British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Buffalo' (1777)

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Buffalo
Nominal Guns	50	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Buffalo' (1743) (70) 1743-1777 British 70 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line 1777 Renamed "Buffalo"
Ordered	7.2.1777	BWAS-1714
Acquired	7.2.1777	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	28.3.1777	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1733 Establishment 70-Gunner (1733)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas HollandBritish Designer Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	10.1783	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck151' 0"Imperial Feet46.0248
Length of Keel122' 0"Imperial Feet37.1856
Breadth43' 6 ½"Imperial Feet13.1191
Depth in Hold17' 9"Imperial Feet5.2143
Burthen1,230 ²⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1778Broadside Weight = 414 Imperial Pound ( 187.749 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck22 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

13 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
28.3.1777 - 28.4.1778Commander ADM 6/21/271BWAS-171429.4.1778 - 6.5.1780Captain ADM 6/21/397BWAS-17146.5.1780 - 27.8.1780Captain ADM 6/22/126BWAS-171427.8.1780 - 28.8.1780Captain ADM 6/22/164BWAS-171428.8.1780 - 24.1.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/164ADM 6/2227.1.1781 - 15.8.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/240BWAS-171415.8.1781 - 1.5.1782Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/325BWAS-171424.5.1782 - 17.6.1782Captain ADM 6/22/472ADM 6/2217.6.1782 - 20.12.1782Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/481BWAS-171420.12.1782 - 18.1.1783Captain ADM 6/22/558BWAS-171418.1.1783 - 20.1.1783Captain ADM 6/23/12ADM 6/2320.1.1783 - 21.1.1783Captain ADM 6/23/12ADM 6/2321.1.1783 - 9.4.1783Captain ADM 6/23/13ADM 6/23

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
29.4.1778 - 1778Vice-Admiral of the RedBWAS-1714

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
4.3.1782 - 18.3.1782Third Lieutenant ADM 6/22/417ADM 6/2218.3.1782 - 25.6.1782Second Lieutenant ADM 6/22/426ADM 6/2218.3.1782 - 25.6.1782Third Lieutenant ADM 6/22/426ADM 6/2225.6.1782 - 29.4.1783Third Lieutenant ADM 6/22/485ADM 6/22

Service History

DateEventSource
3.1777RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1777Refitted as a 30 gun Unrated Storeship
11.6.1777Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
1778With the Downs SquadronBWAS-1714
3.1778Refitted as a 50 gun Fourth Rate Ship of the Line
1779With the Downs SquadronBWAS-1714
7.1779Started a refitBWAS-1714
8.1779Completed refit at a cost of £3,433.5.5dBWAS-1714
31.12.1779Affair of Fielding and Bylandt
2.1780Began coppering and refitting as a guard shipBWAS-1714
4.1780Completed refit at a cost of £4,907.9.11d at Plymouth (including coppering)BWAS-1714
5.8.1781Battle of Dogger Bank
20.10.1782Battle of Cape Spartel
9.4.1783

Paid off

ADM 34
10.1783Broken up at WoolwichBWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
9.1782-12.1782	Fleet for the relief of Gibraltar 1782	Lord Richard Howe (4^th Viscount Howe)British Naval Sailor Marine Service 1736-1799

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 34 Document

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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