HMS Thetis (1782)

HMS ''Thetis'' was a 38-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy launched in 1782.

Career

French Revolutionary Wars

In early 1793, ''Thetis'' captured the East Indiaman ''Trajan'', Captain Joseph Boudel, which was coming from Pondicherry. The French privateer recaptured ''Trajan'' and brought her into Bordeaux.

On 2 May 1795 Rear Admiral George Murray sent Captain Alexander Cochrane in ''Thetis'', together with , to intercept three French supply ships reported at Hampton Roads. At daybreak on 17 May the British came upon five ships west by south from Cape Henry. The French made a line of battle to receive the British frigates. An action commenced, with three of the French vessels eventually striking their colours. ''Thetis'' took possession of the largest, which turned out to be , pierced for 36 guns but only mounting 24. ''Hussar'' captured a second, ''Raison'', pierced for 24 guns but only mounting 18. One of the vessels that had struck nonetheless sailed off. Two of the five had broken off the fight and sailed off earlier. (The three that escaped were the ''Normand'', ''Trajan'', and ''Hernoux''.) An hour after she had struck, ''Prévoyante''s main and foremasts fell over the side. In the battle, ''Thetis'' had lost eight men killed and 9 wounded; ''Hussar'' had only two men wounded.

Four of the French ships had escaped from Guadeloupe on 25 April. They had sailed to American ports to gather provisions and naval stores to bring back to France.

Cochrane had intended to leave the prizes in charge of the cutter ''Prince Edward'' after repairing the damage to his vessel during the night. However, a breeze picked up and by morning the escaping French vessels were out of sight. The British sailed with their prizes to Halifax. The British took ''Prévoyante'' into the Royal Navy as HMS ''Prevoyante''.

On 20 July, ''Thetis'' was in company with ''Hussar'' and when they intercepted the American vessel ''Cincinnatus'', of Wilmington, sailing from Ireland to Wilmington. They pressed many men on board, narrowly exempting the Irish revolutionary Wolfe Tone, who was going to Philadelphia.

In 1797 ''Thetis'' recaptured as ''Indian Trader'' was sailing from Cayenne to Baltimore. ''Thetis'' sent her into Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In 1801 ''Thetis'' took part in Lord Keith's expedition to Egypt. Because ''Thetis'' served in the navy's Egyptian campaign (8 March to 2 September 1801), her officers and crew qualified for the clasp "Egypt" to the Naval General Service Medal that the Admiralty authorised in 1850 to all surviving claimants.

Napoleonic Wars

In 1809 boats from ''Thetis'' and several other vessels cut out the French 16-gun brig at Deshaies, Guadeloupe. Captain George Miller sent in boats with the marines from , and , and 78 sailors. The landing party first captured the fort at Deshaies, whereupon ''Nisus'' surrendered when its guns were turned on her. During the operation, kept up a six-hour cannonade on ''Nisus'' and the battery. Many of the 300 men in the battery fled, as did most of the crew of ''Nisus'' before the British could take possession. The British destroyed the battery before withdrawing. British casualties amounted to two men from ''Thetis'' being wounded on shore, and two men being wounded on ''Attentive''. The Royal Navy took ''Nisus'' into service as HMS ''Guadaloupe''.

''Thetis'' then took part in the storming of the batteries at Anse la Barque.

''Thetis'' also participated in the capture of Guadeloupe in January and February 1810. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Guadaloupe" to all surviving participants of the campaign.

Fate

''Thetis'' was sold in 1814.

Notes

Citations

References

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* Gardiner, Robert (1994) ''The Heavy Frigate''. (London: Conway Maritime Press).
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External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thetis (1782)
Minerva-class frigates
1782 ships
Fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy