HMS Herald (1806)

Herald was commissioned in March 1806 under Captain G. M. Hony.{{sfnp|Winfield |2008 |p=260}} On 18 May 1807 he sailed her to the Mediterranean, where he proceeded to cruise off Corfu in the early stages of the Adriatic campaign. Herald attacked French shipping off the island and later in the year cruised off the Dardanelles before returning to the Adriatic off Otranto, attacking a number of coastal merchant vessels with success.

On 25 October 1807, Herald was off Otranto when she found an armed trabaccolo anchored under the fortress. Despite resistance, Herald's boats cut out the vessel, which turned out to be the French privateer César, armed with four 6-pounders. César was sailing from Ancona to Corfu with a cargo of rice and flour. All but four of the crew escaped. Herald suffered four men wounded.{{London Gazette|issue=16113 |page=142|date=26 January 1808}}

In January 1808 Commander George Jackson took command.{{sfnp|Winfield |2008 |p=260}} Herald operated off the Italian coasts, capturing or destroying numerous French and Italian merchant ships during the year.

In August 1810 Herald was re-rated as a 20-gun post ship, though Jackson did not receive his promotion until one year later, in August 1811. In the meantime, on 9 May 1811, boats from Herald and {{HMS|Pilot|1807|2}} cut out four coasting vessels from the town of Monastarrachi.{{London Gazette|page=1572|issue=16512|date=10 August 1811}}

On 4 July 1812, Jackson sailed Herald for Jamaica.{{sfnp|Winfield |2008 |p=260}} There she captured the American ship Venus on 17 December.{{efn| The first-class share, that is Jackson's share, of the prize money was worth £624 12s 7d, i.e., several years' salary. A sixth-class share, that of an ordinary seaman, was worth £12 19s {{frac|0|3|4}}d, or about seven to eight months' salary.{{London Gazette|page=116|issue=17101|date=20 January 1816}}}}

On 1 January 1813, Captain Clement Milward was nominated Acting-Captain of Herald; he was confirmed in the position on 28 May.O'Byrne (1849), p.764. Captain Milward took command of Herald off Halifax, Nova Scotia.{{sfnp|Winfield |2008 |p=260}}

Operating off the American coast during the War of 1812, Herald captured one English, one French and four American vessels during 1813, all of which she sent to Nassau, New Providence.{{London Gazette||page=1256|issue=16909|date=18 June 1814}}

• English vessel Lune, in ballast, taken 3 June;
• French vessel Vengeance, carrying wine, silks, &c. taken 27 June;{{efn|The first-class share for Vengeance was worth £47 0s {{frac|1|3|4}}d; a sixth-class share was worth 12s {{frac|6|3|4}}d.{{London Gazette|pages=2304–2305|issue=17433|date=22 December 1818}}}}
• American vessel Adeline Cecilia, in ballast, taken 13 August 1813;
• American vessel Jane, carrying cotton and sugar, taken 13 December 1813;
• American vessel Eliza and Ann, carrying sundries, taken 21 December; and
• American vessel Liberty, carrying sundries, taken 23 December.

On 14 January 1814, Herald captured the American ship Adolphus, and shared the prize money, by agreement, with {{HMS|Forester|1806|2}} and {{HMS|Contest|1812|2}}.{{efn|A first-class share was worth £38 11s 9d; a sixth-class share was worth 18s {{frac|9|3|4}}d.{{London Gazette|page=1091|issue=17248|date=6 May 1817}}}} In 1814, Herald took part in the Gulf Campaign. From March 1814 onwards, {{HMS |Anaconda |1813|2}}, under orders of Captain Milward of Herald, was sent to patrol off the Mississippi, and would remain here for the rest of the year.{{sfnp|Marshall|1832|p=197}} Under the rules of prize-money, Herald shared in the proceeds of the capture of six 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 {{HMS |Aetna|1803|2}}, {{HMS |Alceste |1806|2}}, {{HMS |Anaconda |1813|2}}, Armide, {{HMS |Asia |1811|2}}, {{HMS |Bedford |1775|2}}, {{HMS |Belle Poule |1806|2}}, {{HMS |Borer |1812|2}}, {{HMS|Bucephalus|1808|2}}, {{HMS |Calliope |1808|2}}, {{HMS |Carron |1813|2}}, {{HMS |Cydnus|1813|2}},

{{HMS |Dictator |1783|2}}, {{HMS|Diomede|1798|2}}, {{HMS |Dover |1811|2}}, {{HMS |Fox |1780|2}},

{{HMS |Gorgon |1785|2}}, Herald, {{HMS |Hydra |1797|2}}, Meteor, {{HMS|Norge |1807 |2}}, {{HMS|Nymphe |1812|2}}, {{HMS|Pigmy |1810|2}}, {{HMS |Ramillies |1785|2}},

{{HMS |Royal Oak |1809|2}}, {{HMS |Seahorse |1794 |2}}, {{HMS |Shelburne |1813|2}}, {{HMS |Sophie |1809|2}}, {{HMS|Thames|1805|2}}, {{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.'

}} Then, with {{HMS| Nymphe|1812|2}}, {{HMS|Thistle|1812|2}}, {{HMS|Pigmy|1810|2}} and two bomb vessels, Herald went up the Mississippi River to create a diversion at Fort St. Philip.{{London Gazette|pages=449–451|issue=16991|date=9 March 1815}}

In accordance with Cochrane's orders, Herald moored off Prospect Bluff,Letter from Vice Admiral Cochrane to Rear Admiral Malcolm dated 17 February 1815. This is within WO 1/143 folio 37, which can be downloaded for a fee from the [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C2488982 UK National Archives website]. and on 5 April 1815 embarked troops of the 5th Battalion of the West India Regiment. She arrived in Jamaica on 10 May.{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonandhisworld.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1569&sid=5a4ef12603261b952d183b69e7c2289e|title=Royal Marines on the Gulf Coast|accessdate=19 January 2014|quote=Extracted information from the muster of HMS Herald}} Herald accompanied a convoy, arriving in Portsmouth on 25 September.{{cite web |title=Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels and a few of their movements |url=http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/H/02228.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102105535/http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/H/02228.html |work=P. Benyon |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2018}} Captain Milward left Herald on 11 October 1815.O'Byrne (1849), p.764.

On 9 September 1817, Herald was broken up at Chatham Naval Dockyard.{{sfnp|Winfield |2008 |p=260}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite RNB1823 |wstitle=Westphal, George Augustus |volume=3 |part=2 |page=197}}
• {{cite NBD1849 |wstitle=Milward, Clement |page=764}}
• {{citation |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2008|isbn=978-1-86176-246-7}}

• [http://www.ageofnelson.org/MichaelPhillips/info.php?ref=1121 Ships of the Old Navy]

{{Cormorant class ship-sloop}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herald (1806)}}

Category:Cormorant-class ship-sloops

Category:1806 ships

Category:Ships built in England

Category:War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom