HMS Sceptre (1802) facts for kids
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Sceptre
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Sceptre |
| Ordered | 4 February 1800 |
| Builder | Dudman, Deptford |
| Laid down | December 1800 |
| Launched | 11 December 1802 |
| Fate | Broken up 1821 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Repulse-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1727 (bm) |
| Length | 174 ft (53 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 47 ft 4 in (14.43 m) |
| Depth of hold | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Sceptre was a powerful warship of the Royal Navy. She was a "74-gun third rate", meaning she carried 74 cannons and was a large, important ship for her time. Built by Dudman in Deptford, England, she was launched in December 1802.
Sceptre played a role in major conflicts like the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. These wars involved many countries, and ships like Sceptre were vital for protecting trade and fighting enemies at sea. After years of service, she was taken apart in 1821.
Contents
The Story of HMS Sceptre
After being built, HMS Sceptre had a short test period. On June 20, 1803, she arrived in Plymouth for some final adjustments. Just eight days later, on June 28, she set sail under Captain A. C. Dickson to join the Channel fleet. This fleet was a key part of Britain's naval defense.
Adventures in the East Indies
In July 1803, Sceptre began a long journey to the East Indies. This area, which includes parts of Asia and the Indian Ocean, was very important for trade. She would spend five years serving there before moving to the Caribbean.
On December 21, 1803, Sceptre and another British ship, Albion, captured a French privateer named Clarisse. A privateer was a private ship allowed to attack enemy merchant ships. Clarisse had 12 guns and 157 crew members. She had left Isle de France (now Mauritius) to raid ships in the Bay of Bengal. Luckily, she hadn't captured anything before Sceptre and Albion found her.
In February 1804, Albion and Sceptre met a fleet of British merchant ships, called Indiamen, in the Malacca Straits. These merchant ships had just fought off a French fleet in the Battle of Pulo Aura. Sceptre and Albion helped escort them safely to Saint Helena, an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Later in 1804, Captain Joseph Bingham took command of Sceptre. In 1806, Sceptre and Cornwallis attacked French ships in St. Paul's Bay, Isle of Bourbon. They tried to recapture British ships that the French had taken, but the wind died down, making it hard to move.
In 1808, Sceptre and Cornwallis fought the French frigate Sémillante and shore defenses. After this, the crews of both ships were suffering from scurvy, a serious illness caused by lack of vitamin C. They went to Madagascar to recover. Sceptre then returned to Britain, bringing two Danish merchant ships she had captured. She was then taken out of active service for a while.
Repairs and the Scheldt Expedition
Between August 1808 and June 1809, Sceptre underwent major repairs at Chatham. In March 1809, Captain Bingham recommissioned her. She then joined Sir Richard Strachan for an expedition to the Scheldt river, a waterway in what is now Belgium and the Netherlands.
Service in the West Indies
On November 8, 1809, Sceptre sailed for the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. Captain Samuel James Ballard made sure his crew practiced using broadswords. This training proved useful later when they had to fight on land.
Sceptre arrived off Martinique and learned that four French frigates had captured and burned Junon. On December 18, Sceptre and several other British ships attacked two French supply ships, Loire and Seine, anchored in Anse à la Barque, Guadeloupe. The British ships forced the French to abandon and burn their own vessels. British marines also destroyed shore batteries. For this brave action, surviving sailors later received the Naval General Service Medal with a special clasp.
In early 1810, Sceptre helped transport troops for an attack on Guadeloupe. Captain Ballard led a group of sailors and marines on land. They created a distraction before landing troops near Basse-Terre. Captain Ballard continued to command the naval detachment until the island surrendered. After visiting many West Indian islands, Sceptre sailed back to England in August, escorting merchant ships.
Patrolling the Channel
Sceptre arrived back in England on September 25, 1810, and was refitted. For the next few years, until January 1813, she patrolled the English Channel. Her job was to keep an eye on enemy ships in places like Brest and the Basque Roads.
The War of 1812 Operations
In 1813, Captain Charles Ross took command of Sceptre. She became the flagship for Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn during operations against the United States in the War of 1812.
On July 11, 1813, Sceptre and other British ships, carrying troops, anchored off the Ocracoke bar in North Carolina. A group of boats with armed sailors and marines from Sceptre attacked enemy ships. They were supported by Captain Ross using rockets. The only armed American ships were a brig called Anaconda (18 guns) and a privateer schooner called Atlas (10 guns). When the British attacked, the Americans abandoned Anaconda, and Atlas surrendered. British troops then took control of Portsmouth Island and Ocracoke Island without a fight. The British took both captured ships into their own service.
On May 12, 1814, Sceptre recaptured a British merchant ship called Fanny. This event led to some important legal cases about who owned the ship and how much money the recapturing crew should get.
The End of HMS Sceptre
In her final years, Sceptre continued to patrol the Channel, blockading the French fleet. In 1815, she was taken out of service at Chatham. After spending some time in storage, HMS Sceptre was finally broken up, or dismantled, at Chatham in 1821.
