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SIR THOMAS PAISLEY (PASLEY)
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(16) |
Hired armed brig
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Hired armed brig with sixteen 6-pounders. |
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- On 11 April 1801 the brig LA JEUNE ARNETTE was surveyed in the yard at Plymouth Dock and on 24th. she was commissioned as PAISLEY by Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE, late of the CENTAUR.
On 24 May she was ready for sea and had orders to sail as soon as the wind was fair. She sailed from Plymouth on 2 June with dispatches from Ad. CORNWALLIS off Brest.
While returning to Plymouth PAISLEY chased a large French lugger and a cutter for several hours before losing them in a fog, but when the fog lifted and Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE saw the cutter far to leeward he had to decline the chase to bring his dispatches in.
He arrived on the 8th. and sailed again at 6 o'clock the following evening. - On 15 June PAISLEY sailed with Sir James SAUMAREZ's squadron for Cadiz.
On the 26th., the admiral sent PAISLEY to Lisbon with letters for England saying that the port was in a complete state of blockade.
Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE captured the Spanish privateer felucca GOLONDRINA off Cape St. Vincent on the 29 June. She was armed with two guns and muskets and nine of her crew of 33 men had been sent off as prize crews in a Guernsey lugger and a Portuguese schooner she had taken.
PAISLEY entered Gibraltar on the 9 July and was sent by Rear-Ad. SAUMAREZ to Minorca to look for Rear-Ad. Sir J. B. WARREN.
Following reports from neutral vessels he went from there as far as Malta but found only the GENEREUX (84) - PAISLEY was hailed by a Spanish xebec on the 21st. some 20 miles south-west of the island of Carbera (south of Mallorca).
The Spaniard ordered PAISLEY to send her boat aboard but instead Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE opened fire and continued for over an hour until the enemy was silenced.
It being then a perfect calm the xebec was able to escape to Ivica in spite of the best efforts of PAISLEY's crew.
The enemy had 22 guns.
PAISLEY lost one man killed and two wounded. - He had more success off Cape Tresforcas on the 29th. when he captured the Spanish privateer schooner ATAMARIA with only seven guns on board although pierced for fourteen. She was ten days out of Malaga and had taken a schooner from Oran with cattle for Gibraltar.
- On the 28 October 1801 he was some 60 miles E. S.E.
of Cape de Gat when he was chased by a polacca which soon came close and they exchanged fire for about an hour.
When most of PAISLEY's main rigging had been shot away Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE decided that he had to board her before he himself was overwhelmed so PAISLEY was set to run across her hawse and the enemy's bowsprit lashed to the capstan.
Notwithstanding the superior numbers on the enemy vessel she was carried in about a quarter of an hour. - The enemy was the Spanish privateer EL VIRGINE DEL ROSARIO, pierced for 20 guns but only mounting two long 24-pounders and eight long 12s.
Her crew of 94 came from Malaga.
The gunner, Mr James POOKE, and two seamen were killed.
Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE was shot through the left shoulder; the master, Mr Ambrose LIONS (or LYON) of Plymouth was wounded dangerously in the head and died of his wounds while being carried to the hospital; the first mate, Mr George DAVIE, was shot through the thigh and five seamen were wounded.
Twenty-one officers and men were killed on board the enemy an thirteen wounded.
PAISLEY returned to Spithead at the end of December at which time Lieut. WOOLDRIDGE's wound had still not healed. - PAISLEY, now commanded by Lieut. MORRIS, left the squadron on the 9 February 1802 with dispatches from Rear-Ad. Sir James SAUMAREZ and arrived in Plymouth on the 24th., just missing a severe gale which struck the south-west the following night.
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