HMS Chatham (1758)

Summary

HMS Chatham was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Joseph Allin and built by his son Edward Allin at Portsmouth Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1752, and launched on 25 April 1758.[1]

His Majesty's Ship Chatham of 50 guns in the 1770s. Commanded by Vice Admiral William Perry. Captain James Worth, a watercolour by Robert Raymond, her Warrant Officer.
History
Great Britain
NameHMS Chatham
Ordered8 November 1752
BuilderPortsmouth Dockyard
Launched25 April 1758
FateBroken up, 1814
General characteristics [1]
Class and type1752 amendments 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen1052 (bm)
Length147 ft (44.8 m) (gundeck)
Beam40 ft 3 in (12.3 m)
Depth of hold17 ft 8 in (5.4 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • Gundeck: 22 × 24-pounder guns
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 12-pounder guns
  • QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns
  • Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns

Career edit

The Chatham, was a part of the British flotilla anchored off Staten Island on 25 June 1776, in the opening phases of the Battle of Long Island.[2]

On 2 September 1781 Chatham captured the French frigate Magicienne off Cape Ann after a sanguinary engagement. Magicienne was serving in Orvilliers' fleet under Captain Janvre de la Bouchetière[3][4] In the action the French lost 60 men killed and 40 wounded; the British lost one man killed and one man wounded.[5] Magicienne was described as being of 800 tons, 36 guns and 280 men.[6] She was subsequently taken to Halifax and recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Magicienne.

Fate edit

Chatham was placed on harbour service in 1793, and continued in this role until 1814, when the decision was taken to have her broken up.[1]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol.1, p. 174.
  2. ^ Raymond, Robert. "Maritime Journal of Robert Raymond 1767-1783". Christies.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  3. ^ Contenson (1934), p. 195.
  4. ^ Kérallain (1928), p. 31.
  5. ^ "No. 12239". The London Gazette. 3 November 1781. p. 4.
  6. ^ "No. 12279". The London Gazette. 16 March 1782. p. 1.

References edit

  • Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778–1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
  • Kérallain, R. (1928). "Bougainville à l'armée du Cte de Grasse". Journal de la société des américanistes. 20 (20): 1–70. doi:10.3406/jsa.1928.3639. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.