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PETERELL
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(16) |
Sloop
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Built in 1794, Frindsbury.
Harbour Service in 1817. |
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- 1799 George JONES, Mediterranean.
- 1800 Francis William AUSTEN, Mediterranean.
On 21 March 1800 PETERELL was in action with three French vessels, a brig, a ship and a xebec off Cape Couronne on the Riviera.
He quickly drove the last two ashore then carried out a running fight with the brig that lasted for an hour and a half, often less than a cable's length from the shore, before the enemy struck after her captain and one seaman were killed.
There were no British casualties.
Among the officers which took part in the action were Lieut. PACKER, the master, Mr THOMPSON, and the purser, Mr HILL.
The first lieutenant, Mr GLOVER, and the gunner were away in prizes with thirty of the men. - The enemy brig was the LIGURIENNE, armed with fourteen 6-pounders and two 36-pound howitzers and commanded by Lieut. Francis Auguste Pelabon. She was only two years old and was fastened with screw bolts so that she could be taken apart and re-assembled.
He learned from the prisoners that the ship was the CERF with fourteen six pounders and the xebec the JOLLIET mounting six 6-pounders.
They had all sailed with a convoy from Cette to Marseilles.
PETERELL captured two of the merchantmen, a barque and a bombard, both loaded with wheat.
The action was watched by MERMAID well to leeward and unable to come up to assist. - PETERELL, PEARL and VICTORIEUSE took the Genoese ship ST. JOSEPH & MARIA VELOCE, bound from Genoa to Alexandria with wine, brandy and arms, on the 29 April 1801 and the French aviso PREVOYANT on the 30th.
While with a squadron under Sir James SAUMAREZ in CASPER, PETERELL took the merchantman CHARLOTTE on 21 August 1801. - 1802 J. LAMBORN, Plymouth.
In the spring of 1802 PETERELL joined ROSARIO, CATYSFORT and IMOGENE in a flying squadron under Capt. KING sweeping the south west coast for smugglers. - On 10 September a court martial was held on board CENTAUR in Plymouth to try Lieut. BUCHANNAN, first of PETERELL, for leaving the deck at sea while on watch and disobedience of orders.
He was sentenced to be dismissed the service.
(In consideration of his long and meritorious service Lieut. BUCHANNAN was restored to his rank at the beginning of 1805 and appointed to the PRINCE GEORGE) - PETERELL went in for a refit on the 4 October 1802 and orders came down for her on 16 November that when this was completed she was to sail for the Downs to open 'houses of rendezvous' at the various ports to enter seamen for the fleet. She came out from the Hamoaze on the 16 December to go into Cawsand Bay.
During previous night it had blown a hurricane from the South West with a heavy sea in the Sound and all the ships in the bay had to strike yards and topmasts. - During the second half of 1803 she was based at Portsmouth, carrying out regular cruises in the Channel.
On 19 June she sent in the HUSNEL brig from Toulon, bound for Rotterdam with a cargo of wine and on 15 August she arrived with a convoy from the Downs.
This activity continued through the winter until 16 March 1804 when she left Portsmouth with a convoy for Cork and thence to the West Indies. - 1805 Ditto, Jamaica.
While passing Cape Cerientes on 23 January 1805 Capt. LAMBORN discovered a French felucca which immediately weighed and ran inshore.
He sent in boats to burn her while the crew made their escape ashore.
The Frenchman had recently captured an American brig which had been taken into Havana. - While in Jamaica PETERELL's surgeon was tried by court martial for neglect of duty to a wounded seaman on board.
He was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months in the Marshalsea and to be incapable of serving his Majesty again. - PETERELL sailed from Jamaica early in September 1805 with the homebound convoy. She left the convoy to escort the merchantman TWO FRIENDS into Charlestown and off North Edisto Island on the 12 October she was engaged by the French privateer schooner SUPERB which had been laying in wait off the port.
The privateer ran alongside and attempted to board but PETERELL poured a broadside into her.
After twenty minutes the Frenchman had had enough and sheered off.
Capt. LAMBORN gave chase but the schooner got the weather gage and escaped.
Lieut. MAITLAND and one man from PETERELL were killed and four men wounded.
One Frenchman was captured, he thought 30 or 40 men had been killed in her.
He said that they had mistaken PETERELL for a guineaman and did not realise that she was a ship of war until they were along side. - Lieut. MAITLAND was buried in the churchyard of St. Philip's Church in Charlestown.
Funeral honours were paid by the officers, sailors and marines
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