HMS ''Pearl'' was a
fifth-rate
In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a fifth rate was the second-smallest class of warships in a hierarchical system of six " ratings" based on size and firepower.
Rating
The rating system in the Royal N ...
, 32-gun British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
of the .
Launched at
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...
in 1762, she served in
British North America
British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English overseas possessions, English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland (island), Newfound ...
until January 1773, when she sailed to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
for repairs. Returning to North America in March 1776, to fight in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, ''Pearl'' escorted the
transports which landed troops in
Kip's Bay
Kips Bay, or Kip's Bay, is a neighborhood on the east side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by East 34th Street to the north, the East River to the east, East 27th and/or 23rd Streets to the south, and Third Avenu ...
that September. Much of the following year was spent on the
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
where she took part in the
Battle of Red Bank
The Battle of Red Bank was a battle fought on October 22, 1777 during the American Revolutionary War in which a British and Hessian force was sent to take Fort Mercer on the left bank (or New Jersey side) of the Delaware River just south of Phil ...
in October. Towards the end of 1777, ''Pearl'' joined
Vice-Admiral Richard Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a British naval officer. After serving throughout the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations aga ...
's fleet in
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
and was still there when the French fleet arrived and began an attack on British positions. Both fleets were forced to retire due to bad weather and the action was inconclusive. ''Pearl'' was then despatched to keep an eye on the French fleet, which had been driven into
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
.
''Pearl'' was part of the British fleet that captured the island of
St Lucia
Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindia ...
from the French in December 1778, and was chosen to carry news of the victory to England, capturing the 28-gun Spanish frigate ''
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
'' off the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
on her return journey. She joined Vice-Admiral
Marriot Arbuthnot
Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot (1711 – 31 January 1794) was a British admiral, who commanded the Royal Navy's North American station during the American War for Independence.
Early life
A native of Weymouth, Dorset in England, Arbuthnot was the so ...
's squadron in July 1780, capturing the 28-gun French frigate ''Esperance'' while stationed off
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
in September; the following March she took part in the
First Battle of Virginia Capes, where she had responsibility for relaying signals. ''Pearl'' returned to England in 1783, where she underwent extensive repairs and did not serve again until 1786, when she was
recommissioned for the Mediterranean.
Taken out of service in 1792, she was recalled in February 1793, when hostilities resumed between Britain and France. On her return to the American continent, she narrowly escaped capture by a French squadron anchored between the
Îles de Los
Îles de Los are an island group lying off Conakry in Guinea, on the west coast of Africa. Their name is derived from the Portuguese: ''Ilhas dos Ídolos'', "Islands of the Idols". They are located about off the headland limiting the southern ...
and was forced to put into
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
for repairs following the engagement. In 1799, ''Pearl'' joined Vice-Admiral
George Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith, George Elphinstone's fleet in the Mediterranean where she took part in the
Battle of Alexandria in 1801. In 1802, she sailed to
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
where she served as a
storeship
Combat stores ships, or storeships, were originally a designation given to ships in the Age of Sail and immediately afterward that navies used to stow supplies and other goods for naval purposes. Today, the United States Navy and the Royal Nav ...
for sailors' clothes and then a
receiving ship
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...
. She was renamed ''Protheé'' in March 1825 and eventually sold in 1832.
Construction and armament
''Pearl'' was a British
fifth-rate
In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a fifth rate was the second-smallest class of warships in a hierarchical system of six " ratings" based on size and firepower.
Rating
The rating system in the Royal N ...
, 32-gun,
''Niger''-class frigate designed for the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
by naval architect,
Thomas Slade
Sir Thomas Slade (1703/4–1771) was an English naval architect, most famous for designing HMS ''Victory'', Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Early life
He was the son of Arthur Slade (1682–1746) and his wife Hannah ...
. Eleven were eventually built, all requested during the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
, and ''Pearl'' was the seventh ship in her class to be finished. She was ordered, with , on 24 March 1761, and her
keel
The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...
was
laid down
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one o ...
at
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...
on 6 May.
[ When launched on 27 March 1762, ''Pearl'' was along the ]gun deck
The term gun deck used to refer to a deck aboard a ship that was primarily used for the mounting of cannon to be fired in broadsides. The term is generally applied to decks enclosed under a roof; smaller and unrated vessels carried their guns o ...
, at the keel
The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...
