HMS Aeolus (1801)

HMS ''Aeolus'' was a 32-gun ''Amphion''-class fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1801 and served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812.

Ordered during the last years of the French Revolutionary Wars, ''Aeolus'' was at first engaged in convoy work, before being sent out to the West Indies, where she took part in operations off Saint-Domingue and blockaded the French ships in the harbours. She was involved in the chase of the 74-gun ''Duquesne'' after she put to sea, and assisted in her capture. ''Aeolus'' returned to operate off the British coast, and was part of Sir Richard Strachan's squadron in late 1805. The squadron encountered part of the fleeing Franco-Spanish fleet that Nelson had decisively defeated two weeks previously at the Battle of Trafalgar, and after bringing them to battle, captured the entire force.

After spending time off Ireland and North America, ''Aeolus'' was in the Caribbean in 1809, and took part in the capture of Martinique. Deployed with Captain Philip Broke's squadron after the outbreak of the War of 1812 ''Aeolus'' took part in the capture of , the first ship either side lost in the war, the pursuit of and the capture of the American privateer ''Snapper''. ''Aeolus'' was used as a storeship at Quebec after the end of the war, and after returning to Britain was laid up as the Napoleonic Wars drew to a close. She was finally sold in 1817.

Construction and commissioning

''Aeolus'' was ordered on 28 January 1800 from the yards of Mrs Frances Barnard, of Deptford, and built to a design by Sir William Rule. She was laid down in April 1800 and launched on 28 February 1801. ''Aeolus'' commissioned under her first commander, Captain John Spranger in March 1801.

She was the third ship in the Navy to be named ''Aeolus''. The first, also a 32-gun fifth rate (launched in 1758), was still in existence but had been reduced to harbour service in 1796 and renamed ''Guernsey'' in 1800 to free the name for the new ship. Then a squadron captured the French frigate ''Pallas'', which received the name ''Aeolus''. In the meantime, ''Guernsey'' was sold in May 1801, shortly after the third ''Aeolus'' had completed fitting out the previous month, at Deptford Dockyard. The second ''Aeolus'' was then renamed to ''Pique''.

Career

West Indies

''Aeolus'' was at first employed on convoy duties and sailed to Jamaica in January 1802. In August she was briefly under the command of Lieutenant Henry Whitby, in an acting capacity, but Spranger was not superseded until Captain Andrew Evans took over in May 1803.

On 1 February 1804 she captured the American snow ''Antelope'', of 155 tons. ''Antelope'' had a crew of eight men and was carrying provisions, dry goods, wine, staves, hoops and sundries. In May 1804 Lord William FitzRoy assumed command.

''Aeolus'' joined Commodore John Loring's squadron off Saint-Domingue following the defeat of the French forces there, and still serving with Loring, took part in the capture of the French 74-gun ''Duquesne'' off Saint-Domingue on 25 July 1804. The French ship, under Commodore Quérangal, had been trapped at Cape Francois by a British blockade, along with the 74-gun ''Duguay-Trouin'', under Captain Claude Touffet, and the 40-gun ''Guerriere'', under Captain Beaudouin. The squadron escaped to sea under cover of squalls on the afternoon of 24 July, and split up, ''Duguay-Trouin'' and ''Guerriere'' heading east pursued by Captain George Dundas in , and ''Duquesne'' heading west followed by Loring in and accompanied by HMS ''Aeolus'' and . and soon joined the chase. ''Duquesne'', unable to escape, struck her colours to Captain James Walker of ''Vanguard''.

Cape Ortegal

''Aeolus'' was then assigned to operate in the English Channel. By late 1805 she was part of Captain Sir Richard Strachan's squadron patrolling in Bay of Biscay. Strachan, with his pennant aboard the 80-gun ''Caesar'', had the 74-gun ships ''Hero'', ''Courageux'', ''Namur'' and , the 36-gun ''Santa Margarita'' and ''Aeolus''. They were searching for a French squadron under Zacharie Allemand which was known to be cruising in the Atlantic, when they were joined late on 3 November by the 36-gun , under Captain Thomas Baker. Baker reported that he had just escaped from a French squadron of four large ships, and Strachan immediately set off in pursuit. Though they were thought to be part of Allemand's squadron, they were in fact four ships which had escaped the Battle of Trafalgar under Rear-Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley, and were now hurrying north to reach Rochefort.

On realising that he had encountered a superior British force, Pelley attempted to flee northwards, but his ships were steadily overhauled by the British, with Strachan sending the faster frigates on to wear down the rear-most ships. ''Aeolus'' joined them in attacking the ''Scipion'', and as the ships of the line came up and Pelley came about to engage them, the frigates formed up on the Frenchmen's starboard side, doubling their line. The French were worn down and all four ships were forced to surrender. ''Aeolus'' had no men killed during the engagement, and only three wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty issued the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "4 Novr. 1805" to all surviving claimants from the action.

Irish station and America

''Aeolus'' spent the rest of 1805 and 1806 on the Irish station, before departing for Halifax in August 1807. She was then in the Caribbean, taking part in the capture of Martinique in February 1809. She formed part of a small squadron with HMS ''Cleopatra'' and the brig HMS ''Recruit'', which was sent into Fort-de-France Bay on 5 February. Panicked by the advance the French militia defending the bay set fire to the ships anchored there, including the frigate ''Amphitrite'', and abandoned the forts in the southern part of the island. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Martinique" to all surviving claimants from the campaign.

After five years in command of ''Aeolus'' Fitzroy handed over command to Captain John Shortland

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