m) (keel)
Beam: 22 ft 3 in (6.8 m)
Depth of hold: 11 ft 0 1⁄2 in (3.4 m)
Sail plan: Brig
Complement: 50
Armament: 10 × 18-pounder carronades + 2 × 6-pounder bow chasers

Design and construction

The Bold class were a revival of Sir William Rule's Confounder-class gun-brig design of 1804. They were armed with ten 18-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder bow chasers. Built at Rochester, Kent by Mary Ross, Bold was launched on 13 July 1812 and commissioned on 12 September 1812 under Commander James K White.[1]

Service

In early January 1814, some crew volunteered to reinforce the squadron on the Great Lakes, together with men from Fantome and Manly. Seventy men left Halifax; they reached Kingston, Ontario on 22 March, having traveled some 900 miles in winter, almost entirely on foot.[2] Mathew Abdy, Master of HMS Thistle was one such volunteer, but he died of exposure in Woodstock, New Brunswick in February 1814, and is buried there. She was subsequently commanded by Lieutenant I Burch during the operations in the Chesapeake, and was present during the actions at Washington and Baltimore.[3]

After the Battle of Lake Borgne, Nymphe with Thistle, Aetna, Meteor, Herald and Pigmy, went up the Mississippi River to create a diversion.[4] These latter five ships were to take part in the Siege of Fort St. Philip (1815).[5]

She was subsequently captained by Commander J Montague in January 1815. She returned to Great Britain after the end of the War of 1812, and was paid off on 7 August 1815.[1]

She was recommissioned in May 1819, and was commanded by Lieutenant Robert Hagan, and deployed to the African station, under whose command he captured 40 sail of vessels and liberated 4000 slaves.[6]

She was broken up at Portsmouth in July 1823.[1]

Footnotes
Notes
    Citations
    1. Winfield (2008), p.365.
    2. Naval Chronicle, Vol. 33, pp.123-7.
    3. Allen, Joseph (January 1850). The New Navy List and General Record of the Services of Officers of the Royal Nayy and Royal Marines. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker. p. 132. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
    4. "No. 16991". The London Gazette. 9 March 1815. pp. 449–451.
    5. Fraser (1930), p.294.
    6. Allen, Joseph (January 1850). The New Navy List and General Record of the Services of Officers of the Royal Nayy and Royal Marines. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker. p. 64. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
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    References
    • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
    • Fraser, Edward, & L. G. Carr-Laughton (1930). The Royal Marine Artillery 1804-1923, Volume 1 [1804-1859]. London: The Royal United Services Institution. OCLC 4986867
    • Parkinson, C. Northcote, & Charles Ernest Fayle, eds. (2006). The Trade Winds: A Study of British Overseas Trade During the French Wars .... (London: Taylor & Francis)
    • Snider, C.H.J. (1928) Under the Red Jack; Privateers of the Maritime Provinces of Canada in the War of 1812. (London: Martin Hopkinson & Co.)
    • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 1-86176-246-1.
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