, had a beam
Beam may refer to:
Streams of particles or energy
*Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy
**Laser beam
*Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles
**Charged particle beam, a spatially localized grou ...
of and a depth in the hold of .[Winfield p. 195] She was 683 tons burthen
Builder's Old Measurement (BOM, bm, OM, and o.m.) is the method used in England from approximately 1650 to 1849 for calculating the cargo capacity of a ship. It is a volumetric measurement of cubic capacity. It estimated the tonnage of a ship bas ...
and by the time she had been completed, on 14 May 1762, she had cost the Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
£16,573.5.4d.[ ''Niger''-class frigates, were ]full-rigged ship
A full-rigged ship or fully rigged ship is a sailing vessel's sail plan with three or more masts, all of them square-rigged. A full-rigged ship is said to have a ship rig or be ship-rigged. Such vessels also have each mast stepped in three se ...
s, carrying 32 guns: a main battery
A main battery is the primary weapon or group of weapons around which a warship is designed. As such, a main battery was historically a gun or group of guns, as in the broadsides of cannon on a ship of the line. Later, this came to be turreted ...
of twenty-six guns on the upper deck, four guns on the quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...
and two on the forecastle
The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is the phrase " be ...
. When fully manned, they carried a complement of 220.[Winfield p. 193]
Service
''Pearl'' was first commissioned in April 1762, under Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Joseph Deane
Joseph Deane PC (1674–1715) was an Irish politician and judge who became Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. His sudden and premature death was popularly believed to be due to a chill caught when watching an eclipse of the sun.
Background
He ...
, who took her to the Downs, to be fitted-out. In March 1763 she was recommissioned under Captain Charles Saxton and on 22 May 1764, she left for Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
in British America
British America comprised the colonial territories of the English Empire, which became the British Empire after the 1707 union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, in the Americas from 16 ...
.[ ''Pearl'' served there under captains Patrick Drummond and, subsequently, John Elphinston, until she was ]paid off
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to placing a warship in ...
in December 1768.[Winfield pp. 195–196] She was recommissioned the following month under John Leveson-Gower, who was succeeded by Sir Basil Keith in November.[
From April 1770, ''Pearl'' spent time on and off the Newfoundland station, under first John Ruthven and then James Bremer. Towards the end of 1772, she sailed for ]Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
where she underwent repairs and a refit, at a total cost of £9,008.15.11d. The combined works took until February 1776.[Winfield p. 196] John O'Hara, who had been in command since November 1775, was replaced by Thomas Wilkinson in March 1776, shortly after completion.[
]
American Revolutionary War
Wilkinson returned ''Pearl'' to North America in April to fight in the American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, bringing a convoy of troopships from Ireland to Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, with the sixth-rate
In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a sixth-rate was the designation for small warships mounting between 20 and 28 carriage-mounted guns on a single deck, sometimes with smaller guns on the upper works and ...
frigate , before escorting transports along the Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
to take part in the landings at Kip's Bay, New York, in September.[Beatson p. 164] On the evening of 13 September, the British began moving into position. Six troopships with three fifth-rates, , and , and the smaller ''Carysfort'', moved up the East River
The East River is a saltwater tidal estuary in New York City. The waterway, which is actually not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates the borough of Queens ...
and anchored in Bushwick Creek, opposite Kip's Bay. At the same time, ''Pearl'', the fourth-rate
In 1603 all English warships with a compliment of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers a six tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided i ...
, 50-gun and fifth-rate, 32-gun , were sent up the North River as a diversion. On the day of the landings, 15 September, the small squadron passed the enemy batteries without incident and anchored at Bloomingdale, upstream of New York.[ The following night the Americans sent ]fireship
A fire ship or fireship, used in the days of wooden rowed or sailing ships, was a ship filled with combustibles, or gunpowder deliberately set on fire and steered (or, when possible, allowed to drift) into an enemy fleet, in order to destroy sh ...
s but these caused no damage other than the inconvenience to the British of having to move their ships.[
Towards the end of the year, ''Pearl'' joined a small squadron under Captain ]Andrew Snape Hamond
Captain Sir Andrew Snape Hamond, 1st Baronet (17 December 1738 – 12 September 1828) was a British naval officer and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1781 to 1782 and Comptroller of the Navy from 1794 to 1828.
Career
Born in Blackheat ...
on a cruise along the coast to South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
and, on 20 December, captured the , a 16-gun sloop of war
In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' enc ...
of the Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War and was founded October 13, 1775. The fleet cumulatively became relatively substantial through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron John Adams ...
.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.VIII) p. 72] A strong gale prevented the removal of prisoners and the allocation of an adequate prize crew, and with only eight British sailors on board, she was retaken that night.[ Sometime later, ''Pearl'' detained a French vessel, carrying arms and ammunition. Wilkinson saw this as proof that the French were aiding the Americans but as there had been no formal declaration of war at that point, he was obliged to let her go.][
From South Carolina ''Pearl'' sailed to ]Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
where she arrived on 27 January 1777 to await careening
Careening (also known as "heaving down") is a method of gaining access to the hull of a sailing vessel without the use of a dry dock. It is used for cleaning or repairing the hull. Before ship's hulls were protected from marine growth by fasteni ...
and refitting.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.VIII) p. 295][Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.VIII) p. 80] While this was being carried out, on 13 February, Wilkinson died from disease and was replaced by George Elphinstone
George Elphinstone of Blythswood (died 1634) was a Scottish landowner, courtier, and Provost of Glasgow.
