HMS Ceres (1777)

HMS ''Ceres'' was an 18-gun sloop launched in 1777 for the British Royal Navy that the French captured in December 1778 off Saint Lucia. The French Navy took her into service as ''Cérès''. The British recaptured her in 1782 and renamed her HMS ''Raven'', only to have the French recapture her again early in 1783. The French returned her name to ''Cérès'', and she then served in the French Navy until sold at Brest in 1791.

HMS ''Ceres''

''Ceres'' was the only ship-sloop of her design. The British Admiralty ordered her in 1774 with the requirement that her design follow that of , the 18-gun French sloop-of-war ''Cheveret'', which the Royal Navy had captured on 30 January 1761 and that had disappeared, presumed foundered, during a hurricane in 1776.

Commander Samuel Warren commissioned ''Ceres'' in March 1777. In September, Commander James Dacres replaced Warren. Dacres sailed to the West Indies, arriving in December.

On 9 March 1778, near Barbados, and ''Ceres'' encountered two vessels belonging to the Continental Navy, and . When the American ships attempted to flee, ''Alfred'' fell behind her faster consort. Shortly after noon the British men-of-war caught up with ''Alfred'' and forced her to surrender after a half an hour's battle. Her captors described ''Alfred'' as being of 300 tons and 180 men, and under the command of Elisha Hinsman.

On 18 October 1778, ''Ceres'' captured the French privateer ''Tigre''.

A little over a month later, on 17 December 1778, the French captured ''Ceres'' off St Lucia. ''Ceres'' was escorting a convoy of transport at the time, and Dacres acted to decoy the French 50-gun ship of the line and frigate away from the convoy, which Dacres sent on to Saint Lucia. After a chase of 48 hours, Dacres was forced to strike to ''Iphigénie'' as ''Sagittaire'' was only astern and closing.

The British fleet under Admiral Barrington that had captured St Lucia, captured the American privateer on 22 December 1778. Barrington decided to take her into service as HMS ''Surprize'' as she was a fast sailer and he had just been informed that the French had captured ''Ceres''. Barrington also arranged an exchange of prisoners with the French, the crew of ''Bunker Hill'' for the crew of ''Ceres''.''The Connecticut Journal'' ew Haven 24 February 1779. Dacres subsequently returned to England.

''Cérès''

The French Navy coppered ''Cérès'' after they captured her. She came to be known as ''Petite Cérès'' to distinguish her from the French 32-gun frigate launched in 1779 (and broken up in 1797).

In 1779 ''Cérès'' was under the Marquis de Traversay. Under his command she seized numerous British transports. In October, ''Ceres'' participated in the attempt by French and Continental Army to retake Savannah. Despite the assistance of a French naval squadron commanded by Comte d'Estaing, the effort was a spectacular failure,

In 1780 ''Cérès'' was part of the fleet under Admiral the comte de Guichen. She participated in the battle of Martinique on 17 April, and in two subsequent fleet engagements on 15 and 19 May.

In September, ''Cérès'' arrived at Cadiz as a member of a squadron under Guichen that escorted 95 merchant vessels back from the West Indies. On 7 November, Admiral the Comte d'Estaing sortied from Cadiz with the Franco-Spanish fleet there. ''Cérès'', under the command of Traversay, was in the Van Division. The fleet soon returned to port, not having accomplished anything.

In the wake of the battle of the Saintes (took place 9–12 April 1782), Admiral Rodney detached , under the command of Captain Alexander Hood. ''Champion'', became part of a squadron under Alexander Hood's brother, Sir Samuel Hood.

''Cérès'', under the command of Baron de Peroy, departed Guadeloupe on 15 April 1782. On 19 April the British squadron sighted five small French warships and gave chase to them, capturing four, including ''Cérès''. (Peroy became friends with his captor, Alexander Hood. After the war Hood visited Peroy in France.)

Because the Royal Navy had a new , a 32-gun fifth rate launched in 1781, the Royal Navy renamed their capture HMS ''Raven''.

HMS ''Raven''

Between June and September 1782, ''Raven'' was at Plymouth, undergoing fitting. This included coppering.

In July 1782, Commander William Domett commissioned ''Raven''. On 9 September Commander John Wells replaced Domett. At some point Wells sailed ''Raven'' to the West Indies.

On 5 January 1783, ''Raven'' was in company with the 74-gun off Montserrat when they sighted a strange sail. ''Raven'' sailed to investigate, but the strange vessel turned out to be a British merchantman, as did another. By this time ''Raven'' was well out of sight of ''Hercules''.

That evening and the next day there was no wind. At about 10a.m. on the morning of 7 January, ''Raven'' sighted two frigates sailing towards her from the direction of Guadeloupe. ''Raven'' initially sailed towards them until she realized that they were not British. They were in fact the French frigates and ''Concorde''.

An all-day chase ensued until about 9 p.m. when one of the frigates got within pistol-shot and fired a broadside that shot away ''Raven''s main topgallant-mast. The chase continued until about 10:30 p.m. when one of the frigates was again in range, with the other coming up rapidly. At this point ''Raven'', which was under the command of Commander John Wells, struck. The French Navy took ''Raven'' into service under the name ''Cérès''. Wells and his crew remained prisoners of war until the end of the war a few months later.

''Cérès''

The French Navy returned ''Raven'' to her earlier name, ''Cérès''.

Fate

The French Navy sold ''Cérès'' at Brest in 1791.

Citations and references

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ceres (1777)
1777 ships
Sloops of the Royal Navy
Captured ships
Corvettes of the French Navy