Spanish Ship Fenix (1749)

''Fénix'' was an 80-gun ship of the line (''navio'') of the Spanish Navy, built by Pedro de Torres at Havana in accordance with the system laid down by Antonio Gaztaneta launched in 1749. In 1759, she was sent to bring the new king, Carlos III, from Naples to Barcelona. When Spain entered the American Revolutionary War in June 1779, ''Fénix'' set sail for the English Channel where she was to join a Franco-Spanish fleet of more than 60 ships of the line under Lieutenant General Luis de Córdova y Córdova. The Armada of 1779 was an invasion force of 40,000 troops with orders to capture the British naval base at Portsmouth.

As the flagship of Admiral Juan de Lángara, the ship fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 16January 1780, where she was captured by the British Royal Navy and commissioned as the third rate HMS ''Gibraltar'' in March of that year. She spent a short while in the English Channel before joining Samuel Hood's squadron in the West Indies and taking part in the Capture of St Eustatius in February 1781 and the Battle of Fort Royal the following month. ''Gibraltar'' and five other ships were sent to stop a French invasion fleet bound for Tobago in May 1781, but found the French too powerful and had to withdraw. In November, her 18-pound guns were replaced with 24-pounders, after which, in February 1782, she sailed to the East Indies and in the following year participated in the Battle of Cuddalore.

At the start of the French Revolutionary War, ''Gibraltar'' served in the Channel Fleet, fighting at the Glorious First of June in 1794 before being sent to the Mediterranean in May 1795. In June, the ship was in an action off Hyères; then, in December 1796, she was badly damaged in a storm and had to return to England for major repairs. By June ''Gibraltar'' was back in the Mediterranean, serving in the navy's Egyptian campaign, where she remained during and beyond the Peace of Amiens, except for a short period when she was sent home for a refit.

Returning to the Channel in April 1807, ''Gibraltar'' joined the fleet under Admiral James Gambier, which fought the Battle of the Basque Roads in 1809. This was her last major action; the ship was taken out of service in 1813 and converted to a powder hulk. She became a lazarette in 1824, then was broken up in November 1836 at Pembroke Dock.

Construction and armament

''Fénix'' was a Spanish, two deck, ship of the line built in Havana from mahogany.Winfield, (2007) p. 37 Launched in 1749, her dimensions were along the gun deck, at the keel, with a beam of and a depth in the hold of . This made her 2,184 tons burthen ( bm).

Classed as an 80-gun third rate, ''Fénix'' was armed with thirty on her lower gun deck, thirty-two on her upper gun deck, twelve on the quarterdeck, and six on the forecastle. Her sister ship, , was later converted to a 100-gun, three-decker. She was wrecked at Trafalgar in 1805.

''Fénix'' was captured by the British in 1780. She was copper sheathed and fitted out for British service at Plymouth Dockyard between April and August 1780 at a cost of £16,068.5.3d. The Admiralty changed her armament a number of times: in November 1781 the 18-pounders on her upper deck were upgraded to 24-pounders, and the same December two carronades were added. By 1810, the guns on her quarterdeck had been replaced with four guns and eight carronades, and on her forecastle with four 12-pounder guns and two 32-pounder carronades.Winfield, (2008) p. 29 Although large, two deck ships were favoured in other European navies, the British preferred to build three-deck third rates; the extra space making them better suited for flagships. After the capture of ''Fénix'', the Admiralty began to see the advantages of a longer two-deck ship which was less prone to hog, almost as well armed as its three-decked counterparts, and relatively quick.Winfield (2008) p. 28

Spanish service

''Fénix'' was part of a squadron of eleven ships-of-the-line, accompanied by two frigates and two tartanes, sent to collect the new king, Carlos III, from Naples in 1759. Under Captain Gutierra de Hevia y Valdés and as the flagship of Lieutenant General Juan Jose Navarro, she set sail from Cádiz on 29August. The squadron passed through the Straits of Gibraltar on 2September, before stopping at Cartagena on 10September to pick up supplies. On 28September it arrived at its destination, where it was reinforced with five other men-of-war. The King embarked on 7October, and the squadron arrived in Barcelona on 17October.

