HMS Squirrel (1755) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Squirrel |
| Ordered | 30 October 1754 |
| Builder | King's Yard, Woolwich, M/Shipwright Edward Allin |
| Laid down | 19 March 1755 |
| Launched | 23 October 1755 |
| Completed | 28 December 1755 |
| Commissioned | October 1755 |
| Out of service | Sold 16 January 1783 |
| Honours and awards |
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| Fate | Sold 1784 |
 Great Britain |
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| Name | Union |
| Owner |
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| Acquired | 1784 by purchase |
| Fate | Last listed in 1804 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 400, or 40351⁄94, or 451, or 476 (after rebuilding), or 479 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 29 ft 1+1⁄2 in (8.9 m) |
| Depth of hold | 9 ft 2 in (2.8 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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HMS Squirrel was a Royal Navy warship built in 1755. She was a "sixth-rate post ship," which was a type of smaller warship. Squirrel played a part in important battles during the French and Indian War, like the Siege of Louisbourg and the Battle of Quebec. She also served in the American Revolution, capturing two French privateer ships.
The Royal Navy sold Squirrel in 1783. A person named J. Montgomery bought her and renamed her Union. She then became a ship that hunted whales in Greenland. Later, from 1790 to 1791, Union made five voyages transporting enslaved people. After that, between 1796 and 1802, she completed two trips for the British East India Company (EIC). Finally, she traded goods between London and Liverpool. The ship was last mentioned in records in 1804.
Contents
Serving in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763)
Captain Hyde Parker took command of Squirrel in October 1755. About a year later, in October 1756, he captured a privateer ship called Très Vénėrable. Privateers were private ships allowed by a government to attack enemy ships.
In May 1757, Squirrel captured an American ship named America. The court decided America was acting like a French ship, so Squirrel was allowed to keep it as a prize.
In December 1757, Captain John Wheelock took over command of Squirrel. He sailed her to North America in January 1758.
Battles of Louisbourg and Quebec
Squirrel was part of the British navy during the siege of Louisbourg in 1758. She helped by providing fire support during the landings at Gabarus Bay. At this time, Commander George Hamilton was in charge of the ship.
In the summer of 1759, Squirrel joined the British navy at the siege of Quebec. On July 18, under Hamilton's command, she was part of a small group of ships that sailed up the river past the city. Squirrel and other Royal Navy ships received prize money for capturing smaller vessels in the St. Lawrence River that year.
Later, Captain John Cleland took command of Squirrel. In January 1760, he sailed her to the Mediterranean Sea. In February 1760, Squirrel was protecting a group of ships traveling from Cork to Gibraltar. She also helped capture a French ship in May.
Squirrel returned to England and was taken out of service in June. She was later put back into service. In March 1761, Squirrel captured a ship called Marie. By 1762, Squirrel was in North America. Captain James Cranston was in command until the end of the Seven Years' War in February 1763.
Between the Wars (1763–1775)
In May, Captain Richard Smith took command of Squirrel. She was repaired and then sailed to the West Indies in August.
From 1764 to 1766, Squirrel was stationed in New Jersey. Her job was to help enforce customs laws in New England before the American Revolution. In 1764, while in Newport, Rhode Island, Squirrel helped another ship, HMS St John. American colonists on Goat Island (Rhode Island) had fired on St John. The colonists left before Squirrel could use her guns.
Squirrel returned to England and was taken out of service in January 1767. She underwent repairs and was fitted out again. Captain John Botterell took command in July and sailed her to the Leeward Islands in October 1767.
In November 1769, Captain Edward Cauldwell was her commander in the Leeward Islands. She returned to England and was taken out of service in January 1772.
After repairs, Captain Stair Douglass recommissioned Squirrel in November 1773. He then sailed for Jamaica in January 1774.
American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
By March 1775, Squirrel was one of only five ships at the Jamaica Station. In November, Admiral Clark Gayton ordered Captain Douglass to stop ships carrying military supplies to the American rebels. By December, Squirrel was stationed at "Little Caicos."
In January 1776, Squirrel was still one of only five ships on the Jamaica Station. The agent for Jamaica, Stephen Fuller, wrote to Lord Germain that there were not enough ships to protect the fleet leaving the island.
During this time, Squirrel sent several ships she had captured to Jamaica. These included two sloops carrying goods from French areas and salt, both sailing to the "Rebellious Colonies." She also sent in a schooner that was found to be an American vessel, even though it had French papers.
