HMS ''Wagtail'' was a

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 ...

''Cuckoo''-class

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...

launched in 1806 by James Lovewell at Great Yarmouth. Like many of her class and the related s, she succumbed to the perils of the sea relatively early in her career. She was commissioned in 1806 under Lieutenant William Cullis. She was wrecked on 13 February 1807 at Vila Franca do Campo, São Miguel in 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 ...

, three hours after her sister ship was wrecked, and near ''Woodcock's'' water-logged remains. Both vessels had been anchored in the shelter of an islet off the town when a gale came up. Because of the storm they were unable to clear the land. ''Wagtails'' cables held until 8 pm. Then her cables parted, and with waves breaking over her, Cullis ran her ashore. One man of the 18 men in her crew drowned.

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wagtail (1806) 1806 ships Ships built in Norfolk Cuckoo-class schooners Maritime incidents in 1807 Shipwrecks of the Azores