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HMS Badger (1794)

October 18, 2023

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Badger.

HMS Badger was a Dutch hoy, one of some 19 that the Admiralty purchased for the Royal Navy in 1794 after France's declaration of war in 1793. The intent was to create quickly a class of gun-vessels for operations in coastal and shallow waters. Of all the hoys, she had probably the most distinguished career in that she helped fend off two French attacks on the Îles Saint-Marcouf, and participated in the capture of several French vessels. The Navy sold her in 1802.

History
Great Britain
NameHMS Badger
NamesakeBadger
Acquiredby purchase under Admiralty Order 3 February 1794
Honours and
awards		Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Isles St. Marcou"[1]
FateSold 1802
General characteristics [2]
TypeHoy
Tonnage59 (bm)
Length
  • 61 ft 0 in (18.59 m) (overall)
  • 54 ft 1 in (16.5 m) (keel)
Beam14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Depth of hold6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail plansloop
Complement30
Armament1 × 24-pounder gun + 3 × 32-pounder carronades +

Career Edit

Badger was fitted out at Deptford between April and 25 May 1794, with Lieutenant Lewis Mortlock commissioning her in April. In 1795 Captain Sir Sidney Smith seized the uninhabited Îles Saint-Marcouf, which lie 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km) off Ravenoville on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy.[3] Smith constructed barracks and gun batteries and manned the islands with 500 sailors and Royal Marines, including a large proportion of men unfit for ship-board service, described as "invalids".[4] Smith supported the islands with several gunvessels, including Badger, Hawke, and Shark, and the floating battery Sandfly. Lieutenant Charles Papps Price assumed command of Badger in August 1795, with Mortlock moving to command of the newly captured and commissioned Crachefeu. For administrative purposes, the Navy rated Badger a sloop-of-war, and technically gave Price command of both the Saint-Marcouf islands.

Price was an unpopular officer who had repeatedly been passed over for promotion. He apparently spent most of his time on the islands with a prostitute he had brought from Portsmouth.[5]

On 7 September 1795 the French mounted an attack with 17 large boats filled with men. They retreated in confusion after coming under fire from the redoubts the British had erected on East Island and from the gunvessels,[6] among them the hoys Badger, Serpent, Hawk, and Sandfly.

On 28 December 1796, Badger and Sandfly captured Rebekah.[7] Next year, on 21 February 1797, Badger, Sandfly, and the hired armed cutters Champion and Fly captured Souris.[8] Souris was a chasse-maree of 16 guns.[9] Unlike her sister-ship Eclair, which the British had captured in 1795, the Royal Navy did not take Souris into service.[a]

Near the end of the year, on 12 November 1797, Badger and Sandfly captured the French vessels Eole and Solide Michael.[11] One week later Badger captured Morgonstern.[12]

On the night of 6 May 1798 the French approached the islands with a large number of armed troop-carrying barges and some brigs to provide covering fire, as well as 5-6,000 troops. They then launched their attack at dawn. The West Island's batteries, under Lieutenant Price, were ready and inflicted devastating damage on the light invasion craft.[13] Despite severe casualties the French barges continued their approach until they were within musket range, 50 yards (46 m). The garrison of Royal Marines opened fire and the artillery crews switched to canister shot. Six or seven boats sank with their entire crews and troops, and others were heavily damaged.[13][14] Losses were so high that the French called off the attack; even so, the return journey carried the barges past East Island, which was under the command of Lieutenant Richard Bourne of Sandfly and mounted a battery that inflicted additional severe losses.[13][b]

Main article: Battle of the Îles Saint-Marcouf

British casualties were light. For his efforts, Price received promotion to Commander.[2] Nearly five decades later the Admiralty issued the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Isles St. Marcou" upon application to the three still-living British claimants from the battle.

