HMS Southampton
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Southampton
Ordered12 March 1756
BuilderRobert Inwood, Rotherhithe
Laid downApril 1756
Launched5 May 1757
Completed19 June 1757 at Deptford Dockyard
CommissionedApril 1757
FateWrecked in the Bahamas, 27 November 1812
General characteristics
Class and typeSouthampton-class fifth-rate frigate
Tons burthen67164⁄94 bm
Length
  • 124 ft 4 in (37.90 m) (gundeck)
  • 103 ft 1 in (31.42 m) (keel)
Beam35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Depth of hold12 ft 1 in (3.68 m)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Complement210 officers and men
Armament
  • Upperdeck: 26 × 12-pounder guns
  • QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns

HMS Southampton was the name ship of the 32-gun Southampton-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and served for more than half a century until wrecked in 1812.

Career

George III in HMS Southampton reviewing the fleet off Plymouth, 18 August 1789

In 1772, Southampton – at the time commanded by the capable John MacBride, destined for a distinguished naval career – was sent to Elsinore, Denmark, to take on board and convey to exile in Germany the British Princess Caroline Matilda, George III's sister, who had been deposed from her position as Queen of Denmark due to her affair with the social reformer Johan Struensee.[1]

Sometime in 1777, under command of Will Garnier, she captured sloops Swift and Speedwell, schooners Sally, Tryall, and Hope, and one unknown. Before 18 October she captured another schooner Sally. Before 11 November she captured snow Washington. On 7 December she captured schooner Hazard. On 19 December she captured brig Lark. On 22 December she captured ship Speculation. On 17 January, 1778 she captured schooner Unity. She captured Brig Henry on unknown date.[2]

On 3 August 1780, Southampton captured the French privateer lugger Comte de Maurepas, of 12 guns and 80 men, under the command of Joseph Le Cluck. She had on board Mr. Andrew Stuart, Surgeon's Mate of HMS Speedwell, "as a ransomer."[3] Comte de Maurepas had suffered shot holes between wind and water and sank shortly thereafter. Southampton shared the head money award with Buffalo, Thetis, and Alarm.[4]

Southampton took part in the action of 9 August 1780, when a convoy she was escorting fell prey to a Franco-Spanish squadron. 55 merchantmen were captured, but she managed to escape.[5]

On 10 June 1796, Southampton captured the French corvette Utile at Hyères Roads, by boarding. Utile was armed with twenty-four 6-pounder guns and was under the protection of a battery. She had a crew of 136 men under the command of Citizen François Veza. The French put up a resistance during which they suffered eight killed, including Veza, and 17 wounded; Southampton had one man killed.[6] The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Utile. Gorgon, Courageux, and the hired armed cutter Fox were in company at the time,[7] and with the British fleet outside Toulon. They shared with Southampton in the proceeds of the capture, as did Barfleur, Bombay Castle, Egmont, and St George.[8]

On 2 December 1796 Southampton encountered the Spanish naval brig El Corso off Monaco as El Corso was on her way from Genoa to Barcelona. Southampton captured El Corso by boarding. She was armed with eighteen 6-pounder guns and had a crew of 136 men under the command of Don Antonio Oacaro.[9] The Royal Navy took the brig into service as HMS Corso.

In September 1789 Richard Goodwin Keats was appointed her captain. She was engaged on two cruises of observation in the chops of the Channel and a voyage to Gibraltar conveying Prince Edward to his new command. Southampton was readied as part of Lord Howe's fleet to respond to the Nootka sound incident, but was not required to put to sea. Keats had written to the Admiralty concerned at the state of his new command, which had not been in the docks for three years, during which she had grounded several times, and in 1790 she was paid off.[10]

Lloyd's List reported that Southampton and the sloop-of-war HMS Brazen had run aground and lost their masts on the coast of Mississippi during a great hurricane on 19 and 20 August 1812, but that the crews were saved.[11] Both vessels were refloated, repaired, and returned to service. Brazen arrived at New Providence; Southampton arrived at Jamaica on 6 October.[12] Although neither vessel was lost in the hurricane, Southampton was lost about a month later when she hit an uncharted rock.

On 22 November, Southampton, under the command of Captain James Lucas Yeo, captured the American brig USS Vixen. Vixen was armed with twelve 18-pounder carronades and two 9-pounder bow chasers, and had a crew of 130 men under the command of Captain George Reed. She had been out five weeks but had not captured anything.[13]

Fate

A strong westerly current wrecked Southampton and Vixen on an uncharted submerged reef off Conception Island[14] in the Crooked Island Passage of the Bahamas on 27 November. There were no deaths.[15]

Plan showing the elevation and plan for the steering apparatus as fitted to Southampton

Citations

  1. ↑ The relevant chapter of Norah Lofts' "The Lost Queen", a biography of Caroline Matilda, takes place on board the Southampton and is told from the point of view of the ship's Captain, John MacBride.
  2. ↑ "Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 European THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 American: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Gentleman's magazine (1780), p. 391.
  4. ↑ "No. 12325". The London Gazette. 24 August 1782. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Lacour-Gayet (1905), p. 318.
  6. ↑ "No. 13912". The London Gazette. 16 July 1796. p. 681.
  7. ↑ "No. 15557". The London Gazette. 8 February 1803. p. 165.
  8. ↑ "No. 14073". The London Gazette. 12 December 1797. p. 1195.
  9. ↑ "No. 13986". The London Gazette. 25 February 1797. p. 201.
  10. ↑ Hannah (2021), p25.
  11. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4712. 20 October 1812. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735025. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4731. 25 December 1812. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735025. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "No. 16701". The London Gazette. 9 February 1813. p. 277.
  14. ↑ Haken, Lippold; Vixen Crew Member (2004) [1813]. "Underwater Pictures and Narrative of the Capture of the United States' Brig Vixen by one of the Vixen's Crew" (PDF). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Gossett (1986), pp. 86–87.

References

  • Demerliac, Alain (1996) La Marine De Louis XVI: Nomenclature Des Navires Français De 1774 À 1792. (Nice: Éditions OMEGA). ISBN 2-906381-23-3
  • Gardiner, Robert (1992) The First Frigates. (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-601-9.
  • Gossett, William Patrick (1986) The lost ships of the Royal Navy, 1793–1900. (London: Mansell). ISBN 0-7201-1816-6
  • Hannah, Peter (2021). Treasure to the Service. Green Hill Publishing. ISBN 1-922629-73-1. OCLC 1286142765.
  • Hepper, David J. (1994). British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859. Rotherfield: Jean Boudriot. ISBN 0-948864-30-3.
  • Lacour-Gayet, Georges (1905). La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI. Paris: Honoré Champion. OCLC 763372623.
  • Lyon, David (1993) The Sailing Navy List. (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-617-5.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1714 to 1792. (London: Seaforth Publishing). ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.
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