Life
George Elphinstone was the son of George Elphinstone of Blythswood (died 2 April 1585), a leading Glasgow merchant and shipowner, and ...
.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.VIII) p. 77][Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.VIII) p. 150] Work was completed in mid-March, after long delays caused by a shortage of skilled labour, and she returned to the American coast, leaving English Harbour
English Harbour is a natural harbour and settlement on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean, in the extreme south of the island. The settlement takes its name from the nearby harbour in which the Royal Navy established its base of operations ...
on 18 March, in the company of ''Roebuck'' and the two 20-gun post ship
Post ship was a designation used in the Royal Navy during the second half of the 18th century and the Napoleonic Wars to describe a ship of the sixth rate (see rating system of the Royal Navy) that was smaller than a frigate (in practice, carry ...
s and .[
]
Despite the time spent in port, ''Pearl'' managed more than a dozen captures between January and May 1777, including ''Batchelor'' on 21 March (suspected of piracy because of its armament) and a whaleboat from Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is the police and judicial centre for all of Sussex and is home to Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Lewes Crown Court and HMP Lewes. The civil parish is the centre of ...
, Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
, on 29 May that was thought to be spying.[ Another change in command occurred in 1777 when John Linzee was appointed as captain][ and on 6 July, boats from ''Pearl'' and ''Camilla'' captured and burnt the schooner, USS ''Mosquito'' in a ]cutting out
Naval boarding action is an offensive tactic used in naval warfare to come up against (or alongside) an enemy marine vessel and attack by inserting combatants aboard that vessel. The goal of boarding is to invade and overrun the enemy perso ...
expedition.[ The American vessel of six cannon and four ]swivel gun
The term swivel gun (or simply swivel) usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun wi ...
s was moored in a tributary of the Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
when, at 03:00, the British sailors boarded without opposition. The only two people guarding her, the master and the gunner, were taken off and she was set alight.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.IX) pp. 232–233]
''Pearl'' was anchored off Bombay Hook
The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located along the eastern coast of Kent County, Delaware, United States, on Delaware Bay. It was established on March 16, 1937, as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory an ...
, Delaware, on 21 July. At 15:00, a fleet of twelve Continental Navy vessels, under the command of Charles Alexander in the frigate USS ''Delaware'', came in sight. A signal gun was fired to warn her tender, which was ashore collecting supplies, then the ship weighed anchor
Weigh anchor is a nautical term indicating the final preparation of a sea vessel for getting underway.
''Weighing anchor'' literally means raising the anchor of the vessel from the sea floor and hoisting it up to be stowed on board the vessel. At ...
and sailed off but ran aground
Ship grounding or ship stranding is the impact of a ship on seabed or
waterway side. It may be intentional, as in beaching to land crew or cargo, and careening, for maintenance or repair, or unintentional, as in a marine accident. In accidenta ...
on Cross Ledge. The tender was captured along with a fortnight's worth of provisions but ''Pearl'' managed to get free and escape downriver.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.IX) p. 778] At 11:00 the following morning she spotted ''Camilla'' some away. ''Pearl'' requested she join her and the two ships anchored to await the enemy fleet.[Naval Documents of the American Revolution (Vol.IX) p. 809] On the morning of 23 July, an American vessel came under a flag of truce but by this time the sixth-rate, , had sailed into view. At 06:00 the next day, the American fleet arrived and made a second attempt to discuss terms but were dismissed. The three British frigates cleared for action, the Americans scattered and were pursued up the river but not caught; the British losing sight of their quarry and giving up the chase the next day.
Assault on Philadelphia
When American land forces were defeated at the Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Ame ...
near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Chadds Ford is a census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania, Chester counties, Pennsylvania, United States, comprising the unincorporated area, unincorporated communities of Chadds F ...
, and retreated to Philadelphia that September, ''Pearl'' was part of a squadron tasked with opening up the Delaware River, which had been heavily protected with redoubt
A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...
s and sunken obstructions to prevent its navigation. Led by Vice-Admiral Richard Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a British naval officer. After serving throughout the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations aga ...
in ''Roebuck'', the small force worked its way upstream to Billingsport, New Jersey
Billingsport is an unincorporated community within Paulsboro, in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The community is located on the Delaware River. The area dates back to 1677, when it was originally known as Byllings Port, n ...
, where a large earthworks and gun battery protected a channel, blocked with a submerged cheval de frise
The ''cheval de frise'' (plural: ''chevaux de frise'' , " Frisian horses") is a defensive obstacle, which existed in a number of forms and were employed in various applications. These included underwater constructions used to prevent the pas ...
large wooden frames, filled with stones and fronting iron-tipped spears.[Lossing pp. 291–292][Lossing p. 298] Stationed along the river were floating batteries and gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
s, and further upstream, another set of obstacles had been sunk between Fort Mifflin
Fort Mifflin, originally called Fort Island Battery and also known as Mud Island Fort, was commissioned in 1771 and sits on Mud Island (or Deep Water Island) on the Delaware River below Philadelphia, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia International A ...
and Fort Mercer
Fort Mercer was a earthen fort on the Delaware River on its New Jersey shore constructed by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Built by Polish engineer Thaddeus Kosciuszko under the command of George Washington, Fort Me ...
