HMS Calliope (1808)

Calliope was commissioned in September 1808 under Commander John M'Kerlie.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=313}}

In August–September 1809 Calliope took part in the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign.{{London Gazette|issue=16650|page=1971|date=26 September 1812}} In particular, she was at the capture of Flushing on 15 August.{{sfnp|Marshall|1829|pp=188–189}}

On 5 January 1809 Calliope was in company with {{HMS|Pigeon|1806|2}} off Kingsgate Point near Margate. That evening the two vessels were off Flushing when a heavy gale and snowstorm parted them. Pigeon grounded and was lost, though almost her entire crew survived.{{sfnp|Hepper|1994|p=127}}

Admiral Sir Richard Strachan then assigned Calliope to patrol off the north coast of Holland to Heligoland.

Calliope and {{HMS|Prospero|1808|2}} shared in the proceeds of the capture on 7 March 1810 of the Danish vessels Aggershuns and Anna Mette Catharina.{{London Gazette|date=2 April 1811 |issue=16471 |page=628 }}

On 13 March Calliope captured the Danish vessels Ellen Sophia, Wagrein, and Hoffnung, and on 12 April Sprinkhorn, and Oppreissring.{{London Gazette |date=18 September 1810 |issue=16406 |page=1469}}

Calliope and {{HMS|Britomart|1808|2}} shared in the proceeds of the capture on 2 September of the Danish vessels Goede Verwagting and Frou Esje.{{London Gazette|date=28 May 1811 |issue=16490 |page=1002 }}

On 25 October 1810 Calliope was at {{coord|54|47|N|2|46|E}} when she sighted an enemy vessel sailing towards her. The approaching enemy had apparently mistaken Calliope for a merchant brig; at the enemy came up to about three miles away, she realized her mistake, at which point M'Kerlie gave chase. Eventually Calliope caught up with her quarry and succeeded in bringing down her mainmast; with the loss of rigging and sails the quarry had to strike. The enemy vessel was the schooner Comtesse d'Hambourg, of eight 12-pounder carronades, six 8-pounder guns, and 51 men. She was seven days out of Dunkirk, but had not captured anything. M'Kerlie reported that Calliope had had three men wounded.{{sfnp|Marshall|1829|pp=188–189}} Comtesse d'Hambourg had no casualties; her crew had fired her guns and then taken refuge below decks.{{efn|Comtesse d'Hambourg was a privateer schooner that had been commissioned at Hamburg circa October 1810.{{sfnp|Demerliac|2003|loc=n°1469|p=223}}}}

On 12 March 1811 Calliope captured the Danish brig Silenus.{{London Gazette|date=16 May 1812 |issue=16604 |page=938}}

On 9 September Callioppe captured the Dutch dogger Morgenstar.{{London Gazette|date=12 January 1813 |issue=16692 |page=112}}

On 23 May 1813 Calliope was in company with {{HMS|Urgent|1804|2}}, {{HMS|Drake|1808|2}}, {{HMS|Hearty|1805|2}}, and the hired armed cutter {{ship|Hired armed cutter|Princess Augusta||2}} when they captured the Danish vessels Jonge Greenwoldt, Hoffnung 1 and 2, and another vessel, name unknown.{{efn|The prize money for an ordinary seaman was 17s 9d.{{London Gazette|issue=16956|pages=2242–2243|date=12 November 1814}}}}

On 10 July 1813 Calliope was part of a squadron that captured eight small vessels in the Elbe and Weser. The squadron included {{HMS|Desiree|1800|2}}, {{HMS|Brev Drageren|1807|2}}, {{HMS|Shamrock|1812|2}}, {{HMS|Thrasher|1804|2}}, Princess Augusta, and gunboats.{{London Gazette|issue=17046|page=1566|date=1 August 1815}}{{efn|The prize money for an ordinary seaman for the eight small vessels was 15s {{frac|9|3|4}}d.{{London Gazette|issue=17116|pages=432–433|date=5 March 1816}}}}

On 27 October Calliope was under the command of Commander John M'Kerlie, and in company with {{HMS|Thrasher|1804|2}}. The shared in the proceeds of the capture on that day of Frou Magaretha.{{efn|A first-class share of the prize money was worth £23 3s {{frac|6|1|2}}d; a sixth-class share of the prize money, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 9s {{frac|1|1|2}}d.{{London Gazette|date=23 March 1816|issue=17121|pages=561–562}}}}