''Fénix'' was stationed in Cádiz in January 1762 and spent the next two years serving in the Mediterranean Sea, the Straits of Gibraltar, and the Atlantic Ocean. ''Fénix'' underwent several large repairs at the Arsenal de la Carraca between 1764 and 1765, where she remained stripped of her armament until 1769, under the command of Francisco Cotiella. In 1778 ''Fénix'' was recommissioned under Captain Félix Ignacio deTejada, who was superseded by Captain Francisco Javier deMelgarejo y Rojas when Spain entered the American Revolutionary War in June 1779. ''Fénix'' immediately set sail for the English Channel, part of the fleet under Lieutenant General Luis de Córdova y Córdova, which was supposed to meet a French fleet at the Sisgaras Islands, off the northern coast of Spain. This Franco-Spanish Armada of 1779 of more than 60 ships of the line was to escort an invasion force of 40,000 troops across the Channel in a bid to capture the British naval base at Portsmouth. Córdova's ships were delayed by contrary winds, which forced them to keep close to the coast of Portugal. In consequence they did not arrive at the rendezvous until 22July, by which time the French, short of supplies, had left.Duro, p. 236 Although the two fleets would eventually unite, ''Fénix'' left for the Azores on 23July with a squadron under Lieutenant General Antonio de Ulloa, to protect the Spanish anchorage and to face a British force of which the Spanish had received news.

The Moonlight Battle

By 1780 ''Fénix'' was 31 years old. She was neither a good sailer nor as well armed as her British counterparts, which carried . Nevertheless, as the largest ship in a squadron comprising eleven ships-of-the-line and two frigates, she was serving as the flagship of Admiral Don Juan Lángara, when on 16January 1780, she was seen by a British fleet commanded by Admiral George Brydges Rodney.

The faster British ships closed, and battle began around 16:00. , trailing in the Spanish fleet, received broadsides from the 74-gun ships , , and before exploding around 16:40.Mahan, p. 449 ''Marlborough'' and ''Ajax'' then passed the 70-gun to engage other Spanish ships. ''Princessa'' would eventually engage in an hour-long battle with before striking her colours around 17:30.Syrett, p. 240 The chase continued into the dark; at 19:30, the 74-gun came upon ''Fénix'' and engaged her in a battle that lasted over an hour. ''Fénix'' was then broadsided in passing by another seventy-four, , and the 90-gun , wounding Lángara in the process. ''Fénix'' finally surrendered to the 64-gun , which arrived late in the battle but shot away ''Fénix''s mainmast. At 21:15 ''Montagu'' engaged the 68-gun , which struck after her main topmast had been shot away.

Around 23:00, the 70-gun ''San Eugenio'' surrendered after having all of her masts shot away by the 74-gun while of 74 guns and ''Prince George'', engaged the 70-gun ''San Julián'' and compelled her to surrender around 01:00 the next day. The last ship to surrender was the 68-gun . After shooting away the topmast of the 74-gun , she engaged in a running battle with the frigate HMS ''Apollo'' and struck when Rodney's flagship, the 98-gun , came upon the scene around 02:00.Syrett, p. 241 ''San Eugenio'' and ''San Julián'' were blown ashore and lost, but the other four were taken into the Royal Navy. Four other Spanish vessels escaped from the action.