.[Lossing p. 292] On 22 September, ''Pearl'', ''Roebuck'', ''Liverpool'' and the third-rate
In the rating system of the Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks (thus the related term two-decker). Years of experience proved that the third r ...
, 64-gun , forced a passage in order to support an attack on Red Bank by British troops.[Beatson p. 269] Joined later by the fourth-rate, 50-gun and the 16-gun sloop , the British vessels were subjected to heavy fire when they engaged the American flotilla and batteries. ''Augusta'' ran aground and caught fire, and ''Merlin'' blew up; ''Pearl'' and the remaining force broke off the attack and returned to Billingsport.
British troops entered Philadelphia on 26 September but a supply route was needed and control of the river was therefore crucial. In November, Province Island was captured and Howe began erecting batteries. A hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
was converted to a floating gun platform and with the assistance of ''Pearl'', ''Roebuck'' and ''Liverpool'', a six-day bombardment of Fort Mifflin forced the Americans out. Two days later Fort Mercer fell and the British vessels pushed upriver in pursuit of the American fleet which was later scuttled at Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
, .
At the end of the year, Howe's fleet removed to Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
where ''Pearl'' and her compatriots patrolled the coast and preyed on enemy shipping.[ At dawn on 25 July 1778, a large vessel was seen off ]Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.
The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...
in Lower New York Bay
Lower New York Bay is a section of New York Bay south of the Narrows (the strait between Staten Island and Brooklyn). The eastern end of the Bay is marked by two spits of land, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Rockaway, Queens. The waterway b ...
and ''Pearl'', anchored nearby, was sent in pursuit. The stranger turned out to be the ''Industry'', an American frigate of 26 guns operating under a letter of marque. ''Pearl'' came up with her at 09:00 and the privateer fought for an hour and a half before striking her colours.[Beatson p. 380]
''Pearl'' was present when the French fleet from Toulon
Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...
arrived at the end of July, and was at the ensuing engagement in August.[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 406] The French force, under Comte d'Estaing
Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing (24 November 1729 – 28 April 1794) was a French general and admiral. He began his service as a soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, briefly spending time as a prisoner of war of the B ...
, entered the bay on 29 July and attacked British positions on Conanicut
Conanicut Island is the second-largest island in Narragansett Bay in the American state of Rhode Island. It is connected on the east to Newport on Aquidneck Island via the Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, and on th ...
and Goat Island the following day. On 8 August, 4,000 French soldiers and sailors were landed to reinforce the 10,000 American troops who had just crossed from the mainland to lay siege to the British garrison on Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
.[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 403]
Howe positioned his fleet off Point Judith
Point Judith is a village and a small Cape (geography), cape, on the coast of Narragansett, Rhode Island, on the western side of Narragansett Bay where it opens out onto Rhode Island Sound.
It is the location for the year-round ferry service that ...
on 9 August. D'Estaing had superior numbers and guns, so sailed out the next morning, fearing that the British might soon be reinforced.[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 405] A violent gale scattered the fleets and ended several days of manoeuvring, during which both commanders sought the weather gage
The weather gage (sometimes spelled weather gauge) is the advantageous position of a fighting sailing vessel relative to another. It is also known as "nautical gauge" as it is related to the sea shore. The concept is from the Age of Sail and is now ...
. When the British were eventually reunited, it was evident that repairs were required and they sailed for New York City on 15 August. D'Estaing's ships had fared even worse and were forced to retire to Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. Howe left for England in September 1778, and ''Pearl'' joined a squadron under Rear-Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...
John Byron
Vice-Admiral John Byron (8 November 1723 – 1 April 1786) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer. He earned the nickname "Foul-Weather Jack" in the press because of his frequent encounters with bad weather at sea. As a midshipman, he sa ...
, watching the French fleet in Boston harbour.[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 428]
Operations in the West Indies
D'Estaing's fleet of 15 ships-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 col ...
left Boston on 3 November 1778, two days after Byron's squadron had been blown off station and driven into Newport, Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
by more bad weather.[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 428][ ''Pearl'' was despatched to carry news of the escape to the Commander-in-Chief of the ]Leeward Islands Station
The Leeward Islands Station originally known as the Commander-in-Chief at Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands was a formation or command of the Kingdom of Great Britain and then the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed at English Harbour, Antigua, L ...
