HMS Rose (1757) facts for kids
The Phoenix and the Rose fighting enemy ships on August 16, 1776.
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Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Rose |
| Ordered | 13 April 1756 |
| Builder | Hugh Blaydes, Hull, England |
| Laid down | 5 June 1756 |
| Launched | 8 March 1757 |
| Fate | Scuttled on 19 September 1779 in Savannah, Georgia. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | 20-gun Seaford-class sixth-rate post ship |
| Tons burthen | 449 bm |
| Length |
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| Beam | 30 ft 6 in (9.3 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 7 in (2.9 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 160 |
| Armament | 20 × 9 pdrs |
HMS Rose was a 20-gun British warship built in England in 1757. She was a "sixth-rate post ship," meaning she was a smaller warship with a specific number of guns. Rose became famous for her actions in North America. Her efforts to stop smuggling in Rhode Island actually helped lead to the creation of the Continental Navy. This navy was the very first version of what we now call the United States Navy. Rose was used during the American Revolutionary War and was eventually sunk on purpose in 1779 in Savannah, Georgia. Years later, a replica of HMS Rose was built. This replica was even used in famous movies like Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
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HMS Rose in North America
HMS Rose was built in Hull, England, in 1757 for the British Royal Navy. Early in her career, during the Seven Years' War, she served in the English Channel and the Caribbean Sea. She was even considered to be Captain James Cook's ship for his first big trip around the world, but she was too small to carry all the supplies needed. Instead, Rose was sent to the North American station. On her way there, she met Cook's chosen ship, HMS Endeavour, in September 1768, at Funchal in the Madeira Islands.
Stopping Smuggling in Rhode Island
In 1774, Rose, commanded by Sir James Wallace, was sent to Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. Her mission was to stop the widespread smuggling that was happening there. At the time, Newport was a very rich city because of this illegal trade. Rose was much larger than any American ship, and Captain Wallace was very good at his job. Because of this, smuggling quickly slowed down.
For example, on February 22, 1775, Rose captured a small ship called Lively that was carrying illegal goods. On April 2, 1775, she briefly ran aground near Goat Island but got free that evening. Later, on April 26, 1775, she seized two more small ships, Diana and Abigail. These actions really hurt Newport's economy.
Local merchants in Rhode Island were very upset about Rose stopping their trade. They asked their local government, the Rhode Island General Assembly, to create a navy to get rid of Wallace and his ship. These merchants even put up their own money to turn a trading ship into a warship. This new ship was named Providence. It became the first ship commanded by John Paul Jones, a famous American naval hero.
Rhode Island declared its independence from Britain on May 4, 1776. This was two months before the other American colonies declared their independence. The request from Rhode Island to the Continental Congress (the government of the American colonies) to form a naval force to fight Rose was a major reason why the Continental Navy was created.
Rose in the American Revolutionary War
In July 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, Rose played a part in the British invasion of New York. She fired on American forts and traveled far up the Hudson River with another British ship, HMS Phoenix. Captain Wallace was even knighted (given a special title by the King) for helping to force George Washington's army out of New York. This helped the British take control of the state.
Rose also patrolled the rest of the northeast coast of America. She stopped American ships from trading and sometimes forced American sailors to join the Royal Navy (a practice called impressment). She also helped supply the British soldiers stationed in Boston. One of her last known actions was capturing an enemy ship in Chesapeake Bay on January 27, 1779.
HMS Rose is Scuttled
HMS Rose met her end in 1779 in Savannah, Georgia. By this time, she was old and no longer fit for battle. The British decided to scuttle (sink on purpose) Rose in a narrow part of the channel leading to Savannah. This blocked the channel, making it impossible for French and American warships to reach the city. Because of this, Savannah remained under British control until the end of the war.
After the war, Rose was destroyed to clear the channel for other ships. Over the years, only a few items from the ship have been found. However, the United States Army Corps of Engineers recovered three cannons and an anchor from the Savannah River. These are believed to be from HMS Rose.
The Replica of HMS Rose
In 1970, a replica of HMS Rose was built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. This new ship was also named HMS Rose. It was first used as a "dockside attraction" for people to visit and later for sail training. In 1991, the ship was certified by the United States Coast Guard as a training vessel. She took part in many big sailing events, including the "Columbus 500" Tall Ship Race in 1992.
In 2001, a movie studio bought the ship. They sailed her to Southern California and changed her to look like HMS Surprise for the Peter Weir movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. This movie was based on books by Patrick O'Brian. The ship was renamed Surprise and is now part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. You can visit her there as a dockside attraction.