British service

''Fénix'' was commissioned under Captain John Carter Allen in February 1780 and renamed HMS ''Gibraltar'' on 23April. She joined George Darby's fleet in the English Channel until 29November, when she left for Samuel Hood's squadron in the West Indies under Captain Walter Stirling. In 1781, under Captain Charles Knatchbull, ''Gibraltar'' became the flagship of Rear-Admiral Francis Samuel Drake and was present at the Capture of St Eustatius in February. Following the outbreak of war between the Dutch Republic and Britain in December 1780, Rodney received orders from London to seize the island. A British expedition of 3,000 troops from St Lucia, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Vaughan, arrived off St Eustatius on 3February 1781. Rodney, in command of the naval forces, positioned his fleet so as to neutralise any shore batteries, but instead of disembarking the troops and launching an immediate assault, Rodney sent a message to Governor Johannes de Graaff suggesting that he surrender to avoid bloodshed. DeGraaff agreed to the proposal and capitulated. The only shots fired were from ''Gibraltar'' and , both of which, without orders, briefly engaged ''Mars'', the only Dutch warship in the roadstead.

Blockade of Martinique

''Gibraltar'' was part of a 17-ship squadron, keeping four French ships-of-the-line in Fort Royal, Martinique, when on 29April 1781 a 20-ship fleet and a merchant convoy under Contre-amiral François deGrasse arrived from Brest. Out of sight of the British, deGrasse put a man ashore to swap information with Fort Royal's garrison, and agree on a plan of attack with the blockaded ships.Clowes (Vol. III), p. 482

De Grasse ordered his fleet to prepare for action, and on the morning of April29 sailed for Fort Royal with the convoy ships hugging the coast and the armed ships in battle line. Hood's fleet was seen bearing toward them around 08:00 but deGrasse held the weather gauge. At about 09:20, Hood was joined by ''Prince William'', a 64-gun ship that had been at St. Lucia. The two fleets continued to push for advantageous positions. Hood's leeward position prevented deGrasse from bringing the convoy to the harbour, but the four previously blockaded French ships were able to sail out and strengthen deGrasse's position.Clowes (Vol. III), p. 484 ''Gibraltar'', as Drake's flagship, led the British rear division.

Around 11:00, the French van began firing at long range, with little effect. By 12:30 the two fleets were aligned, but deGrasse refused to close with Hood, despite Hood's efforts to bring the French to him. The fleets then exchanged cannonades and broadsides at a distance for the next hour. The damage incurred on either side was modest; the four British ships on the southern end of the line suffered the most damage from having been targeted and outnumbered by eight French ships. The 74-gun suffered in particular, and that night Hood sent her to StEustatius. Arriving on 4May, her commander was able to brief Rodney about the engagement and French numbers.Clowes (Vol. III), p. 486 British casualties amounted to 43 dead and 161 wounded, of which ''Gibraltar''s share was 6 and 16, respectively.

In an attempt to force an action, Hood spent most of the next day struggling to get his ships to windward, but finding two of his fleet too damaged to sail properly, he eventually broke off in a northerly direction. Rodney, who had left StEustatius earlier that day in ''Sandwich'' with the 74-gun and the hurriedly repaired ''Russell'', met with Hood on 11May between St Kitts and Antigua. The reunited fleet turned south, putting into Barbados on 18May.

Invasion of St Lucia and Tobago

Hood's withdrawal to Barbados had left St Lucia exposed, and on 10May, the whole French fleet, less two ships-of-the-line landed 1200 troops at Gros Islet, a village at the northern end of the island. On the same day, the remaining two ships from the French fleet and 1300 troops sailed for Tobago.Clowes, p. 487 The British were able to repel the attacks on St Lucia so deGrasse decided to reinforce his attack on Tobago, diverting his fleet there on 25May and sending 3000 more troops from Martinique.

While at Barbados, Rodney received news of Tobago, and on 29May dispatched Drake in ''Gibraltar'' with five other ships. Drake intercepted the French the following day, but being hopelessly out-numbered retired to Barbados. He arrived on 3June, and Rodney immediately put to sea with the entire fleet. The British reached Tobago the following day, only to learn it had surrendered two days previously.

''Gibraltar'' carried Rodney back to England in August 1781 and was refitted at Plymouth that October. On completion in January the following year, she was allocated to Captain Thomas Hicks as the flagship of Sir Richard Bickerton. In February, she sailed for the East Indies.