, Rear-Admiral Samuel Barrington
Admiral Samuel Barrington (1729 – 16 August 1800) was a Royal Navy officer. Barrington was the fourth son of John Barrington, 1st Viscount Barrington of Beckett Hall at Shrivenham in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). He enlisted in the navy at th ...
; Byron was to follow two to three days later if he was unable to locate the French. Not knowing Barrington's precise whereabouts, ''Pearl'' at first sailed to Antigua, arriving on 4 December, before immediately heading for Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
.[ En route, she stopped a Dutch vessel which had encountered a French warship out of Boston on the previous night. From the information received, Linzee deduced that d'Estaing's fleet was somewhere near Barbados and arrived there himself on 13 December.][
]
With the arrival of winter and the associated impracticalities of keeping a fleet at sea during bad weather, the British switched their attention to the Leeward Islands
french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean
, coor ...
, where the French had already been active; capturing the Island of Dominica in September.
On 10 December, Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore, a ...
William Hotham with a convoy of 5,000 troops and a small escort, arrived at Barbados, giving the British numerical superiority in the area.[ Joining with Barrington's ships, the escort squadron comprised two 64-gun and three 50-gun ships-of-the-line, a ]bomb vessel
A bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannons ( long guns or carronades) – although bomb vessels carried a few cannons for self-defence – but mortars mounte ...
, and two frigates, ''Pearl'' and the 36-gun . On 13 December, the convoy landed troops on the French colony of St Lucia
Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindia ...
. The troops quickly captured the batteries on the west side of the island,[Clowes (Vol.III) p. 429] and with the support of these batteries, Barrington's much smaller fleet was twice able to repulse d'Estaing's when it arrived the following day. Although the French were able to land 7,000 troops of their own, British command of the high ground meant they were beaten off. The French troops were re-embarked, and when d'Estaing's fleet left on 29 December, the island surrendered.
News of the capture of St Lucia was carried back to England in ''Pearl''. Captain Alexander Graeme
Admiral Alexander Graeme (9 December 1741 – 5 August 1818) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
Naval career
Born at ''Graemeshall'' in Orkney, Graeme became commanding officer of the sloop HMS ''Kingfisher'' in F ...
took command of the ship on 9 January 1779 and she left Antigua on 16 February in the company of the 74-gun third-rate, with despatches from both Byron and Barrington, and arrived at Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds except those from the southeast. It receives its name from the Spit, a sandbank stretching south from the Hampshire ...
on 22 March.[Harrison p.220] She was then paid off, sheathed in copper, and refitted at Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
.[ Graeme left ''Pearl'' on 13 April.] She served for a short while in the Channel before returning to the North American Station under Captain George Montagu.[
On her return to the American continent in September, ''Pearl'' spent two days resupplying at ]Fayal
Faial Island (), also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group (Portuguese: ''Grupo Central'') of the Azores. The Capelinhos Volcano, the westernmost point of the island, may be considered the westernmost point of E ...
in the Azores, leaving on 13 September. At 06:00 the following morning, a Spanish frigate was spotted to the north-west and was brought to action after a three-and-half-hour chase. The 28-gun ''Santa Monica'' surrendered after a two-hour engagement, having 38 men killed and 45 wounded. ''Pearl'' had 12 killed and 19 wounded.[ The ''Santa Monica'' was the larger vessel at 956 tons burthen, but not as well armed; she was re-rated as a 36-gun when taken into British service.][Clowes (Vol.IV) p. 33]
On 8 January 1780, ''Pearl'' took part in an attack on a Spanish convoy from Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
[ comprising 22 ships, including seven men of war; the entire convoy was taken. A portion of the captured ships were carrying naval supplies and these were despatched to England with ''Pearl'' and 64-gun third-rate, as escorts, while the remaining prizes were sent to ]Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
. The ship later returned to North America, spending some time at Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
before leaving, with the 74-gun third-rate, HMS ''Robust'', to join Vice-Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot
Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot (1711 – 31 January 1794) was a British admiral, who commanded the Royal Navy's North American station during the American War for Independence.
Early life
A native of Weymouth, Dorset in England, Arbuthnot was the so ...
's squadron off Sandy Hook on 3 July 1780, where preparations were being made to repel an expected attack by the French fleet.
Arbuthnot set sail on 13 July, after being reinforced with six ships-of-the-line under Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves. Hearing that the French fleet had put into Narragansett Bay on 17 July, Arbuthnot's squadron arrived on 22 July to find the French encamped on Rose Island and their ships strung out between there and Conanicut Island. Arbuthnot sent orders for transports from New York, in case the British Army thought an attack on the island necessary, then anchored his squadron off Block Island
Block Island is an island in the U.S. state of Rhode Island located in Block Island Sound approximately south of the mainland and east of Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, named after Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. It is part of Washingt ...
.[ After re-provisioning on 6 August, the British squadron stationed itself off Newport, then retired to ]Gardiner's Island
Gardiner's Island is a small island in the Town of East Hampton, New York, in Eastern Suffolk County. It is located in Gardiner's Bay between the two peninsulas at the east end of Long Island. It is long, wide and has of coastline.
