Lord Nelson (East Indiaman)
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''Lord Nelson'' was an
East Indiaman East Indiamen were merchant ships that operated under charter or licence for European trading companies which traded with the East Indies between the 17th and 19th centuries. The term was commonly used to refer to vessels belonging to the Bri ...
, launched in late 1799, sailing for the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
. She made five voyages, of which she completed four. On her second voyage the French privateer ''Bellone'' captured her, but 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 ...
recaptured her within about two weeks. On her fifth voyage, ''Lord Nelson'' foundered in 1808 with the loss of all aboard.


1st voyage (1800–1801)

Under Captain Robert Spottiswoode she sailed to the coast of India and to China, leaving on 17 March 1800 and returning on 17 June 1801. Spottiswoode had made at least five prior cruises to India or the Far East for the East India Company, starting as a fourth lieutenant in 1784. This was his first voyage as captain. Before she sailed Spottiswoode arranged for a
letter of marque A letter of marque and reprisal () was a Sovereign state, government license in the Age of Sail that authorized a private person, known as a privateer or French corsairs, corsair, to attack and capture vessels of a foreign state at war with t ...
for ''Lord Nelson'', the warrant being dated 14 February 1800.Letter of Marque, - accessed 14 May 2011. ''Lord Nelson'' left on 17 March 1800 and reached
Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...
on 13 July. She went on to
Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
, which she reached on 27 August,
Malacca Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state in Malaysia located in the Peninsular Malaysia#Other features, southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca ...
(23 September),
Whampoa anchorage Pazhou is a subdistrict of Haizhu in southeastern Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, in China. , formerly Whampoa Island, has a total area of and is the site of Pazhou Pagoda. Its eastern bay was formerly the chief anchorage for ships parti ...
(2 November), and Second Bar (of the
Pearl River The Pearl River (, or ) is an extensive river system in southern China. "Pearl River" is often also used as a catch-all for the watersheds of the Pearl tributaries within Guangdong, specifically the Xi ('west'), Bei ('north'), and Dong ( ...
; 29 December). On her return leg she arrived at
St Helena Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
on 16 April and on 11 June she arrived at the Downs.British Library: ''Lord Nelson''.
/ref>


2nd voyage (1802)

Under Captain Robert Spottiswoode she left Britain on 14 March 1802 for the coast of India and the Bay of Bengal.


Capture

''Lord Nelson'' was on her return voyage when on 14 August 1803 she encountered the French three-masted privateer ''Bellone'' off Cape Clear, Ireland. ''Bellone'', of
Saint Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany. The walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the All ...
, had had some success privateering in the Indian Ocean towards the end of the
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
. When the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
commenced she took to the sea again under the command of her former captain, Jacques François Perroud. She was on her first cruise of the new wars when she encountered ''Lord Nelson''. ''Bellone'' had 34 guns, including 24 long 8-pounder guns, and though she had more guns, her broadside was inferior to that on ''Lord Nelson''. What made the difference was that ''Bellone'' had a crew of 260 men, versus the 102 men, exclusive of passengers, on ''Lord Nelson''.James (1837), Vol. 3, pp.196-7. However, ''Bellone'' also had on board some 56 prisoners from various captures. An engagement of one and a half hours now ensued. ''Lord Nelson'' was able to fend off one attempt at boarding, but succumbed to the second. In the fight, ''Lord Nelson'' had lost five men killed and 31 wounded. Two of the dead were passengers. Perroud put on board a prize crew of 41 men under the command of Lieutenant Fougie and the two vessels sailed towards
A Coruña A Coruña (; ; also informally called just Coruña; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality in Galicia, Spain. It is Galicia's second largest city, behind Vigo. The city is the provincial capital of the province ...
. On 20 August they encountered a British frigate and the two vessels separated, with the frigate pursuing the captor rather than the captive. Then on 23 August, the British privateer ''Thomas and John'', of fourteen 6-pounder guns, engaged ''Lord Nelson'' for two hours before breaking off the engagement. In the course of another day, a hired armed
cutter Cutter may refer to: Tools * Bolt cutter * Box cutter * Cigar cutter * Cookie cutter * Cutter (hydraulic rescue tool) * Glass cutter * Meat cutter * Milling cutter * Paper cutter * Pizza cutter * Side cutter People * Cutter (surname) * Cutt ...
of twelve 4-pounder guns shadowed ''Lord Nelson'' before sailing away.


Recapture

, under the command of Captain Henry Burke, had escorted a convoy from Plymouth to Cork and on her way back encountered a Portuguese schooner that reported having met with a French privateer off Cape Clear. Burke immediately set out to find her. Instead, around 1pm on 26 August, he sighted a large vessel and immediately set out in pursuit. After a chase of five hours Burke was able to bring his quarry to action in an engagement that lasted throughout the night. At daylight, ''Lord Nelson'' having expended all her cartridges, Fougie later informed Burke that on ''Seagull''s next approach ''Lord Nelson'' would have struck her colours. However, Burke had to pull back to repair extensive damage to ''Seagull''s mast and rigging, and two shot holes between wind and water, i.e., just below her water line. While ''Seagull'' was undertaking her repairs Fougie's crew were able to prepare new cartridges and might have resumed the engagement when ''Seagull'' approached again.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 10, p.260. However, in the interim a squadron under Sir
Edward Pellew Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB (19 April 1757 – 23 January 1833) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. His younge ...
in came into sight, with leading. ''Seagull'' signaled to the approaching vessels and as they came up, Fougie struck to ''Colossus''. In the fight ''Seagull'' had had two men killed and eight men wounded, one of whom apparently died later. French casualties were unreported. Boats from ''Colossus'' boarded ''Lord Nelson'' where they found that five of her original crew had been serving the guns in the fight against ''Seagull''. They protested that they were Americans (not renegade Englishmen, and so free agents), but the prize crew put them in chains pending subsequent further investigation in Britain.''Naval Chronicle'', Vol. 10, p.344. Pellew then gave ''Seagull'' the honour of escorting ''Lord Nelson'' back to Plymouth, where they arrived on 14 September and where ''Seagull'' could undergo much necessary repairs and refitting. The East India company, with the agreement of Lloyd's Underwriters, agreed a salvage of one-sixth the value of ''Lord Nelson''. Somewhat unfortunately for ''Seagull'', she would have to share the salvage not only with ''Colossus'', but also with the other three ships-of-the-line in Pellew's squadron. The East India Company rewarded Spottiswoode with a valuable sword and a service of plate in recognition of his gallant defence of ''Lord Nelson''. He apparently retired to become laird of Dunipace, having succeeded his brother William, but died on 30 September 1805.


In fiction

The whole episode of the capture and recapture of ''Lord Nelson'' provides the narrative of Chapter 5 of
Patrick O'Brian Patrick O'Brian (12 December 1914 – 2 January 2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series. These sea novels are set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and ...
's novel ''Post Captain'' in his
Aubrey–Maturin series The Aubrey–Maturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels—20 completed and one unfinished—by English author Patrick O'Brian, set during the Napoleonic Wars and centring on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the R ...
with the addition of his fictional characters Captain
Jack Aubrey John "Jack" Aubrey , is a fictional character in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. The series of novels portrays his rise from lieutenant to rear admiral in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The twenty (and o ...
and
Stephen Maturin Stephen Maturin () is a fictional character in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. The series portrays his career as a physician, naturalist and spy in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and the long pursuit of ...
being among the passengers aboard ''Lord Nelson''.


3rd voyage (1804–1805)

On her third voyage, ''Lord Nelson'' was under the command of Captain Wemyss Orrok (or Orrock). A change of captain meant a new letter of marque, this one dated 25 February 1804. The warrant notes that ''Lord Nelson'' now carried 32 guns but did not distinguish how many of each type. She left on 20 March 1804 for the coast of India and the Bay of Bengal. ''Lord Nelson'' was one of a convoy of eight East Indiamen, all under escort by . The other East Indiamen in the convoy were , , , , , , and . Other East Indiamen in the convoy included , , and . ''Lord Nelson'' reached Madras on 19 July,
Diamond Harbour Diamond Harbour is a town and municipality located in the South 24 Parganas district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Situated on the eastern banks of the Hooghly River, it serves as the administrative headquarters of the Diamond Harbour su ...
on 12 August, and
Saugor Sagar, formerly Saugor, is a city, municipal corporation and administrative headquarter in Sagar district of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. It's Madhya Pradesh's 6th largest city of by Population. The city is situated on a ...
on 21 November before returning to Madras on 12 February. By 29 June she was again at St Helena, reaching the Downs by 10 September. She was back in port in Britain on 12 September 1805. Orrok died in mid-1805 at St Helena on the return leg of the trip, and while it is not certain who was captain for the remainder of the voyage, it was probably her
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
Frederick Gaillard.