Cuddalore

Following the death of French ally Hyder Ali in December 1782, British commanders at Madras decided to attempt the recapture of Cuddalore. The army marched south from Madras, circling around the city and then encamping south of it. The British fleet, eighteen ships-of-the-line including ''Gibraltar'', under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, anchored to the south to protect the army and its supply ships.Mahan, p. 561 By early June 1783 the siege of Cuddalore was under way.Mahan, p. 562

French Admiral Pierre André de Suffren with a fleet of fifteen ships sailed from Trincomalee to support the besieged city on 10June. Arriving on 13June, the French found the British reluctant to fight, moving away and anchoring some five miles off. As the success of the siege would probably be decided by naval action, 1200 troops were embarked onto Suffren's ships to increase his gunnery complement. Having been frustrated by contrary winds, the French fleet was able to close with the British ships on 17June. Hughes, not wishing to be caught at anchor, weighed, and the two fleets began manoeuvring for advantage.

Both fleets were at first hampered by light and changeable winds. When a consistent west wind appeared on 20June, Hughes lined up for battle and awaited Suffren's action. Lining up in a similar formation, Suffren gave the order to attack, and battle began shortly after four in the afternoon. The action lasted around three hours and resulted in no major damage to ships in either fleet, despite all ships being engaged. The British had 99 men killed and 434 wounded; French casualties amounted to 102 killed and 386 wounded.

Spanish armament and the outbreak of war

''Gibraltar'' returned to England in July 1784, paid off, and in September was laid up in ordinary. Repairs costing £36,713.0.6d were carried out between February 1788 and August 1790. During the Great Spanish Armament, when Spain laid claim to the Nootka Sound, she was brought back into service under Captain Samuel Goodall in May 1790.

France declared war on Britain in February 1793, and ''Gibraltar'' was recommissioned under Captain Thomas Mackenzie in May 1793. In September she was refitted at a cost of £17,485 before joining the Channel Fleet under Richard Lord Howe. As part of this fleet, ''Gibraltar'', on 2May 1794, accompanied the East and West India and Newfoundland convoys along the Channel as far as Lizard Point. Howe then divided his force, sending eight ships-of-the-line and four or five frigates to escort the convoys further.James, (Vol. I), p. 125 The remaining 26 ships-of-the-line, including ''Gibraltar'', set off to search for a large Franco-American grain convoy known to be heading to France.

Having had two frigates confirm that the French fleet was still at Brest, and realising that it would leave to protect the imminent convoy, Howe attempted an interception in advance by placing his ships where he thought an encounter likely. After thirteen days of searching, the British fleet returned on 19May, to find the fleet in Brest gone.James (Vol. I), p. 126 On the same day, Howe's fleet fell in with the fifth-rate , which had been attached to Rear-Admiral Sir George Montagu's squadron. Also searching for the convoy, Montagu had been cruising between Cape Ortugal and Belle-Isle, but knowing he would be hopelessly outnumbered, he had sent ''Venus'' to locate Howe and ask for reinforcements.James (Vol. I), p. 128 At 04:00 the next morning, Howe ordered all sail in an attempt to reach Montagu before the French. A Dutch convoy, bound for Lisbon, had been captured by the French on 19 May and some of these ships were intercepted by the British on 21 May. The crews were able to provide information regarding the whereabouts of the French fleet and Howe set off in pursuit, realising that Montagu was no longer in danger. Not wishing to reduce his numbers by allocating prize crews, Howe ordered the convoy destroyed.James (Vol. I), p. 129

First of June

On 25 May a French ship was seen and followed, which after three days led the British to the main French fleet.James (Vol. I), p. 130 Howe gave the order to prepare for battle at 09:45 on 28May and at 10:35 to form into two columns. In an attempt to force an action, some of the fastest ships were sent to attack the French rear, which they did throughout the day, both causing and receiving some damage. The two fleets came together on 29May, and a limited engagement took place that petered out and became a general chase after an attempt to cut the French line was mistimed. Thick fog prevented any further action for the next two days.

