HMS Forward (1855) facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Forward |
| Builder | W & H Pitcher |
| Launched | 8 December 1855 |
| Fate | Destroyed on 17 June 1870 in the Battle of Boca Teacapan |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class and type | Albacore-class |
HMS Forward was a special kind of small warship called a gunboat. She was built for the British Royal Navy in 1855. After serving for many years, she was sold in 1869. But her story didn't end there! She was later captured by Mexican pirates. In 1870, boats from a United States Navy ship found and destroyed her in a fight called the Battle of Boca Teacapan.
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The Story of HMS Forward
Forward was a wooden ship powered by a screw propeller. She was part of the Albacore-class of gunboats. These ships were designed to be fast and carry powerful guns.
Early Days and Service
The ship Forward was built by W & H Pitcher in Northfleet, Kent, England. She was officially launched into the water on December 8, 1855. In 1859, she was sent to British Columbia to serve the Royal Navy there. She worked alongside her sister ship, HMS Grappler.
In the spring of 1863, Forward and Grappler were involved in an event known as the Lemalchi incident. They helped to find and capture local people who were believed to be involved in conflicts with settlers on the Gulf Islands. During this time, Forward used her guns to damage a village on Kuper Island. After this, she took the captured individuals to Victoria to face justice.
In 1869, Forward was sold to a company called Hill & Ready in Esquimault, British Columbia. They planned to use her as a commercial ship. She sailed south to Mexico to collect oysters. However, near Mazatlan, Mexico, she was seized by a man named Plácido Vega y Daza. He was a descendant of the famous explorer Christopher Columbus.
The ship was then crewed by Mexicans and began flying the flag of San Salvador. She started attacking other ships and towns along the coast in the Gulf of California. Because of these actions, the United States Navy considered her a pirate ship.
The Final Battle
The U.S. Navy sent a warship called USS Mohican to find Forward. On June 17, 1870, smaller boats from Mohican discovered Forward. She was found beached in the Teacapan Estuary at Boca Teacapan, Sinaloa, Mexico. To stop her from being used for piracy again, the U.S. Navy boats destroyed her. This event became known as the Battle of Boca Teacapan.
