Horatio (1800 Ship)

''Horatio'' was launched in 1800 at Liverpool. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During two of these voyages she was captured and recaptured. Shortly before the British slave trade ended she left the slave trade and sailed between Britain and South America and as a West Indiaman. She was wrecked in 1817.

Career

''Horatio'' first appeared in ''Lloyd's Register'' (''LR'') in 1800 with Bond, master, J.Bolton, owner, and trade London–Demerara.''LR'' (21800), "H" supple. pages.
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1st enslaving voyage (1801–1802)

Captain John Watson acquired a letter of marque on 11 September 1801. He sailed from Liverpool on 17 September, bound for the Gold Coast. ''Horatio'' purchased captives there and arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, on 19 May 1802, where she landed 272 captives. She sailed from Kingston on 28 June, and arrived back at Liverpool on 19 August. She had left Liverpool with 43 crew members and she suffered two crew deaths on the voyage.

2nd enslaving voyage (1802–1803)

Captain Daniel Cox sailed from Liverpool on 13 October 1802 and started purchasing captives at Cape Coast Castle on 20 February 1803. ''Horatio'' arrived at St Vincent on 21 June 1803, where she landed 270 captives. She arrived back at Liverpool on 26 September. She had left with 25 crew members and had suffered one crew death on the voyage.

Captain Henry Bond acquired a letter of marque on 23 November 1803. She then traded between Liverpool and Barbados.

3rd enslaving voyage (1804–1805)

Captain John Lawson sailed from Liverpool on 17 July 1804, apparently without having acquired a letter of marque. ''Horatio'' gathered captives at Lagos/Onim and then sailed for the West Indies. Lawson died on 19 November 1804.

In December 1804 HMS ''Amsterdam'' recaptured ''Horatio'', of Liverpool, Lawson, master, after a French privateer had captured her. ''Horatio'' was taken into Demerara, where she landed 114 captives. The report in the ''London Gazette'' gave ''Horatio''s name as ''Lord Nelson''. A report in ''Lloyd's List'' (''LL'') gave the vessel's name as ''Horatio'', and also mentioned that the privateer had removed 160 of her people. A later report revealed that the privateer had taken out 160 of her captives, along with her crew, excepting the carpenter, boatswain, and one or two seamen.Naval Database: ''Amsterdam'' (1804).
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''Horatio'' arrived at Demerara on 9 January 1805, and landed 114 captives there. Captain Edward Crosby sailed ''Horatio'' from Demerara on 1 April and arrived back at Liverpool on 8 June. ''Horatio'' had left with 49 crew members and she suffered three crew deaths on the voyage.

4th enslaving voyage (1805–1806)

Captain John Fotheringham acquired a letter of marque on 6 July 1805. He sailed from Liverpool on 23 July 1805, bound for Africa.Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – ''Horatio'' voyage #81881.
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On 30 October recaptured "''Horatio Nelson''" and the French privateer ''Prudent'', which had captured "''Horatio Nelson''". The action took place off Cape Mount (Liberia). In his letter, Captain Ross Donnelly of ''Narcissus'' described how he had come to capture the two vessels with the assistance of the enslaving ship ''Columbus''. Donnelly had ''Columbus'' take "''Horatio Nelson''" to Cape Massarida where her late captain and part of her crew were. The privateer ''Prudent'' was armed with four 12 and eight 6-pounder guns, and had a crew of 70 men. A report in ''Lloyd's List'' (''LL'') stated that ''Narcissus'' had come into Saint Helena after having captured the French privateer ''Prudent'' (or ''Prudente'') and recaptured the Guineaman (i.e., slave ship) ''Horatio'', of Liverpool. ''Narcissus'' reportedly had sent ''Horatio'' on her voyage.

A later notice describes the English ship ''Horatio'' as being of 300 tons and armed with 22 guns. She was carrying rum, tobacco, slaves, and ivory. She was returned to Cape Mansarada where the French had landed her master. The salvage money notice for the recapture of ''Horatio'' reported that the share for a seaman was £1 3 s 10 d.

''Horatio'' arrived at Trinidad on 28 February 1806 and there landed 274 captives. She left on 7 May and arrived at Liverpool on 7 July. At some point Thomas Nelson replaced Fotheringham as master. ''Horatio'' had left Liverpool with 43 crew members and suffered six crew deaths on the voyage.

Subsequent career

The Slave Trade Act 1807 ended the British slave trade, but even before its passage ''Horatio'' had ceased slave trading. Bolton, perhaps discouraged by having his vessel captured on each of her last two voyages, had sold her.

Captain Robert Burn acquired a letter of marque on 2 October 1806. At the time her owner was Backhouse, and her trade Liverpool–Buenos Aires.''LR'' (1807), Seq.№H838.
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Captain J. Cummins acquired a letter of marque on 8 August 1808. The ''Register of Shipping'' (''RS'') for 1809 still showed Burns as master, but now showed Harper & Co., as owner. Her trade was Liverpool–River Plate.

On 30 August 1809 Captain John Kneale acquired a letter of marque. However the 1810 volume of ''LR'' still showed ''Horatio''s master as Burns. Her owner was Harper, and her trade was Liverpool–River Plate. The 1810 volume of ''LR'' gave her trade as London–.

On 24 October 1814, ''Horatio'', Hannay, master, was driven ashore and damaged at Liverpool. She was on a voyage from Liverpool to Trinidad.

''LR'' for 1816 showed ''Horatio'' with A. Hanny, master, Case & Co., owners, and trade London–Trinidad.

Fate

''Horatio'', Hannay, master, was totally wrecked on 5 February 1817 in Dinas Dinlle, Caernarfonshire. Of the 26 people on board only two were saved. She had been sailing from Trinidad to Liverpool. It was not expected that any of the cargo would be saved.''Lloyd's List'' â„–5150.
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Notes

Citations

References

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{{1817 shipwrecks

1800 ships
Age of Sail merchant ships of England
Liverpool slave ships
Captured ships
Maritime incidents in 1814
Maritime incidents in 1817