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AMERICA
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(60) |
4th rate
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Built in 1757, Thames.
Broken up in 1771. |
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- 1758 Capt. James KIRK(E) who had returned to England in LYNN with the Jamaica fleet of 147 sail. Early in 1759 he was with the squadron sent out to the Mediterranean under Ad. BOSCAWEN. On the day following the action with de la Clue off Gibraltar on 18 August, Capt. KIRK and Capt. PRATTEN of the INTREPID were ordered to destroy OCEAN, the French flag-ship, which had run among the breakers. Capt. BATTEN let go his anchor too soon so Capt. KIRK performed the service alone. M. de la Clue, who had broken one of his legs, had been taken ashore, but the captain and his officers surrendered the ship and were made prisoner. OCEAN, being fast aground, was set on fire. Capt. KIRK gave up the command on his return to England.
- 1759 Capt. James KIRKE. With Ad. BOSCAWEN's fleet off Gibraltar in action with the French on 18 August 1759.
The French flagship OCEAN (80) after being brought to action by BOSCAWEN'S flagship, NAMUR, ran among the breakers, took the ground and lost all her masts.
BOSCAWEN ordered INTREPID (60) Capt. PRATTEN, and AMERICA to finish her off but Capt. PRATTEN had anchored and failed to carry out the order, so Capt. KIRKE, taking AMERICA in as close as he dared fired into OCEAN until she struck. Finding impossible to bring her off he set her on fire after removing the people he found on board,including her captain, the Comte de CARNE. M. de la CLUE, who commanded the French squadron, had been landed earlier at Lagos where he died of his wounds.
BOSCAWEN returned to England with his squadron and their prizes, CENTAUR, TEMERAIRE and MODESTE, after completing repairs. - In November bad weather obliged Sir Edward HAWKE to leave the blockade off Brest and return to Torbay. Ad. CONFLANS took advantage of his absence and put to sea.
AMERICA was one of the ships under Rear Ad. GEARY sent to reinforce Ad. HAWKE who pursued CONFLANS into Quiberon Bay. - 1760 Capt. Robert HALDANE, with orders for the East Indies in company with Capt. TINKER in MEDWAY (60). With 5 ships of the line HALDANE was left to continue the blockade of Pondicherry through the rainy season while STEVENS sailed for Trincomalee.
He resumed command on 25 December and seven days later the fleet was struck by a violent hurricane. AMERICA, PANTHER, MEDWAY and FALMOUTH cut away their masts and managed to ride out the storm. 1,100 men perished in three ships which were overset or foundered. The French commander, Gen. Lally, wrote to the French resident at Pulicate to say that the English squadron is no more, but two days after more ships arrived to resume the blockade.
Capt. HALDANE died on board AMERICA on 22 August 1761. - 1761 Capt. Samuel PITCHFORD, East Indies.
With the fleet being fitted out by Rear Ad. Samuel CORNISH for an expedition against Manilla. The warships and two East Indiamen carried the army of about 2300 men.
Between 19 and 27 August they watered and took on stores at Malacca and on 23 September they arrived off Manilla and summoned the town the next day. The Spaniards, who had not known war had been declared, refused. Troops were landed through the surf and on the 26th., they were reinforced by seamen under Capt. PITCHFORD and Capts. COLLINS of WEYMOUTH and OURRY of ELIZABETH.
On 5 October a breach was stormed and Manilla, together all the Spanish islands capitulated.
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