HMS Musquito (or Mosquito). was a Royal NavyCruizer-classbrig-sloop built by John Preston at Great Yarmouth and launched in 1804.[1] She was commissioned in October 1804 under Commander Samuel Jackson.[1] She served in the North Sea and the Baltic, and Jackson supervised the first successful rocket attack in Europe at Boulogne in 1806. After the war she served off Africa and captured some slavers. She was broken up in 1822, having been laid up since 1818.
On 28 December 1804 Musquito sent into Yarmouth Roads a large smuggling vessel carrying 1400 half-ankers of liquor, and some tobacco. The smuggler was the former King George Packet that the Dutch had detained at the beginning of the war.[2]Lloyd's List (LL) had reported on 31 May 1803 that Earl of Leicester, Princess Royal, and King George Packet had been detained at Helvöet.[3] The vessel was named Aurora and she and her cargo were sold at auction on 9 July 1805.[4]
On 26 March 1805 Musquito was in company with HMSBlazer and Ariadne when they captured the Prussian brig Fortuna.[5]
On 27 March Musquito was with Ariadne and the gun-brig Monkey when they captured Vrow Cornelia, R.R. Cruzenga, master.[6][7] On 7 April Musquito, Monkey, Bold and Urgent captured Bradford.[8] Two days later, Musquito and Ariadne, and the gun-brigs Blazer, Bold, and Furious captured Anna Margaretha, Klinkammer, master.[7][9] On 14 April Musquito, Ariadne, Monkey, and Blazer captured the merchant vessel Elizabeth Anna.[10] Then on 5 June Musquito was among the vessels that shared in the capture of Prospere, J.G. Huret, Master.[11] Almost two months later, on 28 July, many of the same vessels shared in the capture of Jonge Jacob.[12]
Musquito was 13 miles (21km) off Scarborough on 12 April when Jackson saw two ships firing their guns at a third. Jackson caught up with the quarry, which turned out to be a sloop from Guernsey carrying contraband goods.[13] Her captain informed Jackson his pursuers were French privateers. Jackson sailed in pursuit and captured one of the privateers at midday and the other early the following morning.[14]
The privateers were the Dutch-built doggersOrestes and Pylades. Each was armed with a 24-pounder carronade and six swivel guns and had a crew of 33 men.[14] They had been at sea for three weeks, flying false Prussian colours. Their plan had been to attack merchant shipping off Scotland, but bad weather had foiled them.[14]Musquito sent both into Yarmouth.[15][16]
Later that year Musquito escorted transports carrying some 5,000 troops to Lord Cathcart's army in Hanover. By trusting his judgment over that of the pilots he was ordered to use, Jackson saved the convoy from grounding on the Haak Sand off Texel, although one transport did ground with the result that the Dutch captured her and the 250 men of the Fifth Regiment of Foot she was carrying.[13][lower-alpha 1] Later, Musquito drove five French armed schooners ashore on the Calais-Boulogne coast.[13]
"Use of rocket's from boats" - An illustration from William Congreve's book.
During Commodore Edward Owen's rocket attack on the French flotilla at Boulogne in October 1806, Jackson directed the boats firing 32-pound (14.5kg)Congreve rockets.[13] As night drew in on the Channel, 24 cutters fitted with rocket frames formed a line and fired some 400 rockets at Boulogne. The barrage took only 30 minutes. Apparently, the attack set a number of fires but otherwise had limited effect. Still, the effect was enough to lead the British to employ rockets on a number of further occasions.[18] This was the first successful use of rocket artillery in Europe. An earlier attack on Boulogne in November 1805 had been a complete failure with the rockets not even reaching the town.[18]
Musquito joined the expedition to Copenhagen in October 1806 where she was stationed in the Belt to prevent supplies reaching Zealand.[13]
In June 1807 Mosquito captured Jeune Adolphe, M. Combet, Master.[19]Musquito shared in the prize money for the capture of Copenhagen on 7 September 1807.[20]
Musquito was recommissioned in October 1807 under Commander William Goate for the North Sea. She next appears in the records in early 1809. In late 1808 or early 1809, Musquito retrieved and brought into HeligolandGeorge, Maddock, master, which had been sailing from London to Heligoland when she ran ashore nearly filled with water. Her crew had deserted her, and her cargo was much damaged.[21]
HMS Musquito (to the right) chasing the Danish privateer Juliane Sophie in May 1809. Contemporary watercolour.
