HMS Cormorant (1781)

HMS ''Cormorant'' was an 18-gun ship sloop of the Royal Navy. She was originally the 20-gun Massachusetts privateer ''Rattlesnake'', which had probably been launched in 1780 at Plymouth, Massachusetts and commissioned in 1781. captured ''Rattlesnake'' on 17 June 1781 shortly after she set out on her first cruise. British naval authorities in New York City subsequently purchased her and commissioned the ship into the Royal Navy as HMS ''Rattlesnake'', and in November 1781 she carried to England the first news of Britain's defeat at the siege of Yorktown. There, she was renamed ''Cormorant'', though the Royal Navy renamed her ''Rattlesnake'' in 1783. She was paid off and sold in 1786.

Privateer ''Rattlesnake''

''Rattlesnake'' was probably drawn by John Peck of Boston, Massachusetts, and probably built at Plymouth in 1780. She was very lightly built and was reputedly very fast. ''Rattlesnake'' had the appearance of a miniature frigate, with detached quarterdeck and forecastle.

''Rattlesnake'' was commissioned on 12 June 1781 under Commander Mark Clark (or Clarke). She had barely begun her first cruise when she encountered the 44-gun ship , Captain James Cumming. ''Assurance'' captured ''Rattlesnake'' on 17 June. He sent her into New York City, where she arrived on 8 July. The Royal Navy purchased her on 28 July in New York.

HMS ''Rattlesnake''

Captain John Melcombe assumed command in September, sailed to England on 29 October, and arrived in late November. Melcombe arrived at the Admiralty on the Sunday evening before 27 November, bearing the news that General Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown. (All the reports of Melcombe's arrival refer to him as Captain of His Majesty's sloop ''Rattlesnake''.)

The Navy registered ''Rattlesnake'' on 30 November, as HMS ''Cormorant'', there being a already in service, and just having been lost.

HMS ''Cormorant''

''Cormorant'' underwent fitting at Plymouth between November 1781 and February 1782. On 19 July 1782 ''Cormorant'' recaptured ''Marine''. On 2 July ''Marine'', Rendel, master, had put Torbay, having been chased near Plymouth by a French privateer while ''Marine'' was sailing from Dartmouth to Ireland.

On 30 July ''Cormorant'' captured the 10-gun naval cutter west south west of Cape Clear. She was armed with ten 6-pounder guns and had a crew of 50 men under the command of ''lieutenant de fregate'' LeFer. She was nine days out of Brest and taking dispatches to the combined fleets. Before he struck Le Fer threw overboard the dispatches, her logbook and papers, and eight guns. She then arrived at Cork.''Lloyd's List'
№1386.
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In August 1783 the Navy renamed ''Cormorant'' ''Rattlesnake'', and Commander John Melcombe recommissioned her.

HMS ''Rattlesnake''

On 3 November 1783 ''Rattlesnake'' sailed for the Mediterranean.

On 10 November 1784, ''Rattlesnake'', Captain Melcombe, was escorting the merchantman ''Countess of Tuscany'' to Gibraltar when they encountered an Algerine naval squadron of nine ships under the command of an admiral. The Algerine admiral pretended to believe that ''Rattlesnake'' was not a British warship and compelled both vessels to put into Algiers. There the Dey of Algiers detained them for five days before releasing them, without apology.

On 29 November 1785 Commander Thomas Hamilton replaced Melcome.

Fate

In July 1786, ''Rattlesnake'' was paid off. She was sold on 10 October.

Notes

Citations

References

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* ''New Jersey Archives: Documents Relating to the Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey'' (1977) Series 2, Vol.5 (AMS Press; New Jersey Historical Society)
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External links

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1780 ships
American Revolutionary War ships of the United States
Ships built in Massachusetts
Captured ships
Sloops of the Royal Navy
Privateer ships of the United States