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AUGUSTA (64) 4th rate Built in 1763, Rotherhithe.
Burnt in 1777.

  • 1766 Capt. Matthew WHITWELL. Guardship at the Nore.
  • 1767 Capt. John EVANS. Guardship at Chatham.
  • 1771 Capt. Thomas EVANS, a few months after his namesake had quitted his command after the customary three years, AUGUSTA was re-commissioned in apprehension of a rupture with Spain over the Falkland Islands. When a settlement was reached AUGUSTA was again put out of commission and dismantled.
  • 1775 Capt. Charles MIDDLETON. Guardship at Chatham.
  • 1777 Capt. Francis REYNOLDS.
    On 22 October AUGUSTA, with three frigates and a sloop, ROEBUCK (44) Capt. HAMOND, LIVERPOOL (28) Capt. BELLEW, PEARL (32) Capt. WILKINSON, and MERLIN (16) Cdr. REEVE, she carried out an attack on Fort Mifflin sited on Mud, or Fort, Island in the Delaware a little below the entrance of the Schuylkill. (In the area of the Philadelphia Int. Airport) This fort, supported by two floating batteries and some galleys, together with batteries at Red Bank on the Jersey side, defended obstructions, a sort of underwater chevaux de frise invented by Ben Franklin, which would pierce the hull of any vessel striking them, in the upper river, which prevented supplies being carried to Philadelphia by water. The army, under Col. Donop attacked Red Bank and were repulsed with heavy casualties and at the same time Capt. REYNOLDS and his flotilla started their assault on the island fort.
    The channel was only two hundred yards wide and both AUGUSTA and the sloop MERLIN, Cdr. Samuel REEVE, took the ground and could not be moved that night because the rise of the tide had been checked by the prevalent winds. The following the Americans concentrated all their fire on the two stranded ships, although the range was so great that little damage was done. ISIS warped her way through the lower chevaux de frise to AUGUSTA's assistance and preparations were made to lighten the ship, when a number of wads took fire aft. This spread rapidly and most of her crew were rescued before she blew up.
    Mr Baldock, the second lieutenant, and the chaplain and the gunner were among the few killed by the explosion. MERLIN was also set on fire and abandoned.


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