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IMPLACABLE
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(74) |
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The French LE DUGUAY TROUIN taken by Sir Richard STRACHAN's squadron on 3 November 1805. Training ship 1855. |
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- 1807 Plymouth.
- 1808 Capt. Thomas Byam MARTIN, 03/1808, Baltic. In August Sir Samuel HOOD in CENTAUR accompanied by IMPLACABLE joined Rear Ad. Nauckhoff and the Swedish fleet in Oro Roads and they all sailed from there on the 25th. in pursuit of the Russian fleet which had appeared off Sweden two days earlier. Due to their superior sailing CENTAUR and IMPLACABLE were soon well in advance and closing on the Russians who appeared to be in disorder. By the morning of the 26th. IMPLACABLE was able to bring the leeward-most of the enemy's line-of-battle ships, the VSEVELOD (74) Capt. Roodneff ('SEWOLOD'), to close action. After 20 minutes the enemy's colours and pendant were lowered but the approach of the whole Russian force obliged Sir Samuel to recall Capt. MARTIN. A Russian frigate took the crippled ship in tow but when the Russian Admiral hauled his wind CENTAUR and IMPLACABLE gave chase and forced the frigate to slip her tow. The enemy ships again bore down in support but instead of engaging they entered the port of Rager Vik (also known as Port Baltic or 'Rogerswick'). When boats were sent out to try and tow her in to harbour CENTAUR stood in and, after driving the boats off, ran across the bow of the VSEVELOD just as she was entering the harbour. The CENTAUR then lashed the VSEVELOD's bowsprit to her mizzen-mast and both ships soon drifted aground. The Russians refused to strike and the battle went on until the arrival of the IMPLACABLE finally induced the Russian ship to surrender.
- IMPLACABLE had to heave CENTAUR off. The prize was so firmly aground that after taking out the prisoners and wounded men, Sir Samuel ordered her to be burnt.
- IMPLACABLE lost David COMING, ordinary seaman, Robert MILLER, William CHUGG and Lewis GROUVILLE, all quarter gunners, George QUINTON, 3rd. class boy, and Titus Netherwood, marine, killed. Twenty-six were wounded including two who did not recover and three who had limbs amputated. CENTAUR lost three killed and twenty-seven wounded and the SEWOLOD 303 killed, wounded and missing. CAPT. MARTIN praised his first Lieutenant, Mr BALDWIN, and his master, Mr MOORE.
- Capt. P. PIPON (act), Baltic. Capt. George MACKENZIE (act.)
- The ships of war, including IMPLACABLE, and the transports arrived off Corunna from Vigo on 14 and 15 January 1809 to embark the infantry from Gen. John Moore's army on the night of the 16th. By the following day only the rear guard of some 2,000 men remained on shore, hard pressed by the French with cannon overlooking the beach. The weather became tempestuous and further evacuation on the 17th. had to be over the beaches. The greater body of the transports lost their anchors and ran out to sea without their troops, resulting in thousands on board the ships of war. Others ran on shore and were abandoned by their crews, the boats of warships brought two off but seven were lost.
- By the summer Capt. MARTIN was back in the Baltic.
- At the beginning of July 1809 IMPLACABLE and MELPOMENE stood into the Gulf of Narva, some 110 miles east of Tallin, where they captured nine vessels laden with timber, spars and cordage belonging to the Emperor of Russia. After searching all the creeks around the gulf the boats of IMPLACABLE, MELPOMENE and PROMETHEUS captured a further three and discovered eight gunboats protecting some ships inshore under Percola Point.
- The boats of the three ships, together with those of BELLEROPHON, assembled by nine o'clock on the night of the 7 July under the command of Lieut. Joseph HAWKEY. The Russians had positioned their vessels between two rocks from which they could pour a destructive fire of grape on the boats which did not fire a shot until they reached the enemy, when they boarded sword in hand. Of the eight gunboats, each mounting a 32 and a 24-pounders with 46 men, six were brought out together with all twelve of the ships and vessels under their protection. These were laden with powder and provisions for the Russian army. The losses were heavy. Mr HAWKEY was killed by grapeshot in the act of boarding his second gunboat. Lieut. STIRLING of PROMETHEUS and Mr William MOUNTNEY, midshipman of MELPOMENE were also among the 17 who lost their lives; 37 were wounded.
- 1810 Capt. George COCKBURN, 01/1810. Early in 1810 IMPLACABLE was employed in Quiberon Bay, where she landed the Baron de Kolli, who was attempting to arrange the escape of the Spanish king, Ferdinand VII, who was imprisoned by the French at Valencay.
- In July 1810 IMPLACABLE conveyed Rear Ad. Sir Richard KEATS to Cadiz, arriving on the 17th. Marshal Victor's French army had completely blockaded the island of Leon by land and they were busy building works along the coast to supplement the strong points they already held. Eleven or twelve British and Spanish line-of-battle ships lay as close inshore as the depth of water would permit. The allied troops defending the island consisted of 4,000 British and Germans; 16,500 Spaniards and 1400 Portuguese.
- In August an expedition was launched against the French at Moguer, a town on the Huebla. It was directed by Capt. COCKBURN sailing in JASPER. Gen. Lacey's Spanish troops and horses were landed from the transports on 23 August about 22 miles south of the town and they marched along the beach accompanied by 11 flat boats under Lieut. WESTPHAL of IMPLACABLE. The boats were used to ferry them across a large branch of the river and they arrived at Moguer on the morning of the 24th. The French, said to be 1100 strong, were driven out and most of them , being mainly cavalry, retreated safely to Seville.
- MILFORD arrived in Cadiz on 2 September and Rear Ad. KEATS shifted his flag to her.
- On 6 September IMPLACABLE sailed from Cadiz to Havana with two Spanish 3-deckers under her protection. She returned in a very sickly state on 18 February 1811 with 6,000,000 dollars on board. Her officers and crew were afterwards employed in the defence of the Isla de Leon.
- 1811 Capt. I. R. WATSON, 08/1811, Mediterranean.
- 1813 Plymouth.
- 1839 Capt. Edward HARVEY, 02/1839, Mediterranean.
- From 1844 she was out of commission at Devonport until she was converted to a training ship in the Hamoaze from June 1855. Capt. Arthur LOWE, 06/1855.
- 1865 Commander Edward Hay, 01/1865, training ship for boys.
- 1877 Commander Henry Carr, 10/1777.
- 1880 Commander Thomas Jackson. Her tonnage in the old builder's measurement was 1882 tons. This became 3,223 tons under the new system of 1882.
- She was scuttled on 2 December 1949.
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