Nelson was launched at Bristol in 1807 as a West Indiaman. In January 1813 a United States privateer captured her off Jamaica.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Owner | P.J.Miles & Co. |
| Builder | Hilhouse |
| Launched | 24 February 1807[1] |
| Captured | 31 January 1813 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 574[2] (bm) |
| Length | 103 ft 0 in (31.4 m)[3] |
| Beam | 32 ft 2 in (9.8 m)[3] |
| Complement | 35[2] |
| Armament | 14 × 4&9-pounder guns[2] |
Career
editAt the time of her launch, she was the largest vessel ever built at Bristol.[1][3] Nelson first appeared in Lloyd's Register in the volume for 1807.[4]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1807 | Thomas | P.J.Miles | Bristol–Jamaica | LR |
Captain William Thomas acquired a letter of marque on 31 October 1809.[2]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1811 | Thomas T.Cox |
P.J.Miles | Bristol–Jamaica | LR |
| 1812 | Thomas | P.J.Miles | Bristol–Jamaica | LR |
Fate
editOn 8 February 1813, HMS Algerine was in an action with an American privateer that escaped. In the action the British lost three men killed and seven or eight wounded.[5] This single-ship action may have been with the American privateer Saratoga. Algerine returned to port in Jamaica, while Saratoga went on to capture Nelson.[6][a]
Nelson encountered Saratoga on 31 January 1813, having sailed from Carlisle Bay five days earlier.[1] Nelson and Saratoga fought for about four hours before Nelson struck when about 20 leagues to windward of Jamaica.[3] Saratoga mounted 16 guns and had a crew of 130 men.[1]
On 6 February Captain W.C. Wooster of Saratoga put the crew and passengers on a boat by which the 17 people reached Grand Caymanas. There they hired a schooner that on the 14th delivered them to Lucea.[6]
Reportedly, Nelson was in sight of Jamaica for three days before Saratoga sent Nelson into New Orleans.[8]
Nelson's entry in Lloyd's Register for 1814 carried the annotation "captured".
Notes
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c d Powell (1930), p. 316.
- ^ a b c d "Letter of Marque, p.79 – Retrieved 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- ^ a b c d Farr (1950), p. 244.
- ^ LR (1807), supple. pages "N", Seq.No.N19.
- ^ "Lloyd's List". 30 March 1813. pp. 78 v.
- ^ a b Powell (1930), p. 317.
- ^ Maclay (1900), p. 311.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4764. 23 April 1813. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735026. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
References
edit- Farr, Grahame E., ed. (1950). Records of Bristol Ships, 1800-1838 (vessels over 150 tons). Vol. 15. Bristol Record Society.
- Maclay, Edgar Stanton (1900). "A history of American privateers". Sampson, Low, Marston & Co. OCLC 606621677.
- Powell, J. W. Damer (1930). Bristol privateers and ships of war. J.W. Arrowsmith: Bristol.