4th voyage (1806–1807)

For her fourth voyage ''Lord Nelson'' was under the command of Captain William Charles Hutton. His letter of marque was dated 8 February 1806 and also gave her armament as 32 guns. ''Lord Nelson'' left Britain on 30 March 1806 for St Helena and Bengal in a convoy that included , , , , and , all under the escort of . During the night of 20 April ''Lady Burges'' wrecked on a reef off
Boa Vista, Cape Verde Boa Vista (Portuguese language, Portuguese for "good view"), sometimes incorrectly spelled Boavista, is a desert-like island that belongs to the Cape Verde Islands. At , it is the third largest island of the Cape Verde archipelago. The island of ...
. Boats from the convoy were able to rescue 150 of the 184 people on board; 34 drowned. ''Lord Nelson'' reached St Helena on 27 June, the
Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( ) is a rocky headland on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A List of common misconceptions#Geography, common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Afri ...
on 26 August, Diamond Harbour on 12 November, Saugor on 26 December, Madras on 10 January 1807 and
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
19 February. ''Lord Nelson'' left Bombay for Britain on 27 February with some officers of the 77th Regiment as passengers. For the return leg she was in
Tellichery Thalassery () (also called Tellicherry) is a city and municipality on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the List of districts of India, districts of Mahe, India, Mahe and Kozhikode district, Kozhiko ...
on 4 March and St Helena again on 15 June. She arrived in the Downs on 6 September.Lettens, Jan, ''Wreck site'' databas

accessed 13 May 2011; based on logbooks in the
National Archives (UK) The National Archives (TNA; ) is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its parent department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the ...


5th voyage

For her fifth voyage ''Lord Nelson'' was still under the command of Captain William Charles Hutton. She left Britain on 5 March 1808 for Madras and Bengal. On 5 August 1808 nine East Indiamen, including ''Lord Nelson'', arrived at Madras. Unfortunately, now Rear Admiral Pellew was there in . He inspected the crews of all the vessels and pressed 157 men in all. The captains were furious, and remonstrated with Pellew, informing him that he had left them too shorthanded to sail safely back to Britain. He relented slightly, returning 24 men. Hutton and the others then had to make do by recruiting local
lascar A lascar was a sailor or militiaman from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Arab world, British Somaliland or other lands east of the Cape of Good Hope who was employed on European ships from the 16th century until the mid-20th centur ...
s to get enough men to bring up the size of the crew; ''Lord Nelson'' would sail with about 110 men, exclusive of passengers. As was common, she would also carry a number of passengers, including an army officer, Lt. Colonel T.D. Richardson, his wife and their three children. When Hutton and ''Lord Nelson'' had arrived in the Far East, he had lost 38 men to
impressment Impressment, colloquially "the press" or the "press gang", is a type of conscription of people into a military force, especially a naval force, via intimidation and physical coercion, conducted by an organized group (hence "gang"). European nav ...
to various naval vessels. In all, of the 114 men with whom he had left Britain, he had lost 55–6 to the press, six each to disease and desertion, two to drowning, and one to resignation. Hutton was the most experienced of the nine captains and was the commodore of the fleet. That is, should they lose contact with their escort, , under the command of Captain John Ferrier, Hutton would take command of the fleet. On 26 October the fleet left Madras. Around 20 November a gale began that dispersed the entire
convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
. ''Lord Nelson'' then parted company with the fleet on 21 November at around . She was never heard of again. Two other East Indiamen, , and , also disappeared without a trace. The EIC put the value of the lost cargoes at £63,468, £12,470, and £11,875 for ''Lord Nelson'', ''Experiment'', and ''Glory''. The EIC valued her cargo at £57,091; the total loss, vessel plus cargo, was £117,820.''Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany''. (July 1816, Vol. 2, p.38.


Notes


Citations


References

* * Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis (1859) ''Correspondence of Charles, First Marquis Cornwallis''. (Murray). * * * * * * * Nelson, Viscount Horatio Nelson, Frances Herbert Woolward Nelson Nelson (viscountess), and Lady Frances Nelson (1958) ''Nelson's letters to his wife: and other documents, 1785-1831''. (Taylor & Francis). * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lord Nelson (East Indiaman) Ships of the British East India Company Maritime incidents in 1808 1799 ships Ships built in Deptford Shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean Captured ships Age of Sail merchant ships Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Missing ships Ships lost with all hands Ships in art