HMS Colossus (1803) facts for kids

Hull plan for Colossus and Warspite
Quick facts for kids History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Colossus
Ordered	13 January 1798
Builder	Deptford Dockyard
Laid down	May 1799
Launched	23 April 1803
Honours and awards	Took part in: Battle of Trafalgar
Fate	Broken up, 1826
General characteristics
Class and type	74-gun third-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen	188847⁄94 (bm)
Length	180 ft (55 m) (gundeck)
Beam	48 ft 10 in (14.88 m)
Depth of hold	21 ft (6.4 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	74 guns: Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs Upper gundeck: 30 × 24 pdrs Quarterdeck: 12 × 9 pdrs Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

HMS Colossus was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched from Deptford Dockyard on 23 April 1803. She was designed by Sir John Henslow as one of the large class 74s, and was the name ship of her class, the other being Warspite. As a large 74, she carried 24 pdrs on her upper gun deck, as opposed to the 18 pdrs found on the middling and common class 74s. She took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, and was broken up in 1826.

Napoleonic Wars

On 27 August 1803 Colossus recaptured the East Indiaman Lord Nelson, which the French privateer Belone had captured two weeks before and which Seagull had fought to the point of surrender.

Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October. On the left the French Swiftsure, next to her the Spanish Bahama, then the Colossus firing into the French Argonaute. Painting by Richard Henry Nibbs

Colossus fought at Trafalgar under Captain James Nicoll Morris, in Collingwood's lee column. After sustaining fire from the enemy fleet, she eventually ran by the French Swiftsure, 74, and became entangled with Argonaute, 74. Towards the end of the exchange of fire between the two ships, Captain Morris was hit by a shot from one of Argonaute's guns, just above the knee. Argonaute broke free from Colossus after this, whilst the British ship was engaging both Swiftsure and the Spanish Bahama, 74, on her other side. Bahama surrendered when Colossus brought down her main mast, and Swiftsure did likewise after combined fire from Colossus and Orion brought down her main and mizzen masts.

War of 1812

On 24 March 1812 Colossus in company with Tonnant, Hogue, Poictiers and Bulwark captured the Emilie.

On 5 January 1813 Colossus, the frigate Rhin and the brig Goldfinch captured the American ship Dolphin. A little over a month later, on 11 February, Rhin and Colossus captured the American ship Print.

Fate

In 1815 Colossus was placed in ordinary at Chatham. She was eventually broken up in 1826.