On 8 July 1799, Badger captured four French vessels: Pierre de Issigny, Fortunee, St. Pierre de Grandcamp, and Amitie.[15]

What was Badger's last capture occurred on 15 September 1800 when Price sighted a French long cutter some four miles off the West Island. He sent Lieutenant M'Cullen of the Royal Marines with 24 picked men in Badger's ten-oared galley and six-oared cutter to catch the French vessel. He also signaled the gun-brig Sparkler to provide covering fire. Sparkler drew the fire of two shore batteries, one of two 24-pounder guns and one of two 12-pounder guns, while the boats went in to cut out the French vessel. The French crew ran their boat on shore and cut her masts and rigging. Nevertheless, the British towed her off despite heavy small-arms fire from the shore. The prize was the privateer rowboat Victoire, mounting four swivel guns, 26 oars, and having a crew of at least 40 men, under the command of Captain Barier. Price described her as "quite new... the completest Boat for the Service of the Islands that possibly could be constructed." The only British casualty was Badger's gunners mate, who took a musket ball to the shoulder.[16][c]

Fate Edit

Badger was paid off in May 1802 and was sold later that year.[2]

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Souris, was built in 1785 in southern Brittany to assist in harbour construction at Cherbourg. Between October 1793 and January 1794, the French Navy converted her into a gun-vessel, originally of three 18 or 24-pounder guns, and commissioned her in February.[10]
  2. ^ Although a number of records report that the British captured the gunvessel Flibustier,[2] the letters from the action make no mention of this.[13] Law's history of the battle, the most thorough account, also makes no mention of this.
  3. ^ Victoire was a 49-tonne privateer from Dunkirk commissioned in 1798 under a Captain Terragno, with 18 men and 2 guns. Later in 1798 she was under Gaspard Malo. In 1799 she was under Ensign Jean-Louis Fromentin (from Dieppe) with 30 men. In 1800, under Étienne Commette (from Agde), with 24 to 40 men and 2 to 4 guns. Later in 1800, she cruised under Léonard-Louis Lerlière, with 24 to 40 men and 2 to 4 guns. HMS Badger, of 3 guns, captured her in July 1800.[17]

Citations Edit

  1. ^ "No. 20939". The London Gazette. 26 January 1849. p. 238.
  2. ^ a b c d Winfield (2008), p. 324.
  3. ^ Woodman (2001), p. 102.
  4. ^ James (1827), pp.113-7.
  5. ^ Woodman (2001), p. 104.
  6. ^ Barrow (1848), p. 175.
  7. ^ "No. 15114". The London Gazette. 9 March 1799. p. 231.
  8. ^ "No. 14057". The London Gazette. 17 October 1797. p. 999.
  9. ^ United service magazine, No. 10, 1829, p.520.
  10. ^ Winfield & Roberts (2015), p. 276.
  11. ^ "No. 15008". The London Gazette. 17 April 1798. p. 324.
  12. ^ "No. 15268". The London Gazette. 17 June 1800. p. 698.
  13. ^ a b c d "No. 15014". The London Gazette. 8 May 1798. pp. 389–391.
  14. ^ Gardiner (1997), p. 107.
  15. ^ "No. 15241". The London Gazette. 22 March 1800. p. 289.
  16. ^ "No. 15294". The London Gazette. 16 September 1800. pp. 1062–1063.
  17. ^ Demerliac (2003), p. 226, no.1513.

References Edit

  • Barrow, John (1848). The life and correspondence of Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith. Vol. 1. Bentley.
  • Demerliac, Alain (2003). La marine du Consulat et du Premier Empire: nomenclature des navires français de 1800 à 1815 (in French). Éd. Ancre. ISBN 2-903179-30-1. OCLC 162449062.
  • Gardiner, Robert (1997). Nelson Against Napoleon: from the Nile to Copenhagen, 1798-1801. Chatham. ISBN 978-1-86176-026-5.
  • James, William (2002) [1827]. The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 2, 1797—1799. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-906-9.
  • Laws, Lt. Col. M.E.S. (1948). "The Defence of St. Marcouf" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Artillery. 4 (75): 298–307.
  • Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.
  • Winfield, Rif; Roberts, Stephen S. (2015). French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786–1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.
  • Woodman, Richard (2001). The Sea Warriors. Constable Publishers. ISBN 1-84119-183-3.

