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DICTATOR
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(64) |
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Built in 1783, Limehouse.
Broken up in 1817. |
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- 1794 Capt. DOD.
- 1795 Capt. BRUNTON.
- 1796 Capt. TOTTY.
- 1797 Capt. T WESTON.
- 1798 Capt. Thomas Byam MARTIN.
- 1799 Capt. HARDY.
St. Helens.
In 1800 DICTATOR was armed en flute and arrived in Plymouth on 21 March from Cork with 500 of the 82nd regiment on board. - At the beginning of October DICTATOR was with Ad. KEITH's fleet.
This consisted of 14 ships-of-the-line, 18 frigates and 90 transports and Lord KEITH, in conjunction with Sir Ralph Abercromby, was planning an attack on Cadiz.
Officially the commanders yielded to eloquent pleading of the governor, Don Thomas de Morla, who explained that the city was being ravaged by a sickness which had carried off thousands of the inhabitants, and called off the attack for humanitarian reasons.
The more practical reasons were that, although 20,000 men were crowded into the ships, the boats could only carry 3,000 men.
By the time they reached the shore 10 miles away in a rough sea they would be no match for the 8,000 Spanish troops waiting for them. - In the spring of 1801 DICTATOR was in the Mediterranean and, with part of the Coldstream regiment of foot-guards, joined the fleet assembling at Marmaris in S. W. Turkey, prior to the descent on Egypt. She quitted the anchorage there on 22 February and took part in the landing of troops at Aboukir Bay on 8 March. She lost one seaman killed and one wounded.
Mr Edward ROBINSON, midshipman, was wounded and died later. - Soon after the surrender of Alexandria on 2 September, DICTATOR sailed to Cyprus with convalescents and to obtain supplies. She was put out of commission in March 1802.
- In 1803 she was fitted out at Chatham as a floating battery and from 23 November until 28 April 1804 she was commanded by Capt. Charles TINLING and stationed in the King's Channel.
From 1805, under Capt. James M'NAMARA, she was employed as the rendezvous in Yarmouth Roads.
By the end of 1807 she was back at Chatham in ordinary but in 1808, under Capt. CAMPBELL, she took part in the Baltic expedition. - On 7 July 1810 the boats of DICTATOR and EDGAR boarded and brought out three Danish gunboats from Granna under a heavy shore fire from guns and muskets.
The boats each mounted one long gun and four brass howitzers and carried 28 men. - 1811 Capt. Robert WILLIAMS, Spithead.
Later in the year she was back in the Baltic.
CRESSY, DEFENCE, DICTATOR, SHELDRAKE and BRUIZER were escorting a large convoy when, on 5 July, they they were attacked off Hielm Island by a Danish flotilla of 17 gunboats and 10 heavy rowboats.
The enemy were repulsed without loss to the convoy and four of the gunboats were captured.
They each mounted one long 24 pounder and four brass howitzers and carried 120 men between them. - 1812 Capt. J. P. STEWART, Baltic.
On the evening of 6 July DICTATOR, with the brigs PODARGUS and CALYPSO and the gunbrig FLAMER were off Mardoe when the mastheads of enemy warships were seen over the rocks.
Capt. ROBILLIARD of PODARGUS offered to lead the squadron in since he had a man acquainted with the area but unfortunately the brig ran aground in the entrance and FLAMER had to be left to assist her.
After sailing 12 miles through a narrow passage with CALYPSO leading DICTATOR ran her bow on the land and, with her broadside towards the enemy, opened fire on a Danish 38-gun frigate and three brigs.
These were anchored close together and supported by gunboats.
In half an hour the frigate, NAYADEN, was battered and on fire and the three brigs,LAALAND, SAMSOE and KIEL had struck.
CALYPSO engaged the gunboats.
Meanwhile POLDARGUS and FLAMER were also fighting their own battles with gunboats as they endeavoured to get themselves afloat. - Capt. STEWARD tried to bring out two of the brigs as prizes but they grounded and had to be abandoned.
Because of the enemy wounded still on board they could not be burnt.
DICTATOR lost five killed.
Thomas BARNES, Christopher LEWIS and John SULLIVAN, seamen, Abraham LADD, marine, and William ROLF, boy.
Twenty-four were wounded, sixteen of them severely. - DICTATOR's officers during the action were: Lieuts. DUELL, DUTTON and EDWARDS; Mr. R. WEST, the master, Mr John LUCKOMLEE, the purser, Mr HAY, the surgeon, and his assistant Mr SANDERSON.
- On 6 October Lieut. DUELL in one of DICTATOR's boats captured after a short fight, the Danish lugger No.
28, commanded by a lieutenant and manned by 12 men.
The enemy had two men killed and three wounded for no loss. - DICTATOR was paid off in November 1812.
- 1814 Capt. BYNG, Downs.
- 1815 Capt. G. A. CROFTON, to North America as
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