HMS Saint Domingo (1809)
Sir Richard Strachan on HMS Saint Domingo, conducting the bombardment of Flushing during the Walcheren Campaign of 1809.
HMS Saint Domingo was a Blake Class 74 gunthird rateship of the line, as a sister ship to Blake. She was ordered on the 23rd of July 1785 and laid down in the June of 1806.Built by M/shipwright Edward Sison at Woolwich Dockyard; she was launched on the 3rd of March, 1809.
History
GREAT BRITAIN
Name:
HMS Saint Domingo
Ordered:
23rd July 1805
Builder:
Woolwich Dockyard
Laid down:
June 1806
Launched:
3 March 1809
Fate:
Sold, 1816
General characteristics
Class and type:
Modified Courageux-classship of the line
Tons burthen:
1820 (bm)
Length:
180 ft (55 m) (gundeck)
Beam:
48 ft 1.5 in (14.649 m)
Depth of hold:
20 ft 10.5 in (6.35 m)
Sail plan:
Full-rigged ship
Armament:
- Gundeck: 28 × 32-pounder guns
- Upper gundeck: 28 × 18-pounder guns
- QD: 4 × 12-pounder guns + 10 × 32-pounder carronades
- Fc: 4 × 12-pounder guns + 2 × 32-pounder carronades
- Poop deck: 6 × 18-pounder carronades
Service.
HMS Saint Domingo was commissioned in the March of 1809 under Captain Charles Gill who commanded her until 1812. She was destined to start her service as the Flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Richard Strachan. She took part in the Scheldt operations between the 28th of July and the 4th of September in that year, and then later off the Texel.
From 1812 she was under the command of Captain John Thompson as the Flagship to Sir John Borlase Warren, and sailed for America on the 14th of August in that year. During Admiral Warren’s voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saint Domingo together with Poictiers, Sophie, Magnet, and Mackerel, Magnet disappeared and was presumed lost with all hands.
In 1813 Saint Domingo came under the captaincy of Samuel Petchell until the following year.
On the 17th of January she captured the American privateer schooner Teazer.
On 13 April 1813, Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron, consisting of his flagship, Saint Domingo, along with Marlborough, Maidstone, Statira, Fantome, Mohawk, and Highflyer pursued four schooners into the Rappahannock. The British sent boats 15 miles upriver before finally capturing their prey.
The Arab, of seven guns and 45 men, was run aground and boarded by two boats from Marlborough. Lynx, of six guns and 40 men, hauled down her colours when Borlase went alongside her in Saint Domingo's pinnace. Racer, of six guns and 38 men, was boarded and carried, after a sharp, resistance, by the Saint Domingo's pinnace. Dolphin, of 12 guns and 98 men surrendered after Racer's guns were turned on her. Finally the Dolphin resisted for two hours, but was then boarded by men from Statira's large cutter and Maidstone's launch. In the entire action the British lost two men killed and 11 wounded, whilst the Americans lost six killed and 10 wounded.
The British took three of the schooners into service. The Chesapeake schooner Lynx became Mosquidobit. Of the three Baltimore schooners, the Racer became Shelburne; Dolphin retained her name; lastly, it is not clear what became of Arab.
On the 22nd of June in that same year there was another boat attack on Norfolk Virginia.
Saint Domingo was driven ashore at Halifax, Nova Scotia, British North America, during a gale on 12 November 1813. She was rapidly refloated, repaired, and returned to service.
In 1814 she saw further service as the Flagship of Rear Admiral Edward Foote, and on the 1st of March took the 13 gun American Privateer Argus.
In 1815 on her return to England she went into ordinary at Sheerness.
Fate.
Saint Domingo was sold out of the Navy for £4,800 on the 18th of May,1816 to be broken up.
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