|
POMONE
|
(38) |
|
Built in 1805, Frindsbury.
Wrecked in 1811. |
|
|
- 1805 Capt. W. G. LOBB, to Lisbon at the end of the year.
On 25 January 1806 the boats of POMONE captured the Spanish privateer lugger BENGADOR off Lisbon.
With one gun and 28 men she was six weeks out of Bayonne.
Her only prize, the MAID OF THE MILL, William Dearing, master, from Newfoundland to Lisbon was retaken at the same time.
The lugger was destroyed. - 1807 Capt. Robert BARRIE, 05/1806, Channel.
He operated very successfully off the French coast capturing or destroying 21 French vessels between 21 April and 7 June.
On 7 May four luggers, one named the MARIE, the others name unknown, were cut out from the Ile de Rhe, by the boats of POMONE and HAZARD.
Three of them were laden with wine or brandy, the other, laden with canvas, was sunk by the enemy's shot after capture. - On 5 June three armed brigs were sighted south of the Ile d'Yeu and when POMONE approached she saw that they were escorting a convoy running close in shore.
Since the rest of the British squadron were too distant, Capt. BARRIE took it upon himself to try and stop them getting into Sable d'Olonne.
POMONE only just got within range before the wind failed, however a few of her shot reached the convoy and two of them ran ashore and a third was deserted by her crew.
Lieut. JONES in the six-oar cutter was sent to take possession of her and any others not close to the shore.
The first lieutenant, Mr J. W. GABRIEL, with three boats made for one of the gunbrigs but she retreated to the cover of batteries on the shore.
Lieut. GABRIEL then chased the convoy up towards St. Giles where the French crews took to their boats when they became becalmed.
In spite of the lack of wind the sea was running very high and some were drowned as they tried to land. - Fourteen of the enemy were taken and one driven on shore.
Seven brigs, five sloops, a dogger and a chasse-maree laden with wheat, flour and provisions were sent into Plymouth.
The convoy had sailed from Nantz and it was supposed that it was bound for Rochefort.
Sir R. STRACHAN, watching the prizes come out, signalled to the squadron "POMONE has great merit." - 1808 Ditto, Mediterranean.
Seven miles off Cap Bon on the morning of 13 June 1809 the Neapolitan privateer bombard LUCIEN CHARLES was captured after a short chase. She was armed with one 12-pounder and two 6-pounders with a crew of 53 men.
When he found that the small privateer was commanded by a General de Boissi, an officer of the Lé gion d'Honneur, Capt. BARRIE ordered a search for papers but nothing was found.
The capture probably saved two valuable Smyrna ships in the vicinity. - POMONE and ALCESTE were employed watching the port of Toulon and when the enemy's ships put to sea on 21 October Capt. BARRIE immediately sailed to inform Lord COLLINGWOOD who was in the VILLE DE PARIS off Cape St. Sebastian.
On the morning of the 23rd. POMMONE was able to report that three French ships-of-the-line, two frigates and two smaller ships had separated from a convoy of about 20 sail and by the afternoon she had got so far to windward that she was ordered by signal to destroy such of the convoy as she could come up with.
During the evening she burnt two brigs, two bombards and a ketch before the enemy was lost in the darkness.
(The French ROBUST (84), and the LEON (74) were run ashore of Frontignan by Rear Ad. MARTIN's division on the 25th. and burnt to avoid capture) - The French privateer brig DUBOURDIEU belonging to Toulon and armed with fourteen 12-pounders and carrying 93 men was captured by POMONE on 18 January 1811.
- At daybreak on 13 March POMONE was about 25 miles west of the Maddalena Is.
between Corsica and Sardinia, when a brig was discovered to the eastward.
Capt. BARRIE gave chase and by the evening had gained on the stranger but found the next morning that during the night she had swept and towed much farther away.
POMONE was towed by her boats until a light breeze sprang up about midday when her quarry was seen to enter a small cove on the north side of Montecristo Is.
about 30 miles south of Elba.
When POMONE closed the island about 4 o'clock the brig was set on fire by her crew and she blew up an hour later. She turned out to be the French man-of war L'ETOURDIE with sixteen carronades and two long bow chasers.
About three years old she had probably sailed from Toulon. - When Capt. BARRIE received intelligence during April that an enemy convoy was in the Bay of Sagone in Corsica he sailed there with UNITE, Capt. CHAMBERLAYNE, arriving on the 30th., SCOUT, Capt. SHARPE, joining them the following morning.
They made out three vessels in the bay: the GIRAFFE with 13 guns on each side of the main deck, the NOURRICE with 14 guns and an armed merchant vessel.
The enemy commanded the heights around the bay and the vessels were covered by a battery of four guns and by regular troops with field pieces.
The three captains agreed that there was nothing to be gained by landing so, because there was no wind, he towed the ships in until they were within grape range.
They commenced an action which lasted for an hour and a half until the guns on shore were silenced and the GIRAFFE and the NOURRICE set on fire.
The merchantman was set on fire by sparks from NOURRICE.
Capt. BARRIE lost no time in towing his ships out of harm's way before the two French warships blew up.
Their burning timbers destroyed a Martello tower and caused the battery to blow up. - He learnt later that the NOURRICE had landed her quarter deck guns to reinforce the battery and that more than 200 troops had been joined by marines from the ships.
The ships themselves were all deeply laden with ships timber and their destruction retarded the completion of ships building at Toulon since a further supply was not available until the next season.
POMONE, exposed to the brunt of the action, lost two men killed and 19 wounded.
The UNITE and SCOUT had six wounded between them. - Among the ships captured by POMONE in the Mediterranean was one carrying Lucien Buonaparte and his plunder.
Capt. BARRIE held that the ill-gotten gains were private property and relinquished all claims. - POMONE, returning from the Mediterranean with Sir Hartford Jones on board, struck on the Needles at seven o'clock on Monday the 14 October 1811. She immediately filled with water but fortunately there was no wind so the boats of the guardship TISIPHONE and the pilot boats from Yarmouth were able to get alongside in an hour and take off the crew.
- Sir Hartford went to Portsmouth in the ESCORT gunbrig while the guns and principal stores were got out of POMONE. She had 55,000 dollars on board which were saved except for 4,000 dollars which were stolen by some of the crew who also stove in spirit casks and drank themselves senseless.
- Capt. BARRIE and his officers were cleared of blame for the loss at a court martial on 25 October but the master was severely reprimanded for not taking accurate bearings of Hurst lighthouse.
Capt. BARRIE was appointed to DRAGON.
|
|
|
