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GALATEA
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(32) |
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Built in 1794, Bursledon.
Broken up in 1809. |
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- Capt. Richard KEATS in 1794.
Capt. COLE, 01/1795.
Again Capt. Richard G. KEATS, 03/1795.
Forming part of the Channel squadrons under Sir Edward PELLEW and Sir John Borlase WARREN. She assisted in the capture or destruction of a number of French men of war: LA REVOLUTIONNAIRE frigate taken on 21 October 1794.
LE JEAN BART (26), corvette, and L'EXPEDITION (16), formerly a British packet, taken by ARTOIS and GALATEA on 15 and 16 April 1795.
L'ETOILE (30), taken by Sir John WARREN's squadron after an action with three large frigates, the bulk of which was born by GALATEA, on 20 March 1796.
The frigate L'ANDROMAQUE (48), (mounting 40) was driven on shore by GALATEA near Arcasson, and there completely destroyed by SYLPH, on 23 August 1796. - 1799 Capt. George BYNG (later Viscount TORRINGTON), Ireland.
In January 1800 she escorted a valuable Cork convoy through the Channel to the Downs.
After safe delivery she came into Plymouth on the 31st.
On 13 April she sailed for Ireland in a gale which forced the men of war in Cawsand Bay to strike their topmasts.
In May she escorted the Irish linen ships for London through the Channel. - During the winter of 1800 on a very dark and tempestuous night, with GALATEA under a close-reefed main-top-sail, Lieut. Donald CAMPBELL and six men were hoisted out in a boat from off the booms and an hour later, half of which time they were out of sight of GALATEA, they got alongside the Spanish letter of marque EL PENSEE and took possession of her.
As they boarded their boat was stove in and for the next ten days, in continuing bad weather, they had to navigate the prize and control 20 prisoners before remaking contact with GALATEA.
(Lieut. CAMPBELL was afterwards appointed senior lieutenant of CARYSFORT) - At the beginning of January 1801 the HIBERNIA linen ship with a cargo worth 120,000 pounds was escorted from Belfast and brought the member of Parliament for that city, Mr Dalway, to Plymouth on the 3rd.
- GALATEA experienced very bad weather off the Isles of Scilly.
On the 13 she sailed for Spithead to be docked and arrived there 3 days later.
Capt. BYNG's younger brother, Henry BYNG, joined the frigate at Plymouth before she sailed, as a master's mate.
(He was made a post captain 1814.) - In April GALATEA recaptured the KENYON, Capt. Robertson, from Jamaica to Liverpool with a cargo worth 40,000, which had been taken by the 44-gun BRAAVE.
Capt. BYNG went in chase of the French ship and her three Jamaican prizes but was unable to catch them. - From the beginning of May until she returned to Plymouth on 2 September GALATEA spent 18 weeks cruising in the Atlantic and off the western islands.
- During October-November GALATEA encountered 15 severe gales during a 28 day cruise in the Bay of Biscay.
In the hurricane of the 1 and 2 November she nearly foundered when her mizzen mast and the main and foretop masts were carried away over the side although no sails were set.
One seaman was lost overboard and several were wounded.
When the gale lulled on the 3rd. he was able to bear away for Cork. She arrived in Plymouth under jury rig on the 21st. for a refit and returned to Cork on 5 January 1802.
On 23 April she came into Plymouth after a fine passage of 40 hours from Cork. She was paid off on the 28th. - 1802 Capt. George WOLFE.
At the beginning of August 1802 GALATEA took discharged Dutch troops from the Isle of Wight to Holland returning to Plymouth from Helder in a gale on 3 September. She then sailed on a cruise against smugglers, which was to be her occupation during the peace of Amiens. - 1803 Capt. Henry HEATHCOTE, fitting out at Portsmouth in the Spring.
On 8 July she sailed to take up a position as guardship off the Needles.
