HMS Greenwich (1747)
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HMS ''Greenwich'' was a 50-gun
fourth rate In 1603 all English warships with a complement of fewer than 160 men were known as 'small ships'. In 1625/26 to establish pay rates for officers, a six-tier naval ship rating system was introduced.Winfield 2009 These small ships were divided ...
ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactics in the Age of Sail, naval tactic known as the line of battl ...
of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
. She was built during the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...
, and went on to see action in the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
, during which she was captured by the French and taken into their service under the same name. She was wrecked shortly afterwards. Built at
Lepe Lepe is a Spanish town in the province of Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is near the Portuguese border. According to the 2022 census, the city has a population of 28,617 inhabitants. Economy Until the late 1970s its econom ...
, ''Greenwich'' was one of a number of 50-gun ships designed to the dimensions laid down in the
1745 Establishment The 1745 Establishment was the third and final formal establishment of dimensions for ships to be built for the Royal Navy. It completely superseded the previous 1719 Establishment, which had subsequently been modified in 1733 and again in 1741 ...
. She had only three British commanders during her career with the Royal Navy. Her first, John Montagu, commanded her during the end of the War of the Austrian Succession, after which she was surveyed and probably laid up. She was returned to active service under
William Holburne William Holburne (died 1 April 1760) (also known as William Holborne and William Holburn) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He entered the navy, and may have served aboard the 74-gun third rate , during her time with Admiral Sir Edward Hawke's ...
with the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, though he was soon succeeded by
Robert Roddam Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Red Robert Roddam (1719 – 31 March 1808) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence. He surviv ...
. Roddam took her out to the Caribbean, where in 1757 he fell in with a French squadron under
Joseph de Bauffremont Joseph de Bauffremont, Prince of Listenois (1714–1781), was a member of the Bauffremont family, and a French Navy officer under Louis XIV. He was a commander in the Seven Years' War. On 16 March 1757 his squadron captured the 50-gun , commanded ...
. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Roddam fought his ship for 12 hours before surrendering her. Taken into French service, ''Greenwich'' formed part of a squadron under Guy François de Coetnempren, comte de Kersaint, which was attacked by a much smaller force of three British ships at the Battle of Cap-Français. The two sides inflicted heavy damage on each other before breaking off, with ''Greenwich'' having been left considerably leaky. She underwent some repairs before escorting a convoy to France. The escorting force was caught in a gale in January 1758, and three ships were driven aground and wrecked, ''Greenwich'' among them.


Construction and commissioning

''Greenwich'' was ordered from Moody Janvrin on 3 October 1745, and was laid down at his yard at
Lepe Lepe is a Spanish town in the province of Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is near the Portuguese border. According to the 2022 census, the city has a population of 28,617 inhabitants. Economy Until the late 1970s its econom ...
on the
Beaulieu River The Beaulieu River ( ), formerly known as the River Exe, is a small river draining much of the central New Forest in Hampshire, southern England. The river has many small upper branches and its farthest source is from its -long tidal estuary. ...
in
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
in November that year. She was built to the draught specified in the
1745 Establishment The 1745 Establishment was the third and final formal establishment of dimensions for ships to be built for the Royal Navy. It completely superseded the previous 1719 Establishment, which had subsequently been modified in 1733 and again in 1741 ...
, and launched on 19 March 1747. She was a development of designs from before the start of the
War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...
, and her dimensions approached those of earlier 60-gun ships, though the 50-gun ships of the 1745 establishment sat deeper in the water. Despite this they had an improved
freeboard In sailing and boating, a vessel's freeboard is the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship. In commercial vessels, the latter criterion measured relativ ...
, with a height of amidships from the waterline to the lower
gunport A gunport is an opening in the side of the hull of a ship, above the waterline, which allows the muzzle of artillery pieces mounted on the gun deck to fire outside. The origin of this technology is not precisely known, but can be traced back to t ...
s, and had increased headroom below decks. 50-gun ships like ''Greenwich'' were armed with twenty-two 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-two 12-pounders on the upper deck, and four 6-pounders on the
quarterdeck The quarterdeck is a raised deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship. Traditionally it was where the captain commanded his vessel and where the ship's colours were kept. This led to its use as the main ceremonial and reception area on bo ...
. In addition they carried two 6-pounders on the
forecastle The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck (ship), deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is t ...
as
bow chaser A chase gun (or chaser), usually distinguished as bow chaser and stern chaser, was a cannon mounted in the bow (aiming forward) or stern (aiming backward) of a sailing ship. They were used to attempt to slow down an enemy ship either chasing (p ...
s. As completed ''Greenwich'' was 1,053 15/94 bm and measured long overall, and on her keel, with a beam of and a hold depth of . She had been named on 9 March 1747, ten days before being launched, and was completed by 26 March 1748, probably at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
. Her total cost to build came to £19,582.15 s.2 d, a sum that probably included the cost of fitting her out. She was commissioned in 1748 under Captain John Montagu.