Musquito captured the Danish privateers Princess Juliana Sophia on 17 May 1809, and the cutter Sol Fulgen (or Soe Fulgen) of six guns and 24 men off Heligoland on 25 May 1809.[22][lower-alpha 2]
Musquito may have been in command of the gun-vessel Patriot because on 30 May Lieutenant E.W. Mansel, of Patriot sent a letter to Goate for onward transmission announcing the capture of the Danish cutter privateer Snap. The capture took place in the River Hever. Snap was armed with three guns and had a crew of nine men. She was one week out of Tonningen, but had not captured anything.[24] That same month Mansel advised Goate that Patriot had captured in the Jahde River a Dutch gun-vessel of one gun, some swivel guns, and 10 men, a Danish privateer of one gun, six swivels and 25 men, off Langerooz, and with the hired armed vessel Alert, of the destruction of two French privateers and a sloop in the Jahde.[25]
Next morning at daylight Goate led a landing party but before they could attack the battery its 80-man garrison retreated, abandoning their guns. The British then loaded the battery's six 24-pounders into vessels lying in the harbour, together with all the shot and military stores they could find and some other small guns. Next, they blew up the fort and seized two French gunboats, each of two guns. Lastly, the landing party handed the town of Cuxhaven back to the civil governor before returning to its vessels.[26] Later, Mosquito, Basilisk and Aimable would share in the prize money.[27]
On 26 July French cavalry almost captured several British naval officers reconnoitering the village of Ritzbuttle. Lord Stuart responded by sending a detachment to meet the French. However, Stuart then discovered that the French had retreated to Gessendorf, which was some 26 miles (42km) from Cuxhaven. He sent Goate and a landing party from Mosquito towards Gessendorf. As soon as Goate approached the French they evacuated Gessendorf in requisitioned wagons, while about 60 cavalry covered their retreat. At the same time Stuart had Pettet of Briseis take his men around the flank to capture a battery of four 12-pounders that was firing round shot and grape at Stuart and Captain Watts of Ephira. Before the British arrived, the French artillerymen abandoned their guns, making their escape via boats on the Weser. Still, the British captured the commander of the battery, together with three of his officers or non-commissioned officers. The British then burst the four 12-pounders before they took away the powder. The only British casualty on the entire expedition was Watts, who had been wounded.[28]
On 21 October Musquito was under the command of Commander Robert Petter and in company with the gun-brig Richmond when they captured the galliotFortuna.[29] On 30 October, Musquito and Richmond captured the Fortuna.[30] Whether these are the same or different vessels is an open question.
Cruising
Musquito was recommissioned in June 1811 under Commander Christopher Bell.[1] Early in September Primus, carrying tar and hemp, Worksam, in ballast, Experiment, carrying iron, Columbus, carrying linseed, Neptunus, carrying timber, and Hctor, carrying sundry goods, came into Yarmouth. They were prizes to Tremendous, Ranger, Calypso, Algerine, Musquito, Earnest, and Portia.[31]
In February 1812 Musquito came under the command of Commander James Tomkinson.[1]
On 1 June 1812 Musquito, which was shorthanded, intercepted a group of lobster boats off Heligoland. She then impressed two seamen from the boats. The men and their colleagues sued for their release, and in 1813 were granted a writ of habeas corpus. The argument was that because Britain had taken possession of the island and its fisheries in 1807, the Heligoland fisheries were British possessions and thus fell within a defined statutory exception for "the fisheries of this Kingdom".[32]
Between 29 July and 4 August, Musquito captured several Dutch fishing boats: Gute Verwagting, Tobie Maria, Jonge Maria, Jeannette, Femme Elizabeth, Hoop (alias Esperance), and the Rondwich. By agreement, Musquito shared the prize money with Desiree, Banterer, and Cretan.[33]
On 7 August 1812 Musquito was at Yarmouth, having captured three Dutch prizes off the Dogger Bank. These were Jonge Maria, Jonge Dirk, and Saloritta, all carrying saltfish.[34]
On 11 February 1813, the schooner Barbara, with Musquito in company, recaptured the Neptune.[35][lower-alpha 3] On 24 April 1813 Musquito sailed for the Leeward Islands.
