HMS Seagull (1795)

HMS ''Seagull'' (or ''Sea-Gull''), was a Royal Navy ''Diligence''-class brig-sloop, launched in 1795. During the French Revolutionary Wars she shared in the capture of a number of small French and Dutch privateers. Then early in the Napoleonic Wars she participated in a notable single-ship action before she disappeared without a trace in 1805.

French Revolutionary Wars

Commander Henry Wray commissioned her in June 1795.

May 1797 saw ''Seagull'' participating in the capture of the French privateer ''Adolphe'', together with and the ''King George''. ''King George'' had led the chase with ''Nautilus'' and ''Seagull'' joining in for another four hours before ''Nautilus'' succeeded in capturing ''Adolpe''. ''Adolphe'' was pierced for 12 guns but had thrown some overboard during the chase. When the British captured her, ''Adolphe'' had five guns, eight swivels, and a crew of 35. She was new, nine days out of Boulogne on her first cruise and had not taken any prizes.

On 12 June ''Nautilus'' and the hired armed cutter ''Fox'' captured two privateers off Flakkery, Norway. The Dutch privateer lugger ''Brutal'', of six guns and 32 men, and the French privateer cutter ''Syren'' (or ''Serene''), of six guns and 27 men, were cruising, awaiting the homeward bound Baltic convoy. ''Nautilus'' and ''Fox'' captured the privateers after a chase of ten hours. ''Seagull'' and ''King George'' shared in the prize money.

On 2 July ''Seagull'', ''Nautilus'', ''King George'', and ''Fox'' captured the Dutch privateer ''Klyne Sperwer''. ''Klyne Sperwer'' was armed with six 3-pounder guns, swivel guns, muskets, and the like. She had a crew of 28 men, 20 of whom escaped in boats. She had been out a month from Amsterdam but had taken nothing.

Three weeks later, on 23 July, after a three-hour chase, ''King George'' and ''Seagull'' captured the French privateer ''Captain Thurot'' near Christiansand. ''Captaine Thurot'' was a small French privateer cutter armed with two brass 6-pounders and four swivels, and had a crew of 22. She had already captured the ship ''Tom'', of Liverpool, from Riga, with timber, and the brig ''Bachelor'', of Saltcoats in Scotland. ''Nautilus'' shared the prize money with ''Seagull'' by a private agreement.

On 16 March 1798, the hired armed cutter ''Telemachus'' sighted the French privateer ''Sophie'' three miles from the Berry Head. ''Telemachus'' gave chase and after six hours caught up with her some two or three leagues north of the Casquets Light. ''Sophie'' was armed with four guns and had a crew of 20 men. She was two days out of Saint Malo but had taken nothing; however, when the chase started, ''Sophie'' was close to three British merchant brigs. ''Seagull'' joined the chase and was in sight when ''Telemachus'' made the capture.

''Seagull'', , and shared in the recapture on 14 August of the ''Venus''.

On 18 March 1799 the hired armed brig ''Telegraph'' captured the French privateer ''Hirondelle'' (''Swallow'') in a notable action. ''Seagull'' shared in the prize money, suggesting that she was in sight. That same day ''Seagull'' and recaptured the sloop ''Industry''. ''Hirondelle'' had captured two vessels, one of which was an unnamed cutter that had been sailing from Jersey to Bristol; ''Seagull'' recaptured the cutter. It is possible that the cutter was ''Industry''.

In 1800 Commander Thomas Lavie replaced Wray. Commander John Wainright replaced Lavie in January 1801, only to be himself replaced in February by Commander Alexander Burrowes. Commander Henry Burke took command in June 1802.

Napoleonic Wars

On 30 May 1803 ''Seagull'' captured the French brig ''Favorie''. ''Favorie'' was sailing from Tobago to Dunkirk; ''Seagull'' sent her into Plymouth.''Lloyd's List'' 3 June 1803, №4355.
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The East Indiaman ''Lord Nelson'' was on her return voyage when on 14 August she encountered the three-masted French privateer ''Bellone'' off Cape Clear, Ireland. ''Bellone'' captured ''Lord Nelson'' and put a prize crew of 41 men on board under the command of Lieutenant Fougie. On 20 August ''Bellone'' and ''Lord Nelson'' separated. ''Seagull'' had escorted a convoy from Plymouth to Cork and on her way back at around 1pm on 26 August, Burke sighted a large vessel and immediately set out in pursuit. After a chase of five hours Burke was able to bring his quarry to action in an engagement that lasted throughout the night. At daylight, ''Lord Nelson'' having expended all her cartridges, Fougie later informed Burke that on ''Seagull''s next approach ''Lord Nelson'' would have struck her colours. However, Burke had to pull back to repair extensive damage to ''Seagull''s mast and rigging, and two shot holes between wind and water, i.e., just below her water line.
While ''Seagull'' was undertaking her repairs Fougie’s crew were able to prepare new cartridges and might have resumed the engagement when ''Seagull'' approached again.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 10, p.260. However, in the interim a squadron under Sir Edward Pellew in came into sight, with leading. ''Seagull'' signaled to the approaching vessels and as they came up, Fougie struck to ''Colossus''.
In the fight ''Seagull'' had had two men killed and eight men wounded, one of whom apparently died later. French casualties were unreported. Pellew then gave ''Seagull'' the honour of escorting ''Lord Nelson'' back to Plymouth, where they arrived on 14 September and where ''Seagull'' could undergo much necessary repairs and refitting.

Loss

In February 1805 ''Seagull'' disappeared in the English Channel. She was presumed to have foundered with the loss of her entire crew.

Citations

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Seagull (1795)
Sloops of the Royal Navy
1795 ships
Maritime incidents in 1805
Shipwrecks in the English Channel
Missing ships
Warships lost with all hands