British career

Commissioned too late to see any significant service in the War of the Austrian Succession, ''Greenwich'' was surveyed on 28 January 1749, and was probably laid up for the next few years. She was recommissioned in March 1755, shortly after the outbreak of the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
, under Captain
William Holburne William Holburne (died 1 April 1760) (also known as William Holborne and William Holburn) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He entered the navy, and may have served aboard the 74-gun third rate , during her time with Admiral Sir Edward Hawke's ...
, though he was soon succeeded by Captain
Robert Roddam Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Red Robert Roddam (1719 – 31 March 1808) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence. He surviv ...
. Roddam received orders to sail to the Caribbean and departed for
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
on 23 January 1757.


Capture

Roddam cruised for a while off Cape Cabron,
San Domingo Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
, but on 18 March 1757 mysterious sails were sighted, which were at first assumed to be a small fleet of merchant ships being conveyed by two frigates. This was in fact a squadron of French warships under
Joseph de Bauffremont Joseph de Bauffremont, Prince of Listenois (1714–1781), was a member of the Bauffremont family, and a French Navy officer under Louis XIV. He was a commander in the Seven Years' War. On 16 March 1757 his squadron captured the 50-gun , commanded ...
, consisting of the 84-gun ''Tonnant'', the 74-gun ships ''Diadème'' and ''Desauncene'', the 64-gun ships ''Éveillé'' and ''Inflexible'', the frigates ''Sauvage'' and ''Brune'', and a 20-gun storeship. The French were to windward, and Bauffremont, unsure of ''Greenwich''s identity, sent one of his frigates to examine her. Realising that with the wind in the Frenchman's favour, he could not escape, Roddam attempted to lure the frigate towards him, hoping to capture her before the rest of the fleet could intervene, and then send her immediately to Rear-Admiral George Townshend, the commander at Jamaica, with news of the French movements. The frigate soon determined that ''Greenwich'' was a two-decked warship, and sailed back to the protection of the squadron, which then came up and attacked, with action commencing at 9 a.m. when ''Diadème'' opened fire. For the next twelve hours ''Greenwich'' was constantly engaged with one or other of the French ships. Roddam assembled his men in an attempt to board the 64-gun ''Éveillé'', but several of her consorts bore up and opened fire, damaging ''Greenwich''s rigging and leaving her unmanageable. After consulting with his officers, Roddam expressed his desire to fight on, but eventually agreed to surrender ''Greenwich'', as further resistance would only cause further casualties among his men. The colours were then struck to ''Éveillé'', but Roddam refused her commander's demands that he come aboard his ship, instead insisting the French send a boat for him. Roddam threatened to rehoist the colours and defend the ship until she sank if this was not done, and eventually a French officer was sent across in a boat. The French took possession of ''Greenwich'', ransacking her, then taking Roddam and his men to
Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
where they were imprisoned.


French career and loss

''Greenwich'' was taken into the
French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
under the same name, and appears to have been quickly pressed into service, as, under the command of a Captain Foucault she was part of a squadron under Guy François de Coetnempren, comte de Kersaint which engaged a British squadron at the Battle of Cap-Français on 21 October 1757. The British force, under
Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (India), in India ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...
Arthur Forrest, had been sent from
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
by Rear-Admiral Thomas Cotes to intercept a homeward-bound French convoy. Forrest's force consisted of two 60-gun ships; , flying Forrest's broad pennant, and , under Captain
Maurice Suckling Captain Maurice Suckling (4 May 1726 – 14 July 1778) was a Royal Navy officer and politician best known for starting the naval career of his nephew Horatio Nelson and for serving as Comptroller of the Navy from 1775 until his death. Suckling ...
, and the 64-gun HMS ''Edinburgh'', under Captain William Langdon. The recently reinforced French squadron, consisting of ''Greenwich'', the 70-gun ''Intrépide'' under Kersaint, the 70-gun ''Sceptre'' under Captain Clavel, the 64-gun ''Opiniatre'' under Captain Mollieu, the 44-gun frigate ''Outarde'' and the 32-gun frigates ''Sauvage'' and ''Licorne'' came out to meet them. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the British engaged the French squadron at 3.20 pm, with the fighting lasting for the next two and a half hours, until Kersaint signalled one of his frigates to tow his damaged flagship, ''Intrépide'', out of the line. In doing so the French line fell into confusion, with ''Intrépide'', ''Superbe'' and ''Greenwich'' falling aboard each other, and were heavily cannonaded by ''Augusta'' and ''Edinburgh'' until they were able to untangle themselves. The other French ships gradually broke away from the action and moved off. The British did not pursue, and the two sides returned to their respective ports. The French casualties in the action were estimated at between 500 and 600 killed and wounded, with ''Greenwich'' having been reduced to a very leaky condition. After repairing some of the battle damage Kersaint sailed for France with the convoy, but became caught in a storm in January 1758 as he neared the French coast. ''Opiniatre'', ''Greenwich'' and ''Outarde'' attempted to anchor, but were driven ashore in the gale and were wrecked.


See also

*
List of ships captured in the 18th century Naval engagements were common throughout the 18th century and often involved the capture of enemy vessels. The captured vessels were typically renamed and incorporated into thseizingnation's naval fleet. Merchant ships were also seized and, at ...


Notes


References

* * *Lavery, Brian (1983) ''The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850''. Conway Maritime Press. . * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Greenwich (1747) Ships of the line of the Royal Navy 1747 ships Ships of the line of the French Navy Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean Maritime incidents in 1758 Captured ships