HMS Lowestoffe (1761) facts for kids
Capture of La Minerve off Toulon, June 24th, 1795 by Thomas Whitcombe. In the foreground the damaged and dismasted Minerve duels with HMS Dido, while in the background Lowestoffe pursues a fleeing Artémise.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Lowestoffe |
| Ordered | 15 February 1760 |
| Builder | Thomas West, Deptford Dockyard |
| Laid down | 9 May 1760 |
| Launched | 5 June 1761 |
| Completed | 1 August 1761 |
| Honours and awards |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Lowestoffe 24 June 1795" |
| Fate | Wrecked on 11 August 1801 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | 32-gun fifth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen | 71716⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 35 ft 3+3⁄4 in (10.8 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 4 in (2.8 m) |
| Depth of hold | 12 ft 6 in (3.8 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 220 |
| Armament |
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HMS Lowestoffe was a 32-gun frigate of the Royal Navy, which is like a medium-sized warship. She was built during the Seven Years' War and later fought in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary War. She often sailed in the Caribbean Sea. A famous young sailor, Horatio Nelson, served on her right after he became a lieutenant.
Lowestoffe started her service near the end of the Seven Years' War. She patrolled in British waters until 1773, when she needed repairs. She was put back into service in 1777 and fought throughout the American War of Independence. This included a battle at San Fernando de Omoa. After most of the fighting ended, she returned to Portsmouth in 1782. She didn't see much action for the next ten years. Later, she spent most of her time in British and Mediterranean waters. She became famous for her part in a battle with two French frigates in 1795. Her last duties were back in the West Indies, where she was wrecked in 1801 while guiding other ships in the Caicos Islands.
Contents
Building a Warship: HMS Lowestoffe
Sir Thomas Slade designed Lowestoffe. He based his plans on a French ship called Abenakise, which the British Navy had captured. The Navy often drew up blueprints of captured ships. These plans were then used by designers like Slade.
Lowestoffe was the only ship built exactly to her design. However, more than ten years later, the Navy built two more frigates, HMS Orpheus and HMS Diamond. These ships were based on a slightly changed version of Lowestoffe's design. The order for Lowestoffe was placed on 15 February 1760. She was built by Thomas West at Deptford Dockyard. West was supposed to launch her within 12 months.
The ship was started on 9 May 1760 and launched on 5 June 1761. She was fully ready by 1 August 1761. Her name, Lowestoffe, was officially given on 28 October 1760. Building her cost about £7,715. The Navy spent another £4,281 to get her ready for sea.
Early Years at Sea
Lowestoffe was ready for duty late in the Seven Years' War. She didn't see much fighting under her first captain, Walter Stirling. The Navy took her out of service in 1762. She was first kept at Portsmouth. In early 1763, she was armed and stocked with supplies. She sailed on 26 July 1763 with her new captain, James Baker.
After patrolling the English Channel and inspecting neutral merchant ships, Baker sailed Lowestoffe to Madeira. Then she went on to the West Indies. She arrived at Carlisle Bay on 13 September and then sailed to Antigua. While in the West Indies, Lowestoffe patrolled between Barbados and Antigua.
She was part of a group of ships led by Rear Admiral Tyrrell. Four ships from this group, Princess Louisa, Lowestoffe, Virgin, and Beaver, shared money from capturing several ships. These ships were involved in illegal trade near Dominica in early 1764. The captured ships included the Sarah, Union, Mary Anne, and others.
Captain Baker died on 31 March 1765. His replacement, Joseph Norwood, sailed Lowestoffe back home. She was taken out of service in August 1766. Lowestoffe had a small repair at Sheerness between December 1766 and April 1767. After some time out of service, she was put back into duty in June 1769 under Captain Robert Carkett. Carkett took her back to the West Indies in October that year. She returned to Britain in May 1773 after four years in Jamaica. She was taken out of service in 1773 and changed to a smaller 28-gun ship.
Fighting in the American War of Independence
Lowestoffe then had a major repair. She was put back into service under Captain William Locker in early 1777. She got ready for duty in the Leeward Islands. A young Lieutenant Horatio Nelson joined her for this voyage. He had just passed his examination on 9 April and became her second lieutenant. Also serving on Lowestoffe at this time was Cuthbert Collingwood. He became a lifelong friend of Nelson and served with him many times, including at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The ship sailed in early May, guiding a group of ships to the West Indies. They arrived in mid-July. She had her hull covered with copper at Jamaica. This helped protect the ship from worms and made her faster. She then went on several patrols. In August 1777, she captured an American sloop carrying rice.