In February 1804 she escorted a fleet of merchantmen to the West Indies and on 14 August made an unsuccessful attempt to cut out the French privateer GENERAL ERNOUF (formerly the British sloop of war LILLY) lying at the Saintes near Guadeloupe.
0f the 90 officers and men sent on this enterprise, no fewer than 65 were killed or wounded.
Among the former was Mr Charles HAYMAN, first lieutenant of GALATEA. - 1805 Capt Murray MAXWELL, Jamaica.
On 18 August 1806 Lieut. M'CULLOCH, in the ship's barge, pursued a schooner for some miles up a river on the Spanish Main near Porto Cavallo.
The enemy struck after her commander and one man had been killed and she proved to be a fine Spanish privateer with three long 6 and 4-pounders.
The lieutenant blew her up and brought away the prisoners.
Seaman Cornelius O'GULLIVAN was wounded.
Three days later Lieut. Harry WALKER in the barge drove a fine schooner on shore and destroyed her.
Her crew escaped ashore. - Capt. George SAYER, who removed from PROSELYTE.
- Off Guadeloupe on the morning of 12 November GALATEA gave chase to a schooner.
When the wind dropped the boats were sent off under Lieuts. GITTENS and WALKER and, just as they were about to board her, the French colours were struck after a short exchange of musket fire.
The schooner was the REUNION of 10 guns bound for Martinique from la Guira with cargo and dispatches for the French General from the Spanish government at Caracas.(present day Venezuela) There were no British losses. - GALATEA took part in the capture of the Danish Islands in December 1807 and then Capt. SAYER took command of a detached squadron off the Spanish Main.
- On the morning of 21 January 1807 GALATEA was off the coast of Venezuela when she sighted a sail steering for Guaira near Caracas.
They closed, identified her as a man of war, and forced her to change course for Barcelona, some 160 miles to the east.
At noon GALATEA was becalmed while the enemy had the benefit of a slight breeze and two hours later her top-gallant sails were scarcely above the horizon.
GALATEA's boats were launched under first Lieut. William COOMBE, with Lieuts. Harry WALKER and Robert GIBSON, Master's Mates John GREEN and Barry SARSFIELD, 50 seamen and 20 marines and after rowing about 35 miles in eight hours (some of the time under a burning sun) they caught up with her.
Twice they tried to board on both quarters but were forced to retreat by the fire from her guns so they fell back and poured musket and small arm fire through the stern and quarter ports which cleared the deck of many of the enemy including the captain and most of his officers who were wounded.
The third attack was successful and they soon found themselves in possession of the French Imperial corvette LYNX of fourteen 24-pounder carronades and two long 9-pounder guns. She had a complement of 161 men. She was two years old, a well equipped fine vessel and was later taken into the Royal Navy as HEUREUX with the command given to Lieut. COOMBE who had lost a leg in a previous action. - The British loss was 9 killed; Lieut. WALKER; seamen, George VINCENT, John MILDROO, Thomas WHETERIDGE, Robert M'CANN and Fred.
PLANK and three marines, Sergeant James Mason and privates Cooper and Nicholls.
Lieut. William COOMBE and Master's Mates Barry SARSFIELD and John GREEN were among the 22 wounded.
0f the officers only Lieut. GIBSON was unhurt.
The French lost 14 killed and 20 wounded.
Lieut. COOMBE was wounded in the thigh above his previous amputation.
Naval medals were awarded to the survivors in 1849.
The enemy losses were 14 killed and 20 wounded. - In February 1808 Lieut. James WALKER was appointed to GALATEA to replace Lieut. BOYLE, whose death at sea had been reported.
When he arrived on board he found Lieut. BOYLE sitting at the captain's table in the best of health.
When he returned to the flagship in April he found that he had missed several real death vacancies. - GALATEA returned to England in the spring of 1809.
Her condition was so bad that she was soon broken up at Woolwich.
Capt. SAYER was appointed to LEDA in November.
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