In late 1776, a formerly enslaved person named Olaudah Equiano received protection from Captain Douglass. Equiano had a disagreement in Jamaica and sailed with Douglass back to England. On the way, Squirrel captured an American privateer. Squirrel arrived back in England in January 1777.
After more repairs, Captain Henry Harvey recommissioned Squirrel and sailed her to Newfoundland in April. She sailed with the African trade in February 1778. In September, Squirrel captured a ship named Betsy.
In 1779, Squirrel was in home waters under Captain Farmery Epworth. In April 1780, Captain Thomas Piercy replaced him. Between October and December 1781, Squirrel had copper put on her bottom to protect it, and she was refitted.
In December 1781, Squirrel helped capture a Dutch ship called De Vrow Esther.
Captain John Inglis took command in 1782. In February, Squirrel captured a privateer called Furet. In June, Squirrel chased and captured a French privateer cutter named Aimable Manon. She had eight guns and 42 men.
Four days later, Squirrel recaptured a ship called Penelope. Penelope had been sailing from Liverpool to Cork when a French privateer had captured her.
Disposal of the Ship
The Navy took Squirrel out of service at the end of June 1782. They sold her on January 16, 1783, for £1,100, plus extra money for the copper on her bottom.
Ship's Journey: Commercial Service as Union
Whaling Ship
J. Montgomery bought Squirrel and renamed her Union. He used her as a ship to hunt whales in the waters near Greenland, especially in Davis Strait. Records show she was repaired in 1786. In July 1786, it was reported that Union had caught three whales.
In June 1787, she was still among the whaling ships in Greenland and had caught two whales. Union had more repairs in 1787 and 1789.
Transporting Enslaved People
In 1790, J. Chapman became the master of Union, and her purpose changed to voyages between London and Africa. This meant she became a ship that transported enslaved people. Records from 1791 show that her owner became Calvert & Co., and she had copper put on her hull and was thoroughly repaired.
James Tomson became her master. Union then made five voyages transporting enslaved people, mostly between the Gold Coast in Africa and Jamaica. Her owners were Anthony Calvert, Thomas King, and William Camden.
On her first voyage, Tomson sailed from England in May 1790. He arrived at the Gold Coast in August and gathered enslaved people at Cape Coast Castle and Anomabu. Union sailed from Africa in October and arrived in Jamaica in December. She arrived with 461 enslaved people. She returned to London in July 1791.
On her second voyage, Tomson left London in August and arrived at the Gold Coast in October. She gathered enslaved people mainly at Anomabu. Union sailed from Africa in January 1792 and arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, in March. There, she delivered 536 enslaved people. Her master changed to Robert Currie at some point. She sailed from Jamaica in April, heading back to Africa.
Tomson returned to command Union and gathered enslaved people at Anomabu and Cape Coast Castle. She left Africa in October and arrived back in Jamaica in December. She had taken on 549 enslaved people and arrived with all of them. She returned to London in May 1793.
Shortly before Union returned to England, war broke out with France. James Thompson received a letter of marque in June 1793. This allowed him to attack enemy ships.
On her fourth voyage transporting enslaved people, Tomson and Union left London in July and arrived in Africa in September. She again gathered enslaved people at Cape Coast Castle and Anomabu. She arrived in Jamaica in May 1794 with 535 enslaved people. Union returned to London in August.
Tomson sailed Union on her fifth and final voyage transporting enslaved people. She left London in October, heading for the Gold Coast. She arrived there in April 1795 and gathered enslaved people at Cape Coast Castle and Anomabu. She arrived with them in Jamaica in May. She had taken on 549 enslaved people and arrived with all of them. Union returned to England in June.
Voyages for the East India Company
In 1796, R. Owen became Unions master, and her trade changed to London—East Indies. That year, Union was also rebuilt.
On May 21, 1796, Captain Richard Owen sailed Union from Portsmouth for Bengal on a trip for the EIC. Union reached Gibraltar in June and the Cape of Good Hope in September. She arrived at Calcutta in March 1797. On her way back home, she left Calcutta in May, stopped at St Helena, and arrived at the Downs in December.
Records continued to show Union, with Owen as master, trading with India through 1804. However, in July 1801, Captain John Luke sailed Union from Bengal. She reached St Helena in January 1802 and arrived at the Downs in February. After this, records show Union, with Hutchinson as master, trading between London and Liverpool.
Ship's Final Days
Neither Lloyd's Register nor the Register of Shipping listed Union in 1805. This means she was likely no longer in service.
See also
- Gaspée Affair