On a second patrol, Lowestoffe captured an American privateer. This was a notable moment for Nelson. Lowestoffe sent her boat and first lieutenant to take over the captured ship. But the waves were too rough. The lieutenant returned. Nelson then volunteered to try, and he succeeded.
On 25 March 1778, Lowestoffe captured the sloop Swan. This ship was carrying molasses. By the time of Lowestoffe's third patrol, Nelson was in command of the ship's small tender, the schooner Little Lucy. Captain Locker and Lowestoffe spent the rest of 1778 and early 1779 on routine patrols. Captain Christopher Parker replaced Locker in March 1779. Locker had been ill. He recommended Nelson to Sir Peter Parker. Nelson then joined Parker's larger ship, HMS Bristol, as third lieutenant on 1 July 1778.
On 8 February 1779, Lowestoffe captured the Vigilant near Leogan. This sloop was sailing from Dominique to Philadelphia with sugar, rum, coffee, and salt.
Lowestoffe became part of Captain John Luttrell's group of ships. They carried out operations in the Bay of Honduras in October and November 1779. On 17 October, Lowestoffe, along with Pomona, Charon, and Porcupine , took part in a successful British attack. This was against the Fort of San Fernandino de Omoa. During the attack, Lowestoffe exchanged fire with the fort. While doing this, she ran aground. This made her an easy target for the fort's guns.
Eventually, boats pulled Lowestoffe free. But she had been badly damaged. She had also sent a landing party to help attack the fort. In total, she lost three men killed and five wounded. As a result of the battle, the British ships captured two Spanish prizes. These ships carried gold and silver worth over $3,000,000. Lowestoffe and Pomona also shared money from capturing the St. Domingo and her cargo, which included valuable indigo.
On 26 March 1780, Lowestoffe captured the small sloop Fortune off Cape Francois. She was carrying provisions. Also in early 1800, Lowestoffe captured the Danish ship Diana, which was carrying mahogany. Then on 15 June, Lowestoffe, Phoenix and Pomona captured the ship Delaware. She was armed with guns and had a crew of 53 men. More importantly, they also captured the French navy cutter Sans Pareil. This ship had 16 guns and 100 men.
Later, Lowestoffe stopped a Danish schooner carrying cattle. She also recaptured the British ship John, which a French privateer had taken. She also captured a Spanish ship sailing from La Guaira to Tenerife with cocoa and spices.
On 26 September, Lowestoffe and Pallas captured two small vessels. One was the sloop Fair Henrietta, carrying lumber and bricks. The second was the ship St. Salvadore, carrying lumber. In late 1800 or early 1801, Lowestoffe captured a Spanish ship (name unknown) carrying sugar.
Between 2 and 4 October, Lowestoffe survived a hurricane. This storm badly damaged many British warships. The hurricane also caused Barbadoes, Scarborough, and Victor to sink, meaning they were lost at sea with everyone on board.
Captain Christopher Parker moved to Diamond on 1 November 1780. Captain James Cornwallis briefly replaced him on Lowestoffe. Cornwallis asked for and received a transfer to HMS Badger five weeks later. His replacement was Captain Thomas Haynes. Under Haynes, Lowestoffe and Janus captured the sloop Dispatch on 18 January 1781, off Heneauge. She was carrying coffee and sugar.
Haynes left in May 1781 to take over the larger 64-gun ship Ruby. Her next captain was George Stoney. Captain Thomas Windsor replaced him on 31 January 1782. Windsor sailed Lowestoffe home and took her out of service at Portsmouth. She stayed there for nine months before being moved to the River Thames.
Peaceful Years and Preparations
Robert Batson carried out a major repair on Lowestoffe between July 1783 and March 1786. She returned to service in the English Channel in October 1787 under Captain Edmund Dodd. She sailed to the Mediterranean in May 1788. Then she returned to Britain where Captain Robert Stopford briefly took command in November 1790. Lowestoffe was taken out of service later that year. She was then prepared for duty at Plymouth between July 1792 and January 1793. Lowestoffe was put back into service in December 1792 under Captain William Wolseley.
French Revolutionary War Engagements
Lowestoffe sailed to the Mediterranean in May 1793. She joined Hood's fleet, which was blocking the port of Toulon. She became part of a fast-moving group of ships under Commodore Robert Linzee. This group was meant to fight French forces in the Mediterranean. On 30 September 1793, Linzee took his ships, including Lowestoffe, into the Gulf of San Fiorenzo. Their goal was to attack a fort called Forneilli on Corsica.
