HMS Russell (1764)
Russell
HMS Russell was a modified Ramillies Class 74-gun third rateship of the line, designed by Sir Thomas Slade, M/shipwright Thomas West. Ordered on the 1st of January, 1761 and launched on the 10th of November,1764 at Deptford.
Career.
GREAT BRITAIN
Name:
HMS Russell
Ordered:
8 January 1761
Builder:
West, Deptford
Launched:
10 November 1764
Honours and
awards:
Participated in:
Fate:
Sold out of the service, 1811
Notes:
Harbour service from 1812
General characteristics
Class and type:
Modified Ramillies-classship of the line
Tons burthen:
1642 bm
Length:
168 ft 6 in (51.36 m) (gundeck)
Beam:
46 ft 11 in (14.30 m)
Depth of hold:
19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)
Propulsion:
Sails
Sail plan:
Full rigged ship
Armament:
Completed on the 6th of January 1765 HMS Russell had an inauspicious start to her career. Nothing save a small repair at Chatham in 1772 to 73 marred her first few years. She was commissioned in the September of 1777 before being coppered and fitted at Portsmouth from the January to April of 1779.
Her first real action came on the 9th of April,1782, when she was commanded by Captain James Saumarez at the Battle of the Saintes. Incurring losses of 10 killed and 38 wounded. She was paid off after wartime service in the following month, and underwent repairs at Chatham between the November of that year and the end of 1783.
She was in for repairs again in 1791 and then recommissioned in the March of 1793 under Captain John Willett Payne. She was in a spat with Vanstabel’s squadron on the 18th of November of that year, However, her next major action came in the following year when she was part of Admiral Howe's fleet at the Glorious First of June, on the 1st of June 1794 in which battle and she incurred no casualties.
In the following year Russell fought in the Battle of Groix on the 23rd of June where she suffered 8 killed and 26 wounded.
In the December of 1796 she came under the command of Captain Joseph Larcom as the Flagship of Viuce Admiral John McBride in the North Sea. Then, in the April of 1797 she came under Captain Richard Grindall.
She also fought in the Lee coloumn at the Battle of Camperdown on the 11th of October under Captain Henry Trollope, who had succeeded to her command somewhere about the July of that year. During the battle she had no fatalities, but 7 crewmen were wounded.
In the January of 1798, Russell was in the Channel, where on the 20th of March, aided by HMS Jason, she took the 12 gun Privateer La Bonne Citoyenne.
In the May of 1799 she was under the command of Captain Hubert Sawyer and sailed for the Med in the June of that year. By 1800 she was back in the Channel now under Captain Sir Thomas Williams, but in 1801 came under the command of Captain William Cumming.
On 24 February, Lloyd's List reported that Russell had towed "Duckingfield Hall", Pedder, master, into Torbay. She had been sailing from Antigua to London when of the Scilly Islands another vessel had run foul of her. Duckenfield Hall had lost her foremast, and her fore, main, and mizzen topmasts; the vessel that ran into her was believed to have foundered.
Russell now found herself bound for the expedition to Copenhagen, and took her part in the battle on the 2nd of April, 1801. During the battle she lost only 6 wounded. After this she went in for a large repair during the best part of 1802.
Recommissioned under Captain Robert Williams in the February of 1803, she destroyed the 4 gun La Betsey on the 3rd of June.
Lloyd's List (LL) reported on 10 June 1803 that Russell had burnt a 14-gun French navy brig coming from San Domingo.
As no other sinking is mentioned in association with Russell at this time I assume that this was miss-reportage about one and the same incident.
By the16th of October in the same year, it was noted that she was three days out of Rio in company with the fourth rateHMS Grampus,escorting the East IndiamenNorthampton, Lord Melville, Earl Spencer , Princess Mary, Anna, Ann, Glory, and Essex, which were all bound for Bengal. TheGrampus was also carrying £100,000 in specie destined for the British East India Company.
Whilst out in the Far East she took part in the Java operation of 1806. Under Captain Thomas Caulfield she took the 10 gun Privateer La Adele on the 5th of December. 1807.On 12 February 1808 Russell arrived off the Danish possession of Tranquebar where she landed troops of the 14th Regiment of Foot and the Honourable East India Company's artillery. Tranquebar capitulated without resistance.
In 1809 she became the Flagship of Rear Admiral Richard O’Brien Drury, and served under Captain Edward Hoare during 1810.
Fate.
She was sold out of the service in the East Indies on the 23rd of September, 1811, being deemed no longer fit for HM service.
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