The isl ...
on 9 August, leaving on 17 August for an eight-day cruise between the Nantucket Shoals
Nantucket Shoals is an area of dangerously shallow water in the Atlantic Ocean that extends from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, eastward for and southeastward for ; in places water depth can be as shallow as . Depth soundings are unpredictable d ...
and the east end of Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, returning to lie off Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
.[
]
''Pearl'' fell in with the 28-gun French frigate, ''Esperance'' off Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
on 30 September 1780. After a two-hour fight, ''Esperance'' broke off but was pursued and the two ships engaged in a running battle for a further two and a half hours, after which the French ship was forced to capitulate. She had 20 men killed and 24 wounded; ''Pearl'' had 6 men killed and 10 wounded.
Battle of Virginia Capes
In January 1781, Arbuthnot had a French squadron blockaded in Newport. On 23 January, his ships were caught in a squall off the east end of Long Island which resulted in the loss of one 74-gun
The "seventy-four" was a type of two- decked sailing ship of the line, which nominally carried 74 guns. It was developed by the French navy in the 1740s, replacing earlier classes of 60- and 62-gun ships, as a larger complement to the recently-de ...
third-rate ship, , and the dismasting
Dismasting, also spelled demasting, occurs to a sailing ship when one or more of the masts responsible for hoisting the sails that propel the vessel breaks. Dismasting usually occurs as the result of high winds during a storm acting upon masts, ...
of another, . ''America'' was blown out to sea but turned up two weeks later undamaged.[ ''Pearl'' escaped relatively unharmed. The French, however, now had a numerical advantage; they broke out on 8 February and captured the British fifth-rate, .] The British brought ''Bedford'' back into service by salvaging the masts from the wreck of the ''Culloden'' and set sail to look for the French on 9 March. The two forces discovered each other at 06:00 on 16 March in a thick fog some off Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia located in the northeast corner of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to the long estuary of the Chesapeake Bay.
Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Cha ...
. The British caught up by 13:00 and found themselves to windward of the French after some manoeuvring, where the increasingly strong winds and high seas prevented them from opening their lower gunports. The French, downwind, leaned away from their opponents; they were not so disadvantaged and could bring more and larger guns to bear. The fleets engaged by 14:30 with the heaviest action upon the leading three ships of the British vanguard
The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.
History
The vanguard derives fr ...
. The three ships were so badly damaged that the British were unable to pursue when the French broke off and turned towards Newport, so they put into Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
. The British casualties were 30 killed, 73 wounded, while the French had 72 killed and 112 wounded.[Mahan p. 173] ''Pearl'' was too small to be in the line of battle
The line of battle is a tactic in naval warfare in which a fleet of ships forms a line end to end. The first example of its use as a tactic is disputed—it has been variously claimed for dates ranging from 1502 to 1652. Line-of-battle tacti ...
and had stood off with the other frigates, incurring no loss or damage. She had responsibility for relaying signals during the battle.
Arbuthnot's ships were seaworthy by 24 March and he set sail for Delaware, where he assumed that the French fleet had gone, but contrary winds forced him to return. Two days later, ''Pearl'' was sent out with the 28-gun sixth-rate, to search for the French but again was unable to locate them.[
''Pearl'' remained in American waters until July 1782. She continued to harass enemy shipping, taking the French ]privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...
''Singe'', a large polacca
A polacca (or ''polacre'') is a type of seventeenth- to nineteenth-century sailing vessel, similar to the xebec. The name is the feminine of "Polish" in the Italian language. The polacca was frequently seen in the Mediterranean. It had two or th ...
, on 10 July 1781 and the 8-gun American ''Senegal'' of 50 tons burthen, on 19 August,[ plus three merchant vessels before the year was out.] Two schooners and three brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
s were captured in 1782, before ''Pearl'' paid off and returned to England for substantial repairs. The cost of repairs amounted to £19,267.13.8d and took until June 1784, after which she was laid up at Deptford
Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home to Deptford Dock ...
.[
]
Prizes taken during the American Revolutionary War
Mediterranean service and the outbreak of war
Between July and December 1786, ''Pearl'' underwent a refit. She sailed to the Mediterranean on 22 March 1787, returning home in 1789 to be recommissioned under Captain George Courtnay. She rejoined the Mediterranean fleet in May 1790.[ Sometime in 1792, the ship was taken out of service but was recalled the following year when ]France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
declared war on Britain once more. She was fitted out at Plymouth between June and August at a cost of £7,615, before sailing to the Irish Station under Captain Michael de Courcy where she served until November 1795. Following a small repair at Plymouth, costing £9,686, Captain Samuel James Ballard took command in February 1796.[
]
Aided by the 36-gun fifth-rate, , ''Pearl'' captured the 24-gun privateer, ''Incroyable'', on 14 April 1797. Reputed to be a very fast sailing vessel, ''Incroyable'' left her home port of Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
on 2 April. She had yet to take a prize, when, on the morning of 11 April, she was seen and chased by ''Pearl''. The next day, the two ships were some off the west coast of Spain, when ''Flora'' appeared, forcing ''Incroyable'' to haul to windward. On 13 April, ''Incroyable'' became becalmed, allowing the British frigates to catch up, which they did at 23:45. After receiving a single broadside
Broadside or broadsides may refer to:
Naval
* Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare
Printing and literature
* Broadside (comic ...