On 11 February 1814, Musquito, still under Tomkinson's command, detained the American brig Halligren in the river of Surinam.[37]Halligren was condemned under droit of admiralty and prize money was awarded.[38][lower-alpha 4]
Then on 30 June Musquito captured the slaver Manuella, which was carrying a cargo of slaves.[40]Manuella was sailing under Spanish colours and was on her way to Puerto Rico with "500 Negros" when Musquito captured her and sent her into Tortola.[41] Perhaps because of the head money for the slaves, the prize money involved was quite substantial.[lower-alpha 5] On 6 July Musquito captured the ship Sophia.[43][lower-alpha 6]
Post-war
On 26 February 1815, Musquito was one of the warships that sailed from St. Thomas as escort to a convoy of 95 vessels bound for Great Britain.[45] On 26 June, Panther, Gezoline, master, arrived at Plymouth as a prize to Conway, Musquito, Acteon, Tay, and Prometheus. She had been sailing from Martinique to Dunkirk when the British captured her.[46] On 9 July, Sophia, Westfolm, master, arrived at Plymouth. Musquito had detained Sophia as she was sailing from Drontheim to Rochelle.[47] A few days later Neptune, Horner, master, also arrived at Plymouth. Musquito had detained her as she was sailing from Holland to Rochelle.[48]
On 12 August Commander George Brine was appointed to Musquito from Sheldrake and he took command on 25 August. She then spent several years off Africa, much of the time at St Helena, "guarding Napoleon".
In August 1816 Musquito was at Port Louis, Île de France. While cruising in the vicinity she captured a number of slave vessels, including the schooners Petite Aimée and Helen, and the luggers St. Joseph and Zephyr. The captures of Petite Aimée and St. Joseph occurred on 15 and 17 October 1816.[49][lower-alpha 7] The capture of Zephyr took place on 19 December.[51]
On 7 October 1817 Musquito arrived at the Cape of Good Hope from Île de France. From there she sailed to Saint Helena. She was reported at St Helena on 12 April 1818 and again on 17 August. On 14 November she arrived at Deal from Portsmouth and sailed for the Thames. Brine received promotion to post-captain on 7 December 1818.
Fate
Musquito was paid off at Deptford in 1818. The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy first offered the "Mosquito brig, of 18 guns and 384 tons", lying at Deptford, for sale on 13 April 1822.[52] She was sold to Thomas King for £1,050 on 7 May.[1]
Notes
↑ Marshall states that the vessel was the frigate Helder, converted to a transport[13] This is not consistent with Winfield unless the frigate in question is HMSHelder, which the Admiralty had sold in 1802.[17] Marshall also gives the number of troops as 500, whereas the Regiment records it as 250.
↑ A first-class share of the prize money was worth £46 3s6+1⁄2d; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 13s 1+3⁄4d.[23]
↑ A first-class share of the salvage money, net of the Flag Officer's share, was worth £12 8s 8d; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 3s 9d.[36]
↑ His Majesty's grant of "one moiety" was made on 8 March 1817. A first-class share, net of the Flag Officer's share, was worth £24 2s 8d; a sixth-class share was worth 10s 10+1⁄2d.[39]
↑ A first-class share, net of the Flag Officer's share, was worth £1319 1s 7d; a sixth-class share was worth £31 16s 6d.[42]
↑ A first-class share, net of the Flag Officer's share, was worth £188 0s 8d; a sixth-class share was worth £4 12s 9d.[44]
↑ A first-class share of the bounty on the slaves was worth £695 18s 8d; a fifth-class share, that of an able seaman, was worth £8 16s 2d.[50]
HMS Boadicea was a frigate of the Royal Navy. She served in the Channel and in the East Indies during which service she captured many prizes. She participated in one action for which the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal. She was broken up in 1858.
