Hired armed cutter Earl Spencer

Three hired armed cutters named Earl Spencer served the British Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary or Napoleonic Wars. Two, both cutters, served at the same time between 1799 and 1801. A third, variously referred to as a tender or cutter, served from 1803 to 1814.

Earl Spencer (1)

Earl Spencer, of 163​56⁄94 tons (bm) served under contract between 7 July 1799 and 20 October 1801. She carried two 6-pounder guns and twelve 12-pounder carronades.[1]

At some point in early 1800, Earl Spencer and the hired armed cutter Nile recaptured Molly, which was in ballast.[2] This was probably Molley, which had been sailing from Exeter to Newcastle when a French privateer had captured her. Molley came into Deal on 14 February.[3]

On 15 September Rye and Earl Spencer brought into Portsmouth a neutral vessel they had detained.[4] This was probably Maria Margaretha, which they had captured on 12 September.[5] Then on 23 November Earl Spencer left Portsmouth in search of a privateer reported to be off the back of the Isle of Wight.[6]

Lastly, Rye returned to Portsmouth on 24 December from a cruise. A few days earlier she had chased a French 16-gun privateer lugger but had lost her quarry in a thick fog. Still, Earl Spencer brought in with her the ship Martha, which she had detained and which was "richly laden".[7]

On 1 January 1801 Rye received promotion to Commander, and transferred to Rambler.[8] Lieutenant James Leach replaced Rye.

On 15 May 1801 Fisgard, and the hired armed cutters Hirondelle and Earl Spencer, recaptured the brig Victory from the French.[9] Victory, John Bowden (or Barden), master, had been sailing from London to St John's, Newfoundland, when on 1 May the French privateer Arriege had captured her. The recaptured Victory came into Plymouth.[10]

Shortly after the start of the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Thomas Chitty received a letter of marque on 25 May 1803 for the cutter Earl Spencer, of 162 tons (bm).[11] On 8 July Lloyd's List reported that Earl Spencer had captured Jeune Anacaarsin, from New Orleans to Bordeaux, and sent her into Dover. Earl Spencer, of Dover, was in company with the privateers Phoenix, of Jersey, and Henry, of Weymouth, when they captured Robuste, from New Orleans. The privateers sent Robuste into Jersey.[12] A few days later Robuste, of 300 tons (bm), and her cargo of sugar and coffee, arrived at Guernsey.[13]

On 13 September Lloyd's List reported that the French privateer Venus, of Nantes, had captured Royal Charlotte, Hamilton, master, sailing from Wilmington to London. Earl Spencer recaptured Royal Charlotte and left her at 43°37′N 15°52′W. Earl Spencer then put into Penzance. She had lost two men killed and seven wounded in an engagement with Venus, and had sustained heavy damage.[14]

Earl Spencer (2)

Earl Spencer, of 142​18⁄94 tons (bm), served under contract between 15 October 1799 and 9 November 1801. She carried fourteen 12-pounder carronades.[1]

On 17 April 1800, Lieutenant Anthony Thompson, commander, and Earl Spencer captured Faderland.[15] [Note 1]

In December Earl Spencer and Thompson recaptured two brigs: Mary Ann and Hardwick.[17] Mary Ann, Bexfield, master, came into Dover. Hardwick, Nobs, master, came into Ramsgate. Both had been sailing from Yarmouth to Liverpool when they were captured.[18]

Earl Spencer (3)

Earl Spencer, of 141​30⁄94 tons (bm) served under contract between 27 July 1803 and 9 June 1814. She carried twelve 12-pounder carronades.[19] She had an uneventful war. There are numerous mentions in the press of her escorting convoys. In May 1805 Lieutenant William Bothwell is reported to be her commander. His name appears again in 1808, and 1811. His is the only name linked to her.

On 26 February 1805 Lloyd's List reported that Ann, Heineman, master, arrived at Cork. Earl Spencer had recaptured her after she had been captured while sailing from Dublin to London.[20]

On 27 October 1806 Earl Spencer returned to Belfast. She had been convoying the linen ships from Belfast when she encountered heavy seas near the Isle of Man. She had had to throw her guns overboard to ride out the waves.[21]

On 7 August 1812 Wasp, of Fairhaven, in America, arrived at Cork. Earl Spencer had detained Wasp as she was sailing from Cadiz to Belfast.[22] Wasp, of seven men and 163 tons (bm), had been sailing in ballast when Earl Spencer had captured her on 4 August.[23][Note 2]

Because Earl Spencer was based at Cork, and perhaps was even in the harbour on 19 November 1813, she shared with Trent, Tartarus, and Castilian in a grant of £5,000 for the detention there on that day of the Russian vessel Charlotte.[Note 3]

Notes, citations and references

Notes

  1. A "late Decision in a Claim of Abatement upon the Marshal's Bill of Charges in the Cargo of the Ship Fœderlandet", resulted in some extra money for her officers and men. A seaman's share was worth £1 12s 7d.[16]
  2. A second-class share of the prize money was worth £63 11d; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth £4 5d.[24]
  3. A first-class share of the prize money was worth £227 19s 3¼d; a sixth-class share was worth £4 11s.[25]

Citations

  1. Winfield (2008), p.390.
  2. "No. 15260". The London Gazette. 24 May 1800. p. 525.
  3. London Chronicle, 15–18 February 1800, p.165.
  4. Naval Chronicle, Vol.4 , p.253.
  5. "No. 16619". The London Gazette. 30 June 1812. p. 1285.
  6. Naval Chronicle, Vol. 4, p.439.
  7. Naval Chronicle, Vol. 4, p.525.
  8. O'Byrne (1849), vol. 3, p.1017.
  9. "No. 15412". The London Gazette. 29 September 1801. p. 1203.
  10. [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015005721512?urlappend=%3Bseq=91 Lloyd's List №4154.
  11. "Register of Letters of Marque against France 1793-1815"; p.60 Archived July 9, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  12. Lloyd's List №4365.
  13. Lloyd's List №4366.
  14. Lloyd's List №4384.
  15. "No. 15726". The London Gazette. 7 August 1804. p. 959.
  16. "No. 16387". The London Gazette. 14 July 1810. p. 1047.
  17. "No. 15372". The London Gazette. 2 June 1801. p. 621.
  18. Lloyd's List №41119.
  19. Winfield (2008), p.392.
  20. Lloyd's List №4195.
  21. Lloyd's List №4097.
  22. Lloyd's List №4693.
  23. "No. 16728". The London Gazette. 11 May 1813. p. 918.
  24. "No. 17009". The London Gazette. 6 May 1815. p. 855.
  25. "No. 17012". The London Gazette. 16 May 1815. p. 926.

References'

  • O’Byrne, William R. (1849) A naval biographical dictionary: comprising the life and services of every living officer in Her Majesty's navy, from the rank of admiral of the fleet to that of lieutenant, inclusive. (London: J. Murray).
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1861762467.
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