HMS Pelican (1812)

HMS ''Pelican'' was an 18-gun of the Royal Navy, launched in August 1812. She is perhaps best known for her capture in August 1813 of the brig . When the navy sold ''Pelican'' in 1865 she was the last ''Cruizer''-class vessel still in service.

War of 1812

''Pelican'' was commissioned under Commander John Fordyce Maples on 11 December 1812 for the Irish station. On 5 May 1813 ''Pelican'' captured the American schooner ''Neptune's Barge''. ''Neptune's Barge'' had been sailing from Connecticut to Santiago de Cuba. ''Pelican'' sent her into Jamaica.

''Pelican'' was engaged in convoy escort duty to and from Britain. On 10 August 1813 she arrived in Cork, Ireland, having escorted a convoy from the West Indies. At the time ''Argus'' was raiding in British waters and two days later ''Pelican'' sailed to join the hunt for the American. On 14 August ''Pelican'' engaged ''Argus'' off St David's Head on the Pembrokeshire coast. After an engagement lasting 45 minutes ''Pelican'' was in a position to board, at which point ''Argus'' struck. ''Pelican'' had lost two men killed and five wounded; Fordyce estimated American losses as 40 killed and wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Pelican 14 Augt. 1813" to the four surviving claimants from the action.

Later that month Commander Thomas Mansell replaced Maples. On 13 January 1814 ''Pelican'' captured the American privateer ''Siro'' (or ''Sero'') after a chase of 12 hours. ''Siro'' was a schooner out of Baltimore, armed with 12 guns. She had a crew of 50 men under Captain D. Gray. Captain Thomas Mansell described ''Siro'' in a letter as being pierced for 16 guns though carrying twelve 9-pounders, and new and a fast sailer. She was only about two years old so the Royal Navy took ''Siro'' into service as , and even though ''Pelican'' had to share the prize money with , ''Siro'' proved to be a valuable prize.

On 26 January , with in sight, recaptured the Swedish brig ''Apparencen''. ''Pelican'' shared the salvage money by agreement with ''Castillian''. Then on 21 March ''Pelican'' recaptured ''Nossa Senhora de Monte'' and ''Jupiter''. was in company with ''Pelican''.

Later in 1814, ''Pelican'' was in Lisbon. At some point Commander William Bamber replaced Mansell, only to have Commander Thomas Pricket replace him in December.

Post-war

On 8 August 1826 Captain Charles Leonard Irby took command of ''Pelican'' while she was fitting out for the Mediterranean station.Marshall (1832), Vol. 3, Part 2, pp1-13. On 3 January 1827 her boats captured the pirate schooner ''Aphrodite'' in the Gulf of Kalamata, near Scardamoula. ''Aphrodite'' was armed with four guns and had a crew of 40 men. She was also carrying a large quantity of plundered goods.

Irby wrote to the Greek governor of Maina — Giovanni Mavromicali — instructing him to bring his galliot and an Ionian prize to Zante to have their papers checked. Irby had warned Mavromicali that should the papers not be in order the British would seize both vessels, and should Mavromicali fail to comply, he should send his women and children into the mountains as the Royal Navy would be compelled to destroy his houses. Irby also asked Mavromicalli to surrender two pirates, Niccolo Coccoici and Niccolo Sciutto.

Towards the end of the month, on 28 January, arrived in Zante on 28 January 1827 carrying dispatches from Capt. Hamilton of for Irby. At Zante Williams learned that Mavromicali had failed in his pledge to accede to Irby's instructions. ''Zebra'' sailed on 30 January in search of Mavromicali, and on 8 February she captured the galliot.

During a voyage from Hong Kong to Portsmouth, Hampshire, ''Pelican'' ran aground on the Peel Bank in the English Channel off the coast of Hampshire on 13 January 1845. She was refloated the next day and taken in to Portsmouth.

Fate

The Admiralty transferred ''Pelican'' to the Coast Guard in 1850, and she stayed at Rye, East Sussex until 1865. In Coast Guard service she was renamed ''CGWV 29'' (Coast Guard Watch Vessel). She was sold at Rye to Mr. Fryman on 7 June 1865.

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

Citations

References

*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pelican (1812)
1812 ships
Ships built on the River Exe
Cruizer-class brig-sloops
War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom
Maritime incidents in January 1845