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AURORA
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(28) |
6th rate
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Built in 1777, Blackwall.
Sold in 1814. |
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- 1778 Capt. James CUMMING. St. Lucia.
On 13 December troops under General Grant were landed on the north-west corner of the island and captured the French positions, but on the following day ARIADNE brought news of the approach of d'ESTAING's French fleet. Some 50 or 60 transports were warped inside Ad. BARRINGTON's warships which were positioned across the mouth of the bay at Port Castries and his three frigates, AURORA, ARIADNE and VENUS, were anchored between ISIS(50) and the northern point. D'ESTAING made three attacks on the squadron without effect before landing 7,000 men and attempting to storm the British works which held commanding positions. He led three charges in person which resulted in heavy French losses before re-embarking his troops. Meanwhile BARRINGTON had reinforced the batteries overlooking the Bay with heavy guns manned by seamen. D'ESTAING gave up and quitted the island on 29th. - 1782 Capt. G. CAMPBELL, cruiser in English Channel Dec. 17th.
- 1793 Capt. William ESSLINGTON. North Sea.
He captured the French cutter NARCISSE (14) off the Shetlands on 18 June 1794. - 1795 Capt. Richard KING, 01/1795, North Sea. He removed to DRUID in the summer of 1795.
- Capt. Charles GARNIER, 09/1795. He was unfortunately drowned in Yarmouth Roads, Isle of Wight, going off to his ship in the evening.
- 1796 Capt. P. WOODHOUSE, 06/1796. Capt. J. P. ROBINSON, 11/1796.
- 1797 Capt. Henry DIGBY, 01/1797, Lisbon.
The Spanish RECEVISO (6) was taken on 8 May 1798 and the French EGALITE (20) was destroyed on 22 June. The 30-gun VELOSA ARAGONESCA, armed en flute, was taken off the Azores on 16 September. - 1798 Capt. Thomas Gordon CAULFIELD. Mediterranean.
With Commodore DUCKWORTH's squadron that was detached by ST. VINCENT to act against Minorca at the end of October. Troops under General Stuart landed on 7 November and the island capitulated on the 15th. - 1800 Capt. Phillip BEAVER, Mediterranean.
Under Lord KEITH in MINOTAUR, Capt. BEAVER was in charge of the gun and mortar vessels and the armed boats of the squadron which carried out a number of bombardments of the town and port of Genoa.
During the fourth attack on the night of 20 May 1800 a French flotilla of armed vessels attempted to drive off the English boats. Capt. BEAVER called a detachment of the ship's boats to his assistance and under cannon fire from the mole carried and brought off the largest French galley, LA PRIMA, of 50 oars and 257 men, commanded by Patrizio Galleano. She was armed with two 36-pounder brass guns and the men carried muskets, pistols and cutlasses. Thirty brass swivels were found in the hold. - On 3 March 1801 she arrived in Portsmouth with a convoy from Lisbon and sailed back there on 6 April.
- AURORA arrived at Spithead from Lisbon and Cadiz on 3 January 1803 after a stormy passage. She touched ground coming to St. Helen's but got off with the tide and went into Portsmouth harbour on the 14th. She was docked on the spring tide and went out of harbour on 15 March to remain at Spithead. Capt. M. MALBON in command. The 31st. regiment were embarked on AURORA and DETERMINEE on 24 March and they sailed for Jersey the next day. On the afternoon of the 26th. they passed through the Great Russel passage, AURORA leading because DETERMINEE had no pilot. At quarter past four, nearing the harbour, DETERMINEE struck a rock and was lost. After three and a half hours when every man had been taken from the wreck Capt. BECHER and his officers went on board AURORA. When she returned, press gangs from AURORA and RUSSELL were sent ashore every night, picking up six or seven hands in an evening.
On 7 May she and CAMILLA sailed for Newfoundland. - 1805 Capt. John Wentworth LORING. Capt. Hon. George ELLIOTT, Mediterranean.
- 1806 George Francis SEYMOUR, 07/1806, Mediterranean. He was promoted out of KINGFISHER and removed to PALLAS in the spring of 1808.
- 1808 Capt. John DUER, West Indies. AURORA took part in the blockade of San Domingo under Capt. CUMBY in POLYPHEMUS.
- On 10 November 1808 FRANCHISE, AURORA, DAEDALUS, REINDEER and PERT met accidentally and their captains decided taking the port of Samana would help the Spanish patriots blockading San Domingo. The following day they entered the harbour and took possession without opposition. They captured two French privateer schooners, EXCHANGE (5), and GUERRIER (5), and a schooner, a brig and a sloop laden with fish and coffee. Four days later two prizes, one the English ship JEANNET, were retaken outside the harbour. The French troops in San Domingo surrendered on 6 July 1809.
- 1811 Out of commission at Sheerness.
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