Also on 27 October Calliope and Brevdrageren captured the Danish sloop Einzigheit.{{London Gazette|date=5 August 1815 |issue=17048 |page= 1601}}

Between 10 July and 31 December 1813 the squadron of which Calliope was a part succeeded in capturing 19 vessels.{{efn|A first-class share of the prize money was worth £80 10s 9d; a sixth-class share was worth £1 0s 6d.{{London Gazette|date= 23 September 1815 |issue=17064 |page=1954}}}}

Commander John Codd was appointed to Calliope on 6 December 1813, replacing M'Kerlie. Calliope remained on the North Sea station.{{sfnp|Marshall|1830|p=291}}

Under the rules of prize-money, she shared in the proceeds of the capture of the American vessels in the Battle of Lake Borgne on 14 December 1814.{{efn|A first-class share of the prize money was worth £34 12s {{frac|9|1|4}}d; a sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth 7s {{frac|10|3|4}}d.{{London Gazette|page=1561|issue=17730|date=28 July 1821}}}}{{efn|

'Notice is hereby given to the officers and companies of His Majesty's ships Aetna, Alceste,

Anaconda,

Armide,

Asia,

Bedford,

Belle Poule,

Borer,

Bucephalus,

Calliope,

Carron,

Cydnus,

Dictator,

Diomede, Dover,

Fox,

Gorgon,

Herald,

Hydra,

Meteor,

Norge,

Nymphe,

Pigmy,

Ramillies,

Royal Oak,

Seahorse,

Shelburne,

{{HMS|Sophie|1809|2}},

Thames, {{HMS|Thistle|1812|2}}, {{HMS|Tonnant |1798|2}}, Trave,

{{HMS|Volcano|1804|2}}, and Weser, that they will be paid their respective proportions of prize money.'

{{London Gazette|page=1561|issue=17730|date=28 July 1821}}}}

{{main|Battle of Lake Borgne}}

In April 1815 Commander Henry Thompson replaced Codd. Then in September 1815 Commander Alexander Maconochie replaced Thompson, but Calliope was laid up that month.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=313}}

Calliope underwent repairs at Portsmouth between July and December 1820. Then between April and June 1822 Calliope underwent fitting to serve as a tender to {{HMS|Apollo|1805|6}}.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=313}} In 1825 Calliope became a tender to {{ship|HMY|Royal George}}, and was under the command of Lieutenant John Powney. While captain of Calliope, he conveyed the Mexican chargé d'affaires, Senor Rocafuerte, with a treaty of commerce, from England to New Spain. The government of the republic rewarded Powney with a table service of plate. He brought home from thence a freight of considerable value, arriving back in England on 27 April 1827.{{sfnp|Marshall|1835|pp=353–356}}

In spring 1827, Calliope was found unfit for further service. Lieutenant Powney was lent, with the crew of Royal George, to the Royal yacht {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|1804|2}}. On 26 June 1827 Powney received a promotion to the rank of commander.{{sfnp|Marshall|1835|pp=353–356}}

Calliope was broken up at Portsmouth on 13 August 1829.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=313}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|title=La Marine du Consulat et du Premier Empire: Nomenclature des Navires Français de 1800 à 1815 |last=Demerliac |first=Alain |year=2003 |publisher=Éditions Ancre |language=French |isbn=9782903179304 |oclc=492784876 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Hepper |first1=David J. |year=1994 |title=British Warship Losses in the Age of Sail, 1650–1859 |publisher=Jean Boudriot |location=Rotherfield |isbn=0-948864-30-3}}
• {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Codd, John |volume=sup |part=4 |page=291}}
• {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=M'Kerlie, John |volume=sup|part=3 |pages=186–194}}
• {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Powney, John |volume=4|part=2 |pages=353–356}}
• {{cite book |first1=Rif |last1=Winfield |title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates |publisher=Seaforth Publishing|year=2008 |isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calliope (1808)}}

Category:Cherokee-class brig-sloops

Category:1808 ships

Category:War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom