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ELEPHANT (74) Built in 1786, Bursledon.
Reduced to 58 gun in 1818.
Broken up in 1830.

  • 1800 Capt. FOLEY, Channel fleet off Brest. She came into Plymouth for a refit on 23 June 1800 and on the 30th. orders came down for the 23rd., or Royal Welch Fusiliers, to embark on board her and ALCMENE to reinforce the troops on the Isles Hodie and Houar. She returned to her station off Brest where CAESAR, EXCELLENT, MARLBOROUGH, DEFENCE and ELEPHANT comprised the inshore or flying squadron under Sir Robert CALDER, and on 27 September, because of heavy gales from the S. W., the whole squadron sought shelter in Cawsand Bay.
  • On 12 March 1801 Sir Hyde PARKER's squadron sailed from Yarmouth for Copenhagen with NELSON in ELEPHANT.
    On the 30th. they passed the fortress of Cronenburg mounting 270 pieces of cannon.
    Not one shot struck a British ship and ELEPHANT did not reply.
    The 12 ships under NELSON's command anchored on the night of the 1 April and the following morning the ships weighed and moved up to the attack, EDGAR leading the line.
    Sir Hyde PARKER made his recall signal when NELSON was left with nine ships against the Danish eighteen but the weight of British metal gradually altered the situation and a message sent ashore by NELSON led to a truce.
    The bombs took up station alongside ELEPHANT and threw shells into the Arsenal but the current was too strong for them go forward.
    To NELSON's fury all the prizes taken, save one, were destroyed on Sir Hyde PARKER's orders.
    ELEPHANT lost eight killed, including Capt. James Bawden of the Cornish miners, a volunteer in the Rifle Corps, and eleven wounded, including Mr Hugh MITCHEL, midshipman.
  • After the battle NELSON moved to ST. GEORGE but on 17 April he shifted back to ELEPHANT for a few days because the Swedish fleet was reported to be at sea and ST. GEORGE could not be got over the shallows.
  • 1803 Capt. George DUNDAS Jamaica.
    The French ship MARS with one gun and carrying 230 soldiers with their officers was captured by ELEPHANT and her squadron on 13 October.
  • 1805 Ditto, off the Texel.
  • 1806 Capt. George MORRIS, Jamaica station.
    By the end of 1807 she was out of commission at Portsmouth.
  • 1811 Capt. Francis William AUSTEN, off Flushing.
    On the morning of 28 December 1812, well to the westwards of the Azores, ELEPHANT and HERMES captured the American privateer schooner SWORDFISH of Gloucester, John Evans, master. She was 16 days out of Boston and was only six months old, copper fastened and mounting twelve 6-pounders (ten of which were thrown over board during the chase of more than 100 miles.)
  • From the spring of 1814 she was out of commission at Portsmouth.


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