Career
Commander Thomas Oliver was appointed captain of Apelles in September 1808. She participated in the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign. Starting on 30 July 1809, a British armed force of 39,000 men landed on Walcheren. However, the French fleet had left Flushing (Vlissingen) and sailed to Antwerp, and the British lost over 4,000 men to "Walcheren Fever", a combination of malaria and typhus, and to enemy action. As the strategic reasons for the campaign dissipated and conditions worsened, the British force withdrew in December. Prize money arising from the net proceeds of the property captured at Walcheren and the adjacent islands in the Scheld was paid in October 1812. [3]
On 19 October 1810 Apelles captured the French privateer Somnambule (or Somnus), of 18 guns and 56 men, off Dieppe. The privateer was so damaged in the engagement before she surrendered that Oliver had to scuttle her. [4]
Before Apelles captured her the privateer had captured the sloop Friends. [5] While Apelles was in sight, Sarpedon recaptured Friends, and sent her into Dover. [6] French sources report that Somnambule (or Somanbule) was a chasse maree commissioned as a privateer in Dieppe in October 1810 under Captain Pierre-Antoine Sauvage.Lieutenant de vaisseau F. Lecomte was Sauvage's second-in-command. In the engagement a musket ball killed Sauvage, and Lecomte took over, and it was he that struck, though not before he himself was wounded. The French sources furthermore give her 11 guns, not 18.
Commander Frederick Hoffman assumed command in December, relieving Oliver. Apelles's officers had informed Admiral George Campbell that Oliver was insane, and that discipline on the sloop had deteriorated. Campbell ordered a Court of Inquiry, and as a result of its report, gently suggested to Oliver that he resign, which, after some hesitation, he did. Hoffman recommissioned her in early 1811.
Captured by the French
Apelles and Skylark were blockading the French coast between Cape Gris Nez and Étaples when at 3am on the morning of 3 May 1812 a thick fog descended. Within 45 minutes Skylark had grounded.
All efforts to free Skylark failed and in the morning shore batteries started firing on her as French troops started to gather. The crew set fire to Skylark and left in her boats.
Apelles too had run aground in the fog at about 4am, and within sight of Skylark. Shore batteries fired on Apelles also, and troops gathered. All efforts to free her failed and by 6am Commander Frederick Hoffman ordered his crew into the boats. Unfortunately there was not enough room for all, so Hoffman and 19 of his men stayed behind. [11] Commander Boxer, of Skylark, came alongside in a boat and urged Hoffman to leave, but Hoffman refused to do so while some of his men were still on board. As more French troops arrived with field artillery, Hoffman raised a white flag at about 6:30am. Before he gave up his ship, Hoffman and the purser burned all Apelles's signal books and other instructions.
The French took Hoffman and his men prisoner and refloated Apelles. However, the next day Bermuda and Rinaldo arrived and were able to drive Apelles on shore. Then Castillian and Phipps arrived. Gunfire from the British squadron drove the French off, permitting boats from Bermuda to recapture Apelles. [11] [lower-alpha 1]
Return to service
Between May and September Apelles underwent refitting at Sheerness. She then came under the command of Commander Charles Robb.
Robb was already captain in December when Apelles captured the Danish vessels No. 23 (3 December), Haabet (13 December), and Falken (20 December). [14]
At daybreak on 18 February 1813, Apelles captured the French privateer cutter Ravisseur at 57°10′N5°30′E / 57.167°N 5.500°E / 57.167; 5.500 . Ravisseur was armed with ten 9-pounder carronades and four long 6-pounder guns, and had a crew of 51 men under the command of M. Alexander Happey. She was 12 days out of Dunkirk and had intended to cruise off Flamborough Head, but westerly gales had driven her eastward. She had not made any captures. [15] Apelles sent her into Leith. [16] [lower-alpha 2]
Commander Robb drowned on 27 February off the Isle of May when a gale of wind washed him overboard. [18] He was assisting in throwing her guns overboard to lighten her. [lower-alpha 3]
Commander Alexander M"Vicar (or McVicar) was appointed to Apelles on 8 March, and recommissioned her that month for the North Sea. McVicar tested a new patent compass in July and wrote a testimonial letter on 13 June. Vice-Admiral Robert Otway had ordered him to test the compass belonging to Mr. Alexander, of Leith, and McVicar used it for some nine weeks, finding it better than the other compasses on Apelles. It was quick to come on point and held its direction in heavy seas and despite shocks such as guns firing or seas striking. [21]
On 11 December 1813, Apelles captured Speculation. [lower-alpha 4] Speculation, of Bergen, Fornguest, master, reached Leith on 21 December. [23]
In 1814 Apelles visited Archangel, [24] having sailed from Leith with a fleet after first having had to put back. [25]
HMS Persian was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by Daniel List and launched at Cowes in 1809. She captured two privateers before she wrecked in 1813.