October 18, 2023
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For other ships with the same name see HMS Badger HMS Badger was a Dutch hoy one of some 19 that the Admiralty purchased for the Royal Navy in 1794 after France s declaration of war in 1793 The intent was to create quickly a class of gun vessels for operations in coastal and shallow waters Of all the hoys she had probably the most distinguished career in that she helped fend off two French attacks on the Iles Saint Marcouf and participated in the capture of several French vessels The Navy sold her in 1802 HistoryGreat BritainNameHMS BadgerNamesakeBadgerAcquiredby purchase under Admiralty Order 3 February 1794Honours andawardsNaval General Service Medal with clasp Isles St Marcou 1 FateSold 1802General characteristics 2 TypeHoyTonnage59 bm Length61 ft 0 in 18 59 m overall 54 ft 1 in 16 5 m keel Beam14 ft 4 in 4 37 m Depth of hold6 ft 2 in 1 88 m PropulsionSailsSail plansloopComplement30Armament1 24 pounder gun 3 32 pounder carronades Contents 1 Career 2 Fate 3 Notes 4 Citations 5 ReferencesCareer EditBadger was fitted out at Deptford between April and 25 May 1794 with Lieutenant Lewis Mortlock commissioning her in April In 1795 Captain Sir Sidney Smith seized the uninhabited Iles Saint Marcouf which lie 3 5 nautical miles 6 5 km off Ravenoville on the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy 3 Smith constructed barracks and gun batteries and manned the islands with 500 sailors and Royal Marines including a large proportion of men unfit for ship board service described as invalids 4 Smith supported the islands with several gunvessels including Badger Hawke and Shark and the floating battery Sandfly Lieutenant Charles Papps Price assumed command of Badger in August 1795 with Mortlock moving to command of the newly captured and commissioned Crachefeu For administrative purposes the Navy rated Badger a sloop of war and technically gave Price command of both the Saint Marcouf islands Price was an unpopular officer who had repeatedly been passed over for promotion He apparently spent most of his time on the islands with a prostitute he had brought from Portsmouth 5 On 7 September 1795 the French mounted an attack with 17 large boats filled with men They retreated in confusion after coming under fire from the redoubts the British had erected on East Island and from the gunvessels 6 among them the hoys Badger Serpent Hawk and Sandfly On 28 December 1796 Badger and Sandfly captured Rebekah 7 Next year on 21 February 1797 Badger Sandfly and the hired armed cutters Champion and Fly captured Souris 8 Souris was a chasse maree of 16 guns 9 Unlike her sister ship Eclair which the British had captured in 1795 the Royal Navy did not take Souris into service a Near the end of the year on 12 November 1797 Badger and Sandfly captured the French vessels Eole and Solide Michael 11 One week later Badger captured Morgonstern 12 On the night of 6 May 1798 the French approached the islands with a large number of armed troop carrying barges and some brigs to provide covering fire as well as 5 6 000 troops They then launched their attack at dawn The West Island s batteries under Lieutenant Price were ready and inflicted devastating damage on the light invasion craft 13 Despite severe casualties the French barges continued their approach until they were within musket range 50 yards 46 m The garrison of Royal Marines opened fire and the artillery crews switched to canister shot Six or seven boats sank with their entire crews and troops and others were heavily damaged 13 14 Losses were so high that the French called off the attack even so the return journey carried the barges past East Island which was under the command of Lieutenant Richard Bourne of Sandfly and mounted a battery that inflicted additional severe losses 13 b Main article Battle of the Iles Saint Marcouf British casualties were light For his efforts Price received promotion to Commander 2 Nearly five decades later the Admiralty issued the Naval General Service Medal with clasp Isles St Marcou upon