HMS ''Savage'' was a 16-gun brig-sloop of the ''Seagull'' class of the British Royal Navy, launched in July 1805. She served during the Napoleonic Wars and captured a privateer. She grounded in 1814 but was salved. The Navy sold her in 1819.
Career
Commander
James Wilkes Maurice
Vice-Admiral James Wilkes Maurice (10 February 1775 – 4 September 1857) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Unlike his contemporaries who won fame commanding ships, Maurice gained accolades ...
arrived in Liverpool on 3 August 1805 with dispatches after his courageous, though ultimately unsuccessful defence of
Diamond Rock
Diamond Rock (french: rocher du Diamant) is a 175-metre-high (574 ft)Lord Nelson met with Maurice and expressed his regrets that he had not been able to arrive in time to save Diamond Rock. However, Nelson expressed his admiration for Maurice's conduct and informed Maurice that at his, Nelson's, particular request, Maurice and ''Savage'' were to serve under Nelson's command. At the time Nelson was preparing to resume command of the Mediterranean fleet. Unfortunately, Maurice was not able to get ''Savage'' ready in time and so was not able to be present at the battle of Trafalgar.
Having missed the battle, ''Savage'' instead spent from December 1805 to June 1807 primarily in convoying vessels from various ports in the
St George's Channel
St George's Channel ( cy, Sianel San Siôr, ga, Muir Bhreatan) is a sea channel connecting the Irish Sea to the north and the Celtic Sea to the southwest.
Historically, the name "St George's Channel" was used interchangeably with "Irish Sea" ...
to The Downs, and back. During this service, ''Savage'' never lost a vessel.
''Savage'' sailed with a convoy from Cork to Jamaica on 30 August 1807. There he served on the Jamaica station under Vice-Admiral
Dacres Dacres is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Barrington Dacres (died 1806), Royal Navy captain
*Desmond Adolphus Dacres, real name of Desmond Dekker (1941–2006), Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician
* James Richard Dacres (Ro ...
. On 12 December, ''Savage'' captured the Spanish privateer ''Quixote'' off Porto Cavallo. ''Quixote'' carried eight guns and a crew of 99 men. She was "a Vessel of a large Class, and fitted out for the Annoyance of the Trade bound to amaica.
In July 1808, Maurice joined Admiral
Alexander Cochrane
Admiral of the Blue Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane (born Alexander Forrester Cochrane; 23 April 1758 – 26 January 1832) was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars and achieved the rank of admiral.
He had previously captain ...
at Barbados.Marshall (1827), Supplement, Part 1, pp.443-4. Cochrane appointed Maurice governor of Marie-Galante, a post he took up on 1 October.
Commander William Robilliard then replaced Maurice. In 1810, Commander William Ferrie replaced Robilliard. He sailed for Jamaica on 2 July 1810.
''Savage'' underwent repairs at Sheerness between September 1811 and March 1812. Commander William Bissel recommissioned her in February. He then sailed with a convoy to Quebec on 18 May 1812.
On 20 January 1814 Bissel stranded ''Savage'' on Guernsey. After three days of thick weather she grounded on Rock North on the north most end of the island. Some pilots came aboard and eventually, with their assistance, ''Savage'' reached Great Harbour, where she again grounded. The next day she was brought to the Pier Head, and then to a port where she could be repaired. The court martial board dismissed Bissel from the Navy on the grounds that he had sailed southward for too long, had neglected to use the lead and to keep a reckoning, and not insisted that his officers do likewise.
By February ''Savage'' was back at Portsmouth. C. Mitchell replaced Bissel.
Fate
The Navy offered ''Savage'' for sale at Portsmouth on 3 February 1819. She was sold to a Mr. John Tibbut on that day for £950.