, the French privateer surrendered.
In March 1798, ''Pearl'' sailed for the Leeward Islands via West Africa, where, on 24 April, she escaped from two French frigates.[ While passing through the ]Îles de Los
Îles de Los are an island group lying off Conakry in Guinea, on the west coast of Africa. Their name is derived from the Portuguese: ''Ilhas dos Ídolos'', "Islands of the Idols". They are located about off the headland limiting the southern ...
, an archipelago off the coast of Guinea, she discovered an enemy squadron comprising four large ships at anchor and a brig under sail. As she approached, one of the ships hoisted a French flag and opened fire. Forced to run between two frigates, ''Pearl'' engaged both as she passed then hove to, continuing to fire for a further hour before making off with one, or possibly both frigates in pursuit.[James (Vol.II) p. 219][Clowes (Vol.IV) p. 510] The chase continued through the night and all through the following day before ''Pearl'' managed to escape, arriving at Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
on 27 April, where she was inspected for damage. She had been holed in several places, although all were above the waterline; her Topgallant sail, fore-topgallant yard
The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...
and foreyard had been shot away and a number of lower shrouds
Shroud usually refers to an item, such as a cloth, that covers or protects some other object. The term is most often used in reference to '' burial sheets'', mound shroud, grave clothes, winding-cloths or winding-sheets, such as the famous S ...
and other rigging had been cut through. In addition, two of her carronade
A carronade is a short, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon which was used by the Royal Navy. It was first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, and was used from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century. Its main func ...
s had been dismounted, causing the death of one man.[ ''Pearl'' eventually arrived in the West Indies, capturing the 10-gun privateer, ''Scocvola'', in October and the 12-gun privateer, ''Independence'', in December, both off the coast of Antigua.][
On 22 October 1799, ''Pearl'' was sent to the Mediterranean where she spent much of the following 12 months attempting to disrupt enemy trade by attacking the numerous merchant vessels along the European coast. Spain had re-entered the war as an ally of France in 1796 and in January 1800, the British frigate took both a Spanish brig, and a French brig with accompanying ]settee
A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, or chesterfield, is a cushioned item of furniture for seating multiple people (although it is not uncommon for a single person to use a couch alone). It is commonly found in the form of a bench with uph ...
.[ Then on 9 February, near ]Narbonne
Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in France, commune in Southern France in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region. It lies from Paris in the Aude Departments of Franc ...
, she drove ashore and destroyed a large Genoese polacca of 14 guns. The crew escaped as did the small convoy of settees that were being escorted. While off Marseilles
Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
, ''Pearl'' captured a Genoese brig and settee on 28 April, two more Genoese settees on 2 and 3 May and, with the fourth-rate , a Ragusan Ragusan may refer to:
* citizen of the Republic of Ragusa
hr, Sloboda se ne prodaje za sve zlato svijeta it, La libertà non si vende nemmeno per tutto l'oro del mondo"Liberty is not sold for all the gold in the world"
, population_estimate ...
brig on 20 May.
Cruising off Alicante
Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in t ...
in June and July, ''Pearl'' captured three more Ragusan ships, a French settee, two Spanish settees and a xebec
A xebec ( or ), also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. Xebecs had a long overhanging bowsprit and aft-set mizzen mast. The term can also refer to a small, fast vessel of the sixteenth to nineteenth ...
. Then, on 20 July, the crew of ''Pearl'' took part in a cutting out expedition which resulted in the capture of two xebecs and six settees. Shortly after the action a storm blew up and three of the prizes had to be scuttled though their cargo was removed first. She captured four more settees on 31 August, destroyed a further two on 11 October and on the same day, she took a French ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch fr ...
on its way to Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
. Two Genoese ships were taken on 14 October and three French settees the following day while a fourth was burnt.
''Pearl'' received a share of the prize money for a transport, wrecked off Minorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capita ...
and salvaged on 20 October with the aid of the 18-gun sloop , the 8-gun bomb vessel , and the 6-gun tender . On 31 October, with ''Lutine'', ''Strombolo'', the 20-gun corvette and the 12-gun polacca, ''Transfer'', she took another transport from Port Mahon
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
.
