Antelope (1780 packet ship) facts for kids
Gallant Action between his Majesty's Packet Antelope, & the French Privateer Atalante, Lieutenant Thomas Yates, National Maritime Museum
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Great Britain |
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| Name | Antelope |
| Operator | Post Office Packet Service |
| Builder | Thames |
| Launched | 1780 |
| Fate | Captured 1793 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 190, or 204 (bm) |
| Complement | 27 |
| Armament | 6 x 3-pounder guns |
Antelope was a British packet ship launched in 1780. Packet ships were special boats used to carry mail, passengers, and important goods across the seas. The French captured her several times. However, she is most famous for a very brave single-ship action in 1793. In this fight, her small crew captured a better-armed French privateer ship with many more sailors.
Contents
The Antelope's Adventures
The French captured Antelope for the first time in 1781. After that, her owners paid a special fee called a ransom to get her back. But then, on October 10, 1782, the French captured her again! She was taken to a city called Nantes in France. Captain William Kempthorne bought her back on April 4, 1783, and took command of the ship once more.
A Brave Battle in 1793
On December 1, 1793, Antelope was sailing near Cumberland Harbour, Cuba. Captain Kempthorne was not on board because he was ill in Falmouth. The ship spotted two privateers. Privateers were private ships allowed by their government to attack enemy ships. Antelope tried to avoid trouble by heading back to port.
The next day, the wind stopped blowing. One of the privateers, named Atlante, was able to get close and attack. Atlante had eight 3-pounder guns and a crew of 65 men. Antelope had only six 3-pounder guns and a crew of 21. The French privateer Atlante was from Charleston, South Carolina. Her crew included French, Irish, and American sailors.
Fighting Against the Odds
During the battle, both of Antelope's officers were either killed or hurt. The master, Mr. Edward Curtis, was wounded. Before he fell, he aimed two of the ship's front guns. He loaded them with double shot and fired at the first group of French sailors trying to board. This attack killed or wounded about 15 of the enemy.
After Mr. Curtis fell, the Boatswain, John Pascoe, took command. He led the crew in fighting off the French boarding parties. Antelope's crew kept pushing back the privateers. They even managed to cut the ropes the French used to hook onto their ship. Antelope was also taller than Atlante. This helped the British crew. They could shoot down onto the privateer's deck while staying safer themselves.
Victory and Rewards
John Pascoe was not content with just defending the ship. He bravely climbed up the rigging. He tied Atlantes sail yard to Antelopes ropes. The battle continued until Atlante finally gave up.
Antelope lost 3 sailors killed and 3 wounded. One of the wounded later died. The privateer Atlante suffered much greater losses. Her first captain was badly wounded and died. Her second captain was also wounded. Thirty of her men were killed during the fight, and 17 were wounded. Only 16 of her 65 men were unharmed.
The victorious Antelope sailed to Annotto Bay, Jamaica, with her captured prize. It turned out that Atlante had captured one other ship, a brig from Bermuda, before this battle.
The government in Jamaica, the House of Assembly, voted to give 500 guineas to the brave officers and men of Antelope. Mr. Curtis's widow received 200 guineas. The first mate, who was shot during the fight, and Mr. Pascoe, the boatswain, each received 100 guineas. The remaining 100 guineas were shared among the rest of the surviving crew.
In London, a group called the Committee for Encouraging the Capture of French Privateers also gave out rewards. Pascoe received 50 guineas and a special gold whistle. The crew, and the families of those who died, also received money. The head of the Post Office, the Earl of Chesterfield, also gave prizes. He made it clear that these awards were only for protecting the mail. He did not want to encourage crews to look for fights. Their main job was to deliver the post safely and quickly.
The End of Antelope
On August 19, 1794, Antelope set sail for North America with thirty men. A month later, on September 19, 1794, she met a group of French frigates in a thick fog. To prevent the mail from falling into enemy hands, her crew sank it. Then, they surrendered to the French frigate Surveillante. While he was a prisoner of the French, Captain Kempthorne sadly died from yellow fever. When Antelope was lost, her value was estimated to be about £2750.
