HMS ''Orpheus'' was a 36-gun ''Apollo''-class

fifth-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a fifth rate was the second-smallest class of warships in a hierarchical system of six " ratings" based on size and firepower. Rating The rating system in the Royal ...

frigate of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

launched in 1809 from

Deptford Dockyard Deptford Dockyard was an important naval dockyard and base at Deptford on the River Thames, operated by the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It built and maintained warships for 350 years, and many significant events ...

. She was broken up in 1819.

Construction

Ordered on 27 February 1807 and laid down in August 1808 at Deptford Dockyard. Launched on 12 August 1809 and completed on 21 September 1809.

Service

''Orpheus'' also saw service in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...

. While in Long Island Sound, she chased the American privateer ''Holkar'' and ran her aground, before destroying ''Holkar'' by cannon fire. ''Orpheus'' was part of the British patrolling squadron in Long Island Sound. When the British fleet encountered an American fleet, commanded by

Stephen Decatur Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was an American naval officer and commodore. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County. His father, Stephen Decatur Sr., was a commodore in the Unit ...

it chased them to New London where the American fleet escaped. The British squadron there formed a blockade, confining the American fleet until the end of the war. On 27 April ''Orpheus'' chased the American ship ''Whampoa'' on shore near Newport, Rhode Island. ''Whampoa'' had been sailing from

Lorient Lorient (; ) is a town ('' commune'') and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in western France. History Prehistory and classical antiquity Beginning around 3000 BC, settlements in the area of Lorient are attested by the presen ...

. The British took possession of ''Whampoa'' but then abandoned her due to fire from the shore.''

Lloyd's List ''Lloyd's List'' is one of the world's oldest continuously running journals, having provided weekly shipping news in London as early as 1734. It was published daily until 2013 (when the final print issue, number 60,850, was published), and is ...

'
№4778.
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Fate

She was broken up at

Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th centur ...

in August 1819.

Citations and references

Citations References * * Gardiner, Robert; ''The Heavy Frigate'', Conway Maritime Press, London 1994. * Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif; ''The Sail and Steam Navy List, 1815–1889'', Chatham Publishing, 2004. . * * * Winfield, Rif; ''British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates'', 2nd edition, Seaforth Publishing, 2008. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Orpheus (1809) 1809 ships Ships built in Deptford Apollo-class frigates Frigates of the Royal Navy War of 1812 ships of the United Kingdom