Alexandria
In January 1801, a large force of 16,000 troops and more than 100 vessels was assembled in Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
in preparation for an invasion of French-occupied Ottoman Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
. The escorting fleet, to which ''Pearl'' was attached, was commanded by her former captain, Elphinstone, by this time a vice-admiral. The expedition arrived in Aboukir Bay
The Abū Qīr Bay (sometimes transliterated Abukir Bay or Aboukir Bay) (; Arabic transliteration, transliterated: Khalīj Abū Qīr) is a spacious bay on the Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria in Egypt, lying between the Rosetta mouth of the Nile a ...
on 1 February 1801.[Long p. 112] The subsequent Battle of Alexandria was brought to a successful conclusion when the French surrendered on 2 September, following a protracted siege. In 1850, a general service medal with the clasp "Egypt" was retrospectively awarded to the surviving members of ''Pearl's'' crew, for their part in the campaign.[
While cruising with the 32-gun fifth-rate on 28 February, ''Pearl'' took a Genoese merchant ship on its way home, laden with goods from Marseilles. The two British frigates later managed to save some cargo from a sinking Genoese ]tartan
Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
and a French tartan that had been scuttled. Both ships were out of Marseilles. On 20 March, a French ship bound for Alexandria was intercepted and captured by ''Pearl'', ''Santa Teresa'' and the 40-gun heavy frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
, HMS ''Minerve''.[
With the 16-gun sloop and 14-gun brig HMS ''Victorieuese'', ''Pearl'' seized a Genoese ship carrying arms to Alexandria on 29 April. The three British ships took a French ]aviso
An ''aviso'' was originally a kind of dispatch boat or "advice boat", carrying orders before the development of effective remote communication.
The term, derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word for "advice", "notice" or "warning", an '' ...
, also going to Alexandria, on the same day.[ On 1 July, ''Pearl'' took a small privateer.][
]
Siege of Porto Ferrajo
''Pearl'' was in Commodore John Borlase Warren
Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet (2 September 1753 – 27 February 1822) was a British Royal Navy officer, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1807.
Naval career
Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamsh ...
's squadron when, on 1 August, it was called to the island of Elba
Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano National ...
to relieve the British garrison at Porto Ferrajo
Portoferraio () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Livorno, on the edge of the eponymous harbour of the island of Elba. It is the island's largest city. Because of its terrain, many of its buildings are situated on the slopes of a tiny h ...
, which had been under siege since the beginning of May.[James (Vol.III) p. 95] The arrival of the British ships caused the two French frigates guarding the port to retreat to Leghorn in the Kingdom of Etruria
The Kingdom of Etruria (; it, Regno di Etruria) was an Italian kingdom between 1801 and 1807 that made up a large part of modern Tuscany. It took its name from Etruria, the old Roman name for the land of the Etruscans.
History
The kingdom w ...
, a French client state. Warren then initiated a blockade of the island.[James (Vol.III) p. 96] The two escaped frigates were later brought to action on 2 September when the fifth rates, HMS ''Pomone'', and ''Minerve'' recaptured ''Succès'' and destroyed ''Bravoure'' after she had run aground.
The next day at 14:30, ''Phoenix'', ''Pomone'' and ''Pearl'' were cruising off the west side of Elba, when they spotted the 40-gun ''Carrère'', on her passage from Porto-Ercole to Porto-Longone with a convoy of small vessels. ''Pearl'' sailed to cut off the frigate's destination but only ''Pomone'' got close enough to engage. ''Carrère'' surrendered to her after a 10-minute action but the convoy managed to escape.
His majesty's ships ''Pearl'', ''Pomone'', the ships-of-the-line , , , ''Alexander'', ''Généreux'' and , and the brig , supplied nearly 700 seamen and marines for an attack on the French batteries investing the town. The action took place on 14 September but was only partially successful, and eight days later the British ships left Elba, though Porto Ferrajo remained in British hands until the end of the war.[James (Vol.III) p. 98]
Prizes taken during the French Revolutionary War
Fate
After the Treaty of Amiens
The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition
The War of the Second Coalition (1798/9 – 1801/2, depending on perio ...
had brought the French Revolutionary War
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
to an end, ''Pearl'' remained in the Mediterranean under Ballard until May 1802. She then returned to England and was laid up in ordinary
''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household, it indicates that a position is a permanent one. In naval matters, vessels "in ordinary" (from the 17th century) are those out of service for repair o ...
at Portsmouth. In April 1804, she was fitted out as a slop ship, a vessel for the storage and distribution of sailor's clothing.[James (1810) p.812] She was laid up again in 1812, then fitted as a receiving ship
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...
in April 1814. In March 1825, ''Pearl'' was renamed ''Protheé''[ and put up for sale on 13 April 1831 but was not purchased.] The Admiralty eventually disposed of her on 4 January 1832, when she sold for £1,230.0.00d.
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearl, HMS
Frigates of the Royal Navy
1762 ships
Fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy
Ships built in Kent