Lowestoffe fired two broadsides (all guns on one side) at a tower at Mortella Point. This tower protected the entrance to the gulf. The firing made the French defenders abandon the tower and its three guns. This allowed a landing party from Lowestoffe to capture the tower. However, Linzee waited to attack the city until his larger ships could join. These larger ships bombarded the town from 1 October. But they were badly damaged by the fort's guns. This forced Linzee to pull back.
Lowestoffe stayed in the area. She supported British operations against the French on Corsica during 1794. On 7 March 1794, Captain Charles Cunningham took over command from Wolsely. A little over a month later, on 13 April, Lowestoffe captured the Etoile du Nord. HMS Dido, Aimable and Imperieuse shared in this capture. Lowestoffe was also among the British warships that shared in the capture of the French ships Jacobin and Natine on 24 May.
Captain Benjamin Hallowell replaced Cunningham on 12 August. Hallowell commanded Lowestoffe during the Naval Battle of Genoa on 14 March 1795. During this battle, she received some damage from long-range shots from the French fleet. Captain Robert Gambier Middleton replaced Hallowell in June 1795.
A Famous Victory: Dido and Lowestoffe vs. Minerve and Artémise
Admiral Hotham sent Lowestoffe and the 28-gun Dido (under Captain George Henry Towry) to check on the French fleet at Toulon. While off Menorca on 24 June 1795, the two British frigates met two French frigates. These were the 42-gun Minerve and the 36-gun Artémise .
The French ships were at first careful. But when they realized they were larger and stronger than the British ships, the French captains decided to attack. Minerve tried to crash into Dido. But when Dido turned to avoid the crash, Minerves bowsprit (a pole at the front of the ship) got caught in Didos ropes. This caused Dido to lose her mizzenmast (a mast at the back of the ship) and her flags.
Lowestoffe then sailed alongside the French Minerve. She fired a broadside that broke Minerve's foremast and topmasts, crippling her. Lowestoffe then chased the retreating Artémise, which eventually got away. Lowestoffe returned to Minerve, firing on her until she surrendered.
Lowestoffe had three men wounded. Dido had six men killed and 15 wounded. Minerve lost about 10% of her crew of over 300 men. The British took Minerve into their service as the 38-gun frigate HMS Minerve. The power of Minerve's guns alone was greater than that of the two British frigates combined. This made the battle a very important victory. The Royal Navy gave each of the two British captains a Naval Gold Medal. In 1847, special medals were given to six surviving crew members from this battle.
Later Service and Final Loss
Captain Robert Plampin took command of Lowestoffe in December 1795. He served with a group of ships under Thomas Troubridge. After repairs in Britain, Lowestoffe guided groups of merchant ships in the West Indies.
On 14 September 1796, she captured a ship named Lesou. Lowestoffe was also among the ships that captured the Spanish ship Navarra (also called Diligent) in late 1799. This ship was armed with eight guns and carried wine, iron, and paper. Lowestoffe also shared in the capture of the Spanish ship Ambrosia. This ship was carrying quicksilver and writing paper. Lowestoffe alone captured the Spanish ship San Francisco, which was carrying sugar and wood.
The Wreck of HMS Lowestoffe
Lowestoffe sailed from Kingston, Jamaica on 22 July 1801. Five days later, she met a group of ships she was supposed to protect at Port Antonio. The escort ships included Lowestoffe, Acasta, the sloop Bonetta , and the schooners Musquito and Sting.
While Lowestoffe was sailing through the Caicos passage late on 10 August, Captain Pamplin realized something. The strong currents known to flow through the channel had changed direction. Lowestoffe was heading into shallow waters. He tried to avoid hitting the ground, but it was too late. Lowestoffe ran sideways onto Little Inagua Island.
The crew threw supplies and equipment overboard to make the ship lighter. Boats from other ships in the convoy came to try and pull her off. But the attempts to refloat her failed. Her crew left the ship by mid-afternoon. The only people lost were five men who drowned when their boat flipped over in the waves. The change in currents also caused five or six merchant ships to be wrecked.
In the late afternoon of 11 August, Acasta left Bonetta and three of her own boats to help the wrecked ships. Acasta then took command of the convoy.
A special naval hearing (called a court-martial) was held at Port Royal on 3 September. It decided that a sudden change in the current after dark had caused the loss. The board agreed that Captain Pamplin had sailed carefully. They cleared him and his officers of any blame for the loss of Lowestoffe and the other ships.
In April 1803, the officers and crew of Lowestoffe and Bonetta received payment. This was for saving the money that Lowestoffe had been carrying.