HDMS Brev Drageren was a Danish let brigger, launched in 1801 for the Royal Danish Navy. She was one of the many vessels the Danes surrendered to the British after the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807. She was subsequently added to the Royal Navy as HMS Brev Drageren, and was involved in two notable actions while in British service. She was sold in 1825.
HMS Calypso was a Royal Navy Cruizer-class brig-sloop. She was built at Deptford Wharf between 1804 and 1805, and launched in 1805. She served in the North Sea and the Baltic, most notably at the Battle of Lyngør, which effectively ended the Gunboat War. Calypso was broken up in March 1821.
HMS Belette was an 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop, built by King at Dover and launched on 21 March 1806. During the Napoleonic Wars she served with some success in the Baltic and the Caribbean. Belette was lost in the Kattegat in 1812 when she hit a rock off Læsø.
HMS Surinam was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by Obadiah Ayles at Topsham, Exeter and launched in 1805. She captured one privateer during her twenty-year career and took part in two campaigns before she was broken up in 1825.
HMS Basilisk was a Bloodhound-class gun-brig built by Randall in Rotherhithe and launched in 1801. She served briefly at the end of the French Revolutionary Wars, with most of her service occurring during the Napoleonic Wars protecting convoys from privateers, conducting close-inshore surveillance and taking enemy coastal shipping. She was sold for breaking in 1815.
HMS Linnet was originally His Majesty's revenue cutter Speedwell, launched in 1797, that the Royal Navy purchased in 1806. Linnet captured a number of privateers before the French frigate Gloire captured her in 1813. The French sold or transferred her to the Americans, who operated her as the privateer Bunkers Hill. In March 1814 the British recaptured her, but did not return her to service.
HMS Barbara was an Adonis class schooner of the Royal Navy and launched in 1806. A French privateer captured her in 1807 and she became the French privateer Pératy. The Royal Navy recaptured her in 1808. She was paid off in June 1814 and sold in February 1815.
HMS Patriot was a Dutch schuyt that the Royal Navy captured in 1808 and took into service. She captured several enemy vessels before she was converted to a water vessel in 1813. The Admiralty sold her in 1815.
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 Moselle was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1804. She served during the Napoleonic Wars in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the North American station. She was sold in 1815.
HMS Harpy was a Royal Navy Diligence-class brig-sloop, launched in 1796 and sold in 1817. She was the longest lived vessel of her class, and the most widely travelled. She served in both the battle of Copenhagen and the British invasion of Java, took part in several actions, one of which won for her crew a clasp to the Naval General Service Medal, and captured numerous privateers. The Navy sold her in 1817.
HMS Briseis was a 10-gun Cherokee- class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in 1808 at Upnor, on the River Medway. She participated in one notable single ship action before she wrecked in 1816.
Nettuno was a French Illyrien or Friedland-class brig built at Venice and launched in June 1807. HMS Unite captured her a year later off Zara. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Cretan. She served in the Mediterranean. She was sold in 1814. Between 1815 and 1831 she made five voyages as a whaler.
HMS Earnest was launched at Leith in 1805 as one of 48 later Archer-class gun brigs for the British Royal Navy. During her naval career Earnest captured five small privateers and numerous merchant vessels. In 1816 the Admiralty sold her and she became the merchantman Earnest. She continued to sail and was last listed in 1850.
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 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 Richmond was a Confounder-class gunbrig, launched at Itchenor in February 1806. She captured several small privateers and merchantmen off the Iberian peninsula before the Royal Navy sold her in 1814. After the Navy sold her, she became the mercantile Ben Jonson.
HMS Centinel, or HMS Sentinel, was launched as the mercantile Friendship in 1800. The Royal Navy purchased her in 1804. She then served in the North Sea until she wrecked in October 1812.
References
Congreve, William, Sir. (1827) A Treatise on the General Principles, Powers, and Facility of Application of the Congreve Rocket System. (London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green).
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