application to the three still living British claimants from the battle On 8 July 1799 Badger captured four French vessels Pierre de Issigny Fortunee St Pierre de Grandcamp and Amitie 15 What was Badger s last capture occurred on 15 September 1800 when Price sighted a French long cutter some four miles off the West Island He sent Lieutenant M Cullen of the Royal Marines with 24 picked men in Badger s ten oared galley and six oared cutter to catch the French vessel He also signaled the gun brig Sparkler to provide covering fire Sparkler drew the fire of two shore batteries one of two 24 pounder guns and one of two 12 pounder guns while the boats went in to cut out the French vessel The French crew ran their boat on shore and cut her masts and rigging Nevertheless the British towed her off despite heavy small arms fire from the shore The prize was the privateer rowboat Victoire mounting four swivel guns 26 oars and having a crew of at least 40 men under the command of Captain Barier Price described her as quite new the completest Boat for the Service of the Islands that possibly could be constructed The only British casualty was Badger s gunners mate who took a musket ball to the shoulder 16 c Fate EditBadger was paid off in May 1802 and was sold later that year 2 Notes Edit Souris was built in 1785 in southern Brittany to assist in harbour construction at Cherbourg Between October 1793 and January 1794 the French Navy converted her into a gun vessel originally of three 18 or 24 pounder guns and commissioned her in February 10 Although a number of records report that the British captured the gunvessel Flibustier 2 the letters from the action make no mention of this 13 Law s history of the battle the most thorough account also makes no mention of this Victoire was a 49 tonne privateer from Dunkirk commissioned in 1798 under a Captain Terragno with 18 men and 2 guns Later in 1798 she was under Gaspard Malo In 1799 she was under Ensign Jean Louis Fromentin from Dieppe with 30 men In 1800 under Etienne Commette from Agde with 24 to 40 men and 2 to 4 guns Later in 1800 she cruised under Leonard Louis Lerliere with 24 to 40 men and 2 to 4 guns HMS Badger of 3 guns captured her in July 1800 17 Citations Edit No 20939 The London Gazette 26 January 1849 p 238 a b c d Winfield 2008 p 324 Woodman 2001 p 102 James 1827 pp 113 7 Woodman 2001 p 104 Barrow 1848 p 175 No 15114 The London Gazette 9 March 1799 p 231 No 14057 The London Gazette 17 October 1797 p 999 United service magazine No 10 1829 p 520 Winfield amp Roberts 2015 p 276 No 15008 The London Gazette 17 April 1798 p 324 No 15268 The London Gazette 17 June 1800 p 698 a b c d No 15014 The London Gazette 8 May 1798 pp 389 391 Gardiner 1997 p 107 No 15241 The London Gazette 22 March 1800 p 289 No 15294 The London Gazette 16 September 1800 pp 1062 1063 Demerliac 2003 p 226 no 1513 References EditBarrow John 1848 The life and correspondence of Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith Vol 1 Bentley Demerliac Alain 2003 La marine du Consulat et du Premier Empire nomenclature des navires francais de 1800 a 1815 in French Ed Ancre ISBN 2 903179 30 1 OCLC 162449062 Gardiner Robert 1997 Nelson Against Napoleon from the Nile to Copenhagen 1798 1801 Chatham ISBN 978 1 86176 026 5 James William 2002 1827 The Naval History of Great Britain Volume 2 1797 1799 Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 906 9 Laws Lt Col M E S 1948 The Defence of St Marcouf PDF Journal of the Royal Artillery 4 75 298 307 Winfield Rif 2008 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 1817 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 246 7 Winfield Rif Roberts Stephen S 2015 French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 1861 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 204 2 Woodman Richard 2001 The Sea Warriors Constable Publishers ISBN 1 84119 183 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Badger 1794 amp oldid 1167685614, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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