HMS Merlin (1803)
{{short description|UK naval sloop 1803–1836}}
{{other ships|list of ships named Hercules|HMS Merlin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country=United Kingdom | Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|civil}} | Ship name = Hercules | Ship namesake = | Ship owner = | Ship operator = | Ship acquired = | Ship builder = South Shields | Ship original cost = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 1801 | Ship registered = | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship honours = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = | Ship fate = Sold 1803 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header=title |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag=File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg |Ship name=HMS Merlin |Ship ordered= |Ship builder= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship acquired=1803 by purchase |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honours= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Sold 1836 |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption={{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}} |Ship class= |Ship type=Sloop |Ship tons burthen=395 (bm) |Ship length=*{{convert|104|ft|0|in|m|1|abbr=on}} (overall)
|Ship beam={{convert|30|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship draught= |Ship hold depth={{convert|12|ft|10|in|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship sail plan=Sloop |Ship complement=100 (British service) |Ship armament=*Upper deck: 14 × 32-pounder carronades |Ship notes= }} |
HMS Merlin was launched in 1801 in South Shields as the collier Hercules. In July 1803, with the resumption of war with France, the Admiralty purchased her. She was one of about 20 such vessels that the navy would then employ primarily for convoy escort duties. She served on active duty until 1810, capturing one small privateer. She then served as a receiving ship until 1836 when the navy sold her for breaking up.
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Career
The Admiralty purchased Hercules in July 1803, renaming her Merlin. From 20 July to 20 September she was at Deptford fitting out for naval service. Commander Edward Pelham Brenton commissioned her in September.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}}
On 28 October 1803, Merlin and {{HMS|Milbrook|1798|2}} were off Dunkirk when they pursued and drove on shore the French privateer lugger Sept Freres. Sept Freres was armed with two guns and had a crew of 30 men under the command of Citizen Pollet. Milbrook anchored close to the lugger and came under fire from some field guns on shore. Though she took some hits, the British suffered no casualties.{{London Gazette|issue=15637|pages=1499–1500|date=29 October 1803}} Head money was finally paid in May 1827.{{efn|A first class share of the head money was worth £39 13s 0¾d; a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 4s 11¼d.{{London Gazette|issue=18357|page=966|date=1 May 1827}}}}
In December Merlin was attached to the Channel fleet and was in company with {{HMS|Shannon |1803|2}} on patrol off the Cape La Hogue searching for French coastal shipping and privateers attempting to slip out of the Normandy port of Cherbourg. At 8pm on 10 December, Shannon grounded on Tatihou Island, near Barfleur, during a heavy gale.{{sfnp|Hepper|1994|p=103}} Merlin spotted land thanks to a bolt of lightning and was able to wear off in time.
A shore battery fired on Shannon, killing some men. When it was clear that Shannon could not be gotten off, her captain surrendered. The French army then took the officers and men prisoners. Some French fishing boats took possession of Shannon but saw that her hull was so damaged that she would be impossible to refloat.Troude (1867), p.306.
Merlin stood back into shore on the 16th and at 11.30am dispatched two boats of marines and sailors to destroy Shannon to prevent the French from salvaging her guns and stores. Despite heavy fire from the island's batteries the boarders were able to burn and destroy the frigate without suffering a single casualty.{{efn|Troude states that the burning of Shannon occurred in the night of 16 December, while salvaging operations were proceeding.}}
Later in December, Merlin and {{HMS|Pluto|1782|2}} detained Traveller, Hall, master, which was sailing from Alexandria to Havre. They sent Traveller into Portsmouth.{{cite news|url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.32044050633072?urlappend=%3Bseq=221 |title=The Marine List |work=Lloyd's List |issue=4414 |date=27 December 1803 |hdl=2027/hvd.32044050633072?urlappend=%3Bseq=221 |accessdate=24 May 2021}}
On 25 May 1804 Merlin was part of a squadron of six vessels that captured Matilda.{{London Gazette|issue=16160|page=949|date=5 July 1808}}
In July and August Merlin participated in the squadron under Captain Robert Dudley Oliver in {{HMS|Melpomene|1794|2}} at the bombardment of French vessels at Le Havre. The bomb vessels' shells and carcasses set the town on fire on 23 July. Merlin was one of only two British vessels that suffered hits from enemy fire and there were no British casualties.{{London Gazette|issue=15722|page=898|date=24 July 1804}} On 1 August, the vessels kept a continuous fire for three hours. Still, it is not clear that the bombardment did much damage to the French flotilla.{{London Gazette|issue=15725|page=938|date=4 August 1804}} On 22 July Merlin captured the Shepherdess,{{London Gazette|issue=15977|page=1526|date=22 November 1806}} and on 31 July Merlin and the squadron capture the French vessel Papillon.{{London Gazette|issue=15848|page=1248|date=1 October 1805}} Merlin also shared in the capture, on 15 September, of the Flora de Lisboa, off Havre.{{London Gazette|issue=15925|page=704|date=3 June 1806}}
Commander Robert Forbes replaced Brenton in January 1805.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}} Merlin was in company with {{HMS|Champion|1779|2}} , {{HMS|Cracker|1804|2}}, and the hired armed cutters Frances and Nelson on 16 April at the capture of the Charlotte Christina.{{London Gazette|issue=15994|page=93|date=24 January 1807}} Merlin shared with {{HMS|Eurydice|1781|2}} and Prevoyante in the proceeds from the capture on 11 June of the Prussian ship Edward. The proceeds were forwarded from Gibraltar.{{London Gazette|issue=16111|page=113|date=19 January 1808}}
In an enclosure to a letter dated 7 October 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson wrote, "Jalouse, Childers, and Merlin being unfit for the service of this Country, are ordered home with the first Convoy to be repaired".Nicholas (1846), Vol. 7, p.85.
Still, by March 1806 Merlin was in the West Indies, and under the command of Commander William Standway Parkinson.{{sfnp|Marshall|1827|p=294}} On 26 April Merlin escorted 16 vessels from Barbadoes to Demerara, Surinam, and Berbice.Lloyd's List, no. 4062,[http://www.1812privateers.org/LLOYDS/1806/07-04-1806.jpg] - accessed 20 June 2014.
Commander William Fisher replaced Parkinson on 25 February 1807.{{sfnp|O'Byrne|1849|p=359}}
By April 1807 Merlin was laid up. The navy paid her off in June at Portsmouth.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}}
Fate
In October 1810 the Navy had Merlin fitted as a receiving ship at Portsmouth.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}}
The "Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral" offered the Merlin sloop, of 395 tons (bm), lying at Portsmouth, for sale on 21 January 1836.{{London Gazette|issue=19344|page=26|date=5 January 1836}} The Commissioners sold her on that day for £510.{{sfnp|Winfield|2008|p=270}}
Notes
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Citations
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References
- {{cite book|last=Hepper|first=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=Parkinson, William Standway |volume=sup |part=1 |page=294}}
- Nicolas, Sir Nicholas Harris (1846) The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, with Notes. (Colburn)
- {{Cite NBD1849 |wstitle=Fisher, William |page=359}}
- {{Cite book|first=Onésime-Joachim|last=Troude|author-link=Onésime-Joachim Troude|year=1867|publisher=Challamel ainé|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rhIR5D5quFYC|title=Batailles navales de la France|language=fr|volume=3}}
- {{cite book |first=Rif|last=Winfield|title=British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates|publisher=Seaforth|year=2008|isbn=978-1861762467}}
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