The weather cleared on the morning of 1 June, and both fleets were drawn up line ahead, sailing in the same direction, ''Gibraltar'' in the centre, immediately before Hood's flagship, the first-rate and behind the 74-gun . At around 08:15 the order was given for each ship to bear down upon and engage her opposite number. ''Gibraltar'' was one of three ships Howe signalled to put on more sail.James (Vol. I), p. 148 The tardiness of ''Gibraltar'' and the 74-gun , on the other side of ''Queen Charlotte'', meant that Howe found himself battling one 120-gun and two 80-gun ships simultaneously. ''Gibraltar'' was, however, able to stop a fourth enemy ship, the first-rate ''Républicain'', from joining in, by bringing down her main and mizzen masts from a distance.James (Vol. I), p. 150 By the end of the action, six French ships had been captured and another sunk. The remainder escaped.James (Vol. I), p. 152 In the three engagements, it was estimated that French casualties were between 3,000 and 7,000 dead and wounded, while British losses were recorded as 290 dead and 858 wounded. Having been kept to windward for most of the battle, casualties aboard ''Gibraltar'' were light: two killed and 12 wounded.James (Vol. I), p. 159 After spending two days making repairs, the British fleet sailed for home with its prizes, having failed to stop the grain convoy that arrived in Brest on 12June.

Action of Hyères

''Gibraltar'' was sent to the Mediterranean in May 1795 under Captain John Pakenham, who had taken command in August the previous year. Joining Admiral William Hotham's fleet on 14June, ''Gibraltar'' fought in an action off the Hyères Islands in July.James (Vol. I), p. 267 The fleet was re-victualling in San Fiorenzo bay on 8July when a small squadron under Commodore Horatio Nelson approached, followed by the French Fleet from Toulon. The British fleet was not able to put to sea immediately due to contrary winds but was spotted by the French, who abandoned their chase. Hotham finished refitting and supplying his ships, and finally managed to set off after his quarry at 21:00; almost twelve hours later.James (Vol. I), p. 267 Following a storm, the British were carrying out repairs when they sighted the French fleet at dawn on 13July. At 03:45 Hotham gave the order to make all possible sail in pursuit of their enemy, five miles off and heading for Fréjus.James (Vol. I), p. 268 The two fleets were close enough to exchange fire at 08:00 when the British van engaged the rearmost French ships, one of which struck after six hours. However, she caught fire and exploded before the British could take possession of her. Just as ''Gibraltar'' was joining the action, Hotham signalled to disengage, believing the fleet to be running out of sea-room but being too far back to see that this was not the case.James (Vol. I), p. 269 Hotham resigned his position early the following year and was eventually replaced by Admiral John Jervis.

Caught in a storm

The British fleet was anchored off The Rock on 10December 1796 when a storm blew up. ''Culloden'' was obliged to get under way when her anchors failed to hold, narrowly missing Pearl Rock in the process, and at 21:00, ''Gibraltar'' was forced to cut her cable. As she was attempting to get clear of Cabrita Point at 22:00, her fore topmast snapped and her foresail, mainsail, main topmast staysail, and mizzen staysail tore. Having already lost her main topsail, she became difficult to handle and struck the sandbank several times before being blown across it.James (Vol. I), p. 317 By midnight ''Gibraltar'' was out of danger and able to ride out the storm, and the next day at noon she anchored in Tangier Bay. The damage incurred during the storm necessitated her being sent to Plymouth in January 1797. During the repairs, which took until April and cost £12,818, a large piece of rock was removed from her hull. ''Gibraltar'' returned to the Mediterranean in July 1797 under Captain William Hancock Kelly.

Bruix' expedition

In May 1799 ''Gibraltar'' was one of fifteen line-of-battle-ships in a fleet commanded by George Elphinstone, which had been blockading the port of Cádiz since the beginning of the year. On hearing from the British frigate that the French fleet had broken out of Brest and was on its way, Elphinstone immediately had all ships prepare for action, and dispatched the brig-sloop to warn Jervis at Gibraltar.James (Vol. II), p. 257James (Vol. II), p. 258 The French fleet under Vice-Admiral Étienne Eustache Bruix, which had escaped on 25April, comprised 25 ships-of-the-line and had already evaded Hood's Channel Fleet, when it appeared fifteen miles off Cádiz on 4May.

Bruix's orders were to combine the French and Spanish fleets and rescue Napoleon's army, stranded in Egypt following the Battle of the Nile, but the ships in Cádiz were prevented from joining their French allies by an opposing wind, and although the British offered their line-of-battle, it was declined and the Brest fleet instead stood out for the Straits of Gibraltar.Rodger, p. 462 Elphinstone followed as far as Cape Spartel before first returning to check on the fleet in Cádiz, then sailing to join Jervis at Gibraltar, arriving at 09:00 on 10May. Elphinstone made several further attempts to track down and bring the French to action, without success. Bruix was able to amass a powerful fleet of 59 ships but failed to achieve his ultimate goal and returned to Brest on 8August.James (Vol. II), p. 267Rodger, p.463

In January 1801 a large expedition of 16,000 troops and more than 100 vessels was assembled in Malta in preparation for an invasion of Egypt. Elphinstone's fleet, to which ''Gibraltar'' was attached, escorted the force to Aboukir Bay, arriving on 1February 1801.Long, p. 112 Bad weather prevented the army, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, from landing for a week, and the lack of water prevented ''Gibraltar'' and the larger ships from giving covering fire during debarkation; nevertheless, the Battle of Alexandria was brought to a successful conclusion when the French surrendered on 2September following a long siege. In 1850 a medal with the clasp "Egypt" was retrospectively awarded to the surviving members of ''Gibraltar''s crew for their part in the campaign.

Ganteaume's expeditions

In March 1801 ''Gibraltar'' took part in the pursuit of Contre-amiral Honoré Ganteaume, whose squadron had made a further attempt to reinforce the French troops in Egypt. Having sailed from Brest on 7January, the French force of three 80-gun and four 74-gun ships-of-the-line, plus two frigates,James (Vol. III), p. 87 passed into the Mediterranean on 9February, where it captured the only British ship in the area, the 32-gun frigate, ''Success''.James (Vol. III), p. 90 Rear-admiral Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron, comprising ''Gibraltar'', the seventy-fours , , , , and the 64-gun ''Haerlem'', on hearing of the event, set off in pursuit.James (Vol. III), p. 91 Forced into Port Mahon on 27February by a storm, the squadron remained there for several days while repairs were undertaken. The search continued on 4March, minus ''Généreux'', which was left to defend the island in the event of a surprise attack by French and Spanish forces. After Warren's squadron had visited Naples and Palermo, it received reinforcements on 18 and 22March in the form of the 64-gun ''Athénien'' and the 74-gun , respectively. Now, with seven ships-of-the-line, Warren turned towards Toulon, hoping to find Ganteaume there.James (Vol. III), p. 92

At dawn on 25 March, while crossing the Tyrrhenian Sea, the French squadron was spotted, having been reduced to ten ships by a storm the previous night. Ganteaume turned his ships to the south-east and Warren gave chase. ''Gibraltar'' and ''Athenienne'' began to lag behind, and Warren, fearing his force would become fragmented, ordered his faster ships to slow down. The French were thus able to escape into the night, the British continuing on a south-east course while they quietly turned north, back to Toulon.James (Vol. III), p. 93

Elba

Warren's squadron was called upon to relieve the British garrison at Porto Ferrajo, which had been under siege since the beginning of May 1801.James (Vol. III), p. 95 The arrival of the British ships on 1August caused the two French frigates blockading the port to retreat to Leghorn.James (Vol. III), p. 96 These two frigates, and the recently captured ''Succès'', were later brought to action on 2September by the British frigates , , and . ''Succès'' was recaptured, and ''Bravoure'' was destroyed after she had run aground.

