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CRESCENT
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(36) |
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Built in 1784, Burlesdon.
Wrecked in 1808. |
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- 1793 Capt. James SAUMAREZ, Spithead.
On the night of 19 October CRESCENT, cruising in the Channel, ran under Cape Barfleur and the following morning sighted the French frigate REUNION with a cutter, ESPERANCE (14) in company.
The enemy had stood across the Channel during the night in search of prizes and was returning to Cherbourg.
After a close action lasting more than two hours, REUNION struck with casualties of 33 killed and 48 severely wounded out of a crew of 300.
CRESCENT, with 50 less in her crew, had one seaman wounded by a gun recoil.
ESPERANCE escaped into Cherbourg and Capt. SAUMAREZ took his prize back to Portsmouth. - 1795 Capt. BUTLER.
- 1797 Capt. MURRAY, 01/1797.
- 1798 Capt. J. W. SPRANGER, 02/1798.
Capt. BRISBANE, 06/1798. - 1799 Capt. W. G. LOBB, 04/1799, Jamaica station.
At the end of 1799 CRESCENT and CALYPSO were escorting the England and Cork convoys through the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and San Domingo when, at dawn on 15 November, they fell in with an enemy squadron.
A line-of-battle ship and a frigate were directly in their course on the larboard tack so Capt. LOBB ordered the convoy to haul to the wind on the opposite tack while he made sail to reconnoitre them.
He had hopes of drawing them from the convoy but when the enemy tacked he was forced to make the signal to disperse.
The CALYPSO bore up for that part of the convoy which were running to leeward and CRESCENT made sail for an enemy corvette which was chasing those which had kept their wind and captured her. She proved to be the Spanish GALGO of 16 guns and 100 men. - The other two enemy ships, ASIA of 64 guns and AMPHITRITE of 44 guns hauled their wind and kept clear after seeing what had happened to the corvette.
CALYPSO brought part of the convoy into Port Royal on 21 November and CRESCENT arrived with the remainder on the 23rd.
The GENERAL GODDARD storeship was the only one missing. - 1803 Chatham.
- 1805 Capt. Lord W. STUART, Channel.
- 1807 Capt James CARTHEW, Yarmouth.
- 1808 Capt. John TEMPLE.
CRESCENT sailed from Yarmouth on 29 November and was off the coast of Norway on 5 December.
On advice from the pilots she then steered S. E. by E. towards the coast of Jutland until land was reported on the lee bow.
The weather was then very thick and the pilots ordered the topsails close reefed and with the depth at 10 fathoms ordered the same tack to be continued until the next morning but at 10 PM
she struck.
The boats were put out and an anchor and cable got into the launch but the current was so strong and the sea running so high that the boats were driven to leeward and were lost to sight in the breakers.
The bower anchor was let go and the guns were heaved overboard but the water continued to rise and the cable soon parted.
All hands were then put to making a raft which was manned by the sick and part of the larboard watch under Lieut. John Weaver of the Royal Marines with midshipmen MASON and LAVENDER.
Although they were about two and a half miles from the Danish coast the three officers and about 20 marines and seamen reached the shore but several marines perished when they were washed off the raft.
The seas breaking over the quarter deck prevented the construction of another raft but the master, Mr WILLIAMSON, midshipmen MUNRO and HOUGHTON, and the boatswain, Mr WALKER, with 14 others managed to launch the jolly boat.
They were nearly swamped by the numbers that jumped overboard to try and get on board but they succeeded in reaching the shore shortly before the ship broke up with the loss of 226 officers, seamen, marines and women. - Those lost included Capt. John TEMPLE; Lieuts. KIRWAN, MACLEAN and STOKES; Mr BEIFE, surgeon; Mr HOSIER, purser; Mr WILLIAMS, gunner; Mr COLTER, carpenter; Messrs. WALLACE, WILLIS, HACKER, SPURGEON, O'DONNEL, HOGHTON, WYTHE, KNIGHT and HANSON, midshipmen, and six women and one child.
Those saved numbered seven officers and 55 seamen and marines.
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