HMS ''Achille'' was a 74-gun third-rate

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...

of the Royal Navy. She was built by Cleverley Bros., a private shipyard at

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...

, and launched on 16 April 1798. Her design was based on the lines of the captured

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

ship . She was the fourth Royal Navy ship to be named after the Greek hero Achilles in the

style.

''Achille'' at Trafalgar

On 21 October 1805, under the command of Captain Richard King, ''Achille'' was in Admiral Collingwood's column at the Battle of Trafalgar, seventh in the line, between and . ''Achille'' opened fire on the rear of the French and Spanish fleet at 12.15, engaging the 74-gun , for fifteen minutes, before sailing on to meet of 80 guns, which had already been battling with other British ships. After hours of fierce fighting, ''Argonauta'' fell silent and closed her gunports, but before ''Achille'' could accept her surrender, her French namesake of 74 guns, moved in to engage the British ship. After exchanging broadsides, the French ship sailed on and was replaced on the starboard side by the 74-gun French ship , and for the next hour and a quarter she lay close alongside ''Achille'', receiving a pounding that eventually forced ''Berwick'' to surrender with over 250 casualties – almost half her crew. ''Achille'' took possession, and transferred some of her crew back on board as prisoners. ''Achille'' suffered 13 killed and 59 wounded in the battle, in stark comparison to the heavy losses she inflicted on her French and Spanish adversaries. On 17 July 1812, boats from ''Achille'' and captured or destroyed 12 enemy trabaccolos off Venice.

Fate

''Achille'' continued in active service until 1815, when she was decommissioned at

Chatham Chatham may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Canada * Chatham Islands (British Columbia) * Chatham Sound, British Columbia * Chatham, New Brunswick, a former town, now a neighbourhood of Miramichi * Chatham (electoral district), New Brunswic ...

, and laid up at

Sheerness Sheerness () is a town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 11,938, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby town ...

. She survived in this state until 1865, when she was sold for £3,600 to be broken up.

Notes

References

Citations Bibliography * * Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850. Conway Maritime Press. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Achille (1798) Ships built in Gravesend Pompée-class ships of the line 1798 ships