HMS Ferret was a Royal Navy Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by Benjamin Tanner at Dartmouth and launched in 1806, 19 months late. She served on the Jamaica, Halifax, and Leith stations during which time she took three privateers as prizes before she was wrecked in 1813.
During the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, there were two or three vessels known as His Majesty's hired armed cutter Active that served the British Royal Navy. The reason for the uncertainty in the number is that the size of the vessels raises the possibility that the first and second may have been the same vessel.
HMS Skylark was a British Royal Navy 16-gun brig-sloop of the Seagull class launched in February 1806. She served primarily in the Channel, capturing several vessels including a privateer, and taking part in one notable engagement. She grounded in May 1812 and her crew burnt her to prevent the French from capturing her.
HMS Orestes was a 16-gun brig-sloop of the Seagull class of the British Royal Navy, launched in October 1805. She served during the Napoleonic Wars, primarily in the North Sea and the Channel, where she captured three privateers. The Navy sold her in 1817.
HMS Phipps was the Dutch privateer Two Lydias, launched in 1807, that the British Royal Navy captured in 1808 and took into service as HMS Phipps. Phipps captured two privateers, took part in a notable action, and her crew was subjected to mercury poisoning. She was sold for breaking up in 1812.
HMS Rover was a Royal Navy Cruizer-class brig-sloop laid down in 1804 but not launched until 1808. She served in the North Sea, off the north coast of Spain, in the Channel, and on the North American station. She captured two letters-of-marque and numerous merchant vessels before being laid-up in 1815. She then sat unused until she was sold in 1828.
HMS Barbuda was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1780 after having briefly served as an American privateer. Barbuda was one of the two sloops that captured Demerara and Essequibo in 1781, but the French Navy captured her there in 1782 and took her into service as Barboude. The French Navy sold her to private owners in 1786, and she served briefly as a privateer in early 1793 before the French Navy purchased her again and named her Légère. She served them until mid-1796 when the Royal Navy captured her and took her into service as HMS Legere. She was wrecked off the coast of Colombia, without loss of life, in February 1801.
Two vessels named His Majesty's hired armed lugger Sandwich served the British Royal Navy, one during the French Revolutionary Wars, and the other during the Napoleonic Wars.
HMS Cherokee was the lead ship of her class of 10-gun brig-sloops of the British Royal Navy, which saw service during the Napoleonic Wars.
HMS Jalouse was a Cormorant-class ship-sloop of the British Royal Navy launched in 1809 and sold in 1819. She participated in the capture of a French privateer, but spent most of her active service escorting convoys. The Navy sold her in 1816.
HMS Derwent was launched in 1807 and later that year became one of the first ships sent by the British Royal Navy to suppress the slave trade.
HMS Plumper was launched in 1807. She captured three small American privateers early in the War of 1812 but was wrecked in December 1812.
HMS Snake was a British Royal Navy ship launched in 1797 as the only member of her class of brig-sloops. She captured or destroyed two French privateers and one Danish privateer. She also captured numerous small merchantmen, but spent time escorting convoys to and from the West Indies. She was sold in 1816.
HMS Decoy was launched in 1810. She participated in the capture of several small French privateers, captured or recaptured a number of merchant vessels, and captured a number of smuggling vessels. The French captured her in 1814.
Milan was a French brig built at Saint Malo, from plans designed by François Pestel that had already served for Curieux in 1800 and for Palinure in 1804. She served in the French Navy for four years before HMS Surveillante and Seine captured her. She became HMS Achates in the Royal Navy and served until after the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
HMS Royalist was launched in 1807. She captured many privateers and letters of marque, most French, but also some from Denmark and the United States. Her crew twice were awarded the Naval General Service Medal. She was instrumental in the capture of a French frigate. The Royal Navy sold her in 1819. She then became a whaler, making three complete voyages. She was condemned after a mishap while on her fourth.
HMS Attack was launched in 1804 as a later Archer-class gunbrig. Danish gunboats captured Attack in August 1812.
HMS Cracker was a later Archer-class gun brig, launched in 1804. She participated in several actions and captured two small French privateers. She was sold for breaking up in 1816.
HMS Dwarf was a Decoy-class cutter launched in 1810. She participated in the capture of a French privateer, and in operations in the Gironde. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars she captured some smuggling vessels. She was wrecked in March 1824.
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