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FORMIDABLE (90) 2nd rate Built in 1777, Chatham DY.
Broken up in 1813.

  • 1782 1st. Capt. Sir C. DOUGLAS, 2nd Capt. J. SAMBER, flagship of ADM. H. PIGOT, West Indies.
  • 1791 Flagship of Rear Ad.J. Leveson GOWER.
  • 1795 Capt. Hon. George BERKELEY, 02/1795, Channel.
  • During the mutiny at Spithead Lieut. William LOVE was left in command on board. The INTREPID anchored nearby and her crew showed signs of disaffection, so Lieut LOVE sent over an officer and a few trusty men to remonstrate with them, with the permission of Capt. William HARGOOD. This produced good results and discipline was restored.
    When FORMIDABLE and six other ships of the line were ordered to join Ad. DUNCAN in the North Sea in June 1797, the same group were sent to CAESAR to reason with her crew. FORMIDABLE was afterwards fitted out as Ad. DUNCAN's flagship and sailed through the Downs to join him on 11 October, the day he defeated the Dutch at Camperdown. She returned to Plymouth were she was chosen for the flag of Sir Charles THOMPSON in November.
  • 1797 Capt. Robert WILLIAMS, 11/1797.
  • 1798 Capt. IRWIN, 01/1798. Capt. J. H. WHITSHED, 06/1798.
  • 1799 Capt. THORNBROUGH, 04/1799, Channel Fleet.
  • 1800 With Ad. GARDNER's squadron off Brest.
    They arrived in Plymouth on 23 March, ROYAL SOVEREIGN, TRIUMPH, FORMIDABLE, ST. GEORGE, CAESAR, BELLONA, MAGNIFICENT and UNICORN, having left Ad. BRIDPORT with 31 sail-of-the-line off Brest on the 19th.
    ST. GEORGE, FORMIDABLE and BELLONA sailed again on 1 April to join Lord BRIDPORT. She remained cruising off Brest for the rest of the year apart from two weeks break at Plymouth in the middle of August.
  • On 10 December 1800 a court martial was held at Torbay to try Lieut. DELYEL of FORMIDABLE on a charge of speaking very disrespectfully to his captain. Found guilty he was sentenced to be dismissed for ever from his Majesty's service and to be imprisoned for two years in solitary confinement.
    Ad. HARVEY presided.
  • 1801 Capt. Richard GRINDALL, Channel fleet.
    FORMIDABLE was paid wages and prize money at Plymouth on 28 May.
    FORMIDABLE and GLORY came in from the Channel fleet to refit on 26 September.
    In November WINDSOR CASTLE, GLORY, NAMUR, ATLAS, PRINCESS ROYAL and FORMIDABLE were detached to cruise off Bantry Bay.
    Ad. Lord GARDNER, and the Admiralty, had arranged for an agent victualler to be at Beerhaven with a supply of bullocks and other necessities ready for the squadron. Provisions were plentiful; a fat sheep nine shillings, geese one shilling each, eggs two-pence a dozen, and fish and game in abundance.
    On the 1st. and 2nd there were severe gales around the southern Irish coast and several warships, GALATEA for one, nearly foundered. Vice Ad. Sir A. MITCHELL made the signal for unbending sails so it was supposed that the squadron would winter in Bantry Bay. Following an outbreak of mutiny at Beerhaven at the end of 1801, the crew of FORMIDABLE were keen to express their loyalty and wrote to the captain saying that they were hurt by the imputation that they were concerned in any way with the crime so atrociously committed on board TEMERAIRE.
  • On 29 September 1802 FORMIDABLE was paid off at Plymouth, her crew discharged and she was laid up in ordinary.
  • 1803 Plymouth, to repair.
  • 1805 In December she was at Plymouth fitting out as a flagship for Ad. DUCKWORTH. Capt. R. D. DUNN.
  • 1807 Capt. FAYERMAN, to the Mediterranean on 1 January.
  • 1810 Capt. James Nicoll MORRIS, Lisbon.
  • Out of commission at Portsmouth by the end of 1811.
  • Reduced to a 3rd. Rate 74 guns in 1813, then broken up.


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