Warren's squadron, which included ''Gibraltar'', supplied nearly 700 seamen and marines for an attack on the French batteries investing the town. The action took place on 14September but was only partially successful, and eight days later the British ships left Elba. Porto Ferrajo itself remained in British hands until the end of the war.James (Vol. III), p. 98

Conflict renewed

During the Peace of Amiens, a short-lived mutiny took place aboard ''Gibraltar''. The officers and marines were quickly able to regain control, however, and the instigators were hanged. When Britain declared war on France in May 1803, ''Gibraltar'', commanded by Captain George Frederick Ryves, was one of only ten British ships in the Mediterranean. Under Sir Richard Bickerton, the squadron was stationed off Naples before sailing for Toulon on 4June.James (Vol. III), p. 182 Overall command passed to Horatio Nelson when he arrived in the frigate on 8July, and when Thomas Masterman Hardy joined in the first-rate on 30July, Nelson immediately moved his flag to her.

By 1804 the British fleet in the Mediterranean had been reinforced and ''Gibraltar'' was paid off in July. She was refitted in Portsmouth in July 1805 at a cost of £30,643 and re-classed as a second-rate. She returned to the Mediterranean at the end of the year under Captain Mark Robinson, command later passing to Captain William Lukin.

''Gibraltar'' and two 36-gun frigates, and , spotted the 74-gun off Belleisle, on 26August 1806. Commanded by Jérôme Bonaparte, youngest brother of Napoleon, ''Vétéran'' was returning from the Bahamas. The British ships gave chase, but ''Vétéran'' outran them and found a safe anchorage in Baie de La Forêt, Brittany.Clowes (Vol. V), p. 195

Basque Roads

When Captain John Halliday assumed command of ''Gibraltar'' in April 1807, she was serving in the Channel, part of a fleet under Admiral James Gambier. On 17March 1809 this fleet joined with Robert Stoppard's squadron, which was blockading the French fleet in the Basque Roads. Halliday was superseded at the beginning of April by Henry Lidgbird Ball, who was ''Gibraltar''s captain at the Battle of Basque Roads.James (Vol. V), pp. 103–104

The French ships had been anchored under the protection of the powerful batteries on the Isle d'Aix when on 11April, Lord Cochrane attacked them with fireships and explosive vessels.James (Vol. V), p. 105 ''Gibraltar''s crew and officers helped man the fireships, which were limited in the damage they caused by a boom placed across the channel.James (Vol. V), p. 104 This was breached by one of the explosive vessels, however, and the French panicked, slipped their anchors, and drifted onto the shore. ''Gibraltar''s Lieutenant John Cookesley, who commanded one of the fireships, and Master's mate John Conyer were both badly burnt during the operation.James (Vol. V), p. 107Clowes (Vol. V) p. 262

Gambier's fleet spent the next two weeks attempting to capture or destroy the stranded French vessels, with some success. The attack came to an end on 29April when the last French ship was re-floated and taken up the river to safety at Rochefort.James (Vol. V), p. 122

Command of ''Gibraltar'' passed to Valentine Collard in June 1809, then Robert Plampin in 1810 when she returned to service in the Channel. ''Gibraltar''s last commander was Captain George Scott, who took over in January 1812.

Fate

''Gibraltar'' was paid off some time in 1813 and laid up in ordinary at Plymouth. Towards the end of the year, she was converted to a powder hulk. She was moved to Milford Haven in September 1824 where she was used as a lazarette, then broken up in November 1836 at Pembroke Dock. Some of her timbers (of South American cedar) were used to make the partitions and doors of the cabins of , which was being built at Pembroke at the time.

Notes

Citations

References

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* Lavery, Brian (2003) ''The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. .
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenix (1749)
Ships of the line of the Spanish Navy
Captured ships
Ships of the line of the Royal Navy
Ships built in Spain
1749 ships