British Fifth Rate frigate 'Aquilon' (1786)

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Aquilon	3092
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	23.4.1782	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	11.1782	BWAS-1714
Launched	23.11.1786	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	5.1788	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Hermione Class (1780)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Edward HuntBritish Ship Builder Administrator Dockyard Staff Service 1757-1809	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	9.1815	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck129' 2"Imperial Feet39.321
Length of Keel107' 0"Imperial Feet32.6136
Breadth35' 8"Imperial Feet10.7086
Breadth35' 4"Imperial Feet10.6883
Depth in Hold12' 7 ½"Imperial Feet3.6703
Draught Forward8' 6"Imperial Feet2.5908
Draught Aft13' 11"Imperial Feet3.9709
Burthen724 ⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

23.11.1786Broadside Weight = 228 Imperial Pound ( 103.398 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
25.3.1780220Design Complement

14 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1.12.1787 - 13.5.1788Captain ADM 6/23/439ADM 6/2313.5.1788 - 26.4.1791Captain: on board from 15.5.1788 ADM 6/23/460ADM 6/2326.4.1791 - 7.9.1791Captain ADM 6/24/120ADM 6/248.9.1791 - 6.7.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/134ADM 6/247.7.1794 - 7.1795Captain ADM 6/25/57BWAS-17147.1795 - 9.1798CaptainBWAS-17149.1798 - 1800CaptainBWAS-17141.1811 - 5.1811CaptainBWAS-17145.1811 - 1813CaptainBWAS-17141813 - 8.1814CaptainBWAS-17141813LieutenantBWAS-171422.4.1814 - 19.7.1814Acting CaptainNBD18498.1814 - 1816CaptainBWAS-17141816 - 4.1816CaptainBWAS-1714

20 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
13.5.1788 - 25.4.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/23/460ADM 6/236.6.1789 - 1.11.1790Acting Lieutenant Transferedref:6162.12.1789 - 3.11.1790Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/67
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 16.9.1790ADM 6/243.11.1790 - 9.1.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/118
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 22.4.1791ADM 6/2410.1.1791 - 25.4.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/118
Issued by
Confirmed 22.4.1791ADM 6/2426.4.1791 - 14.9.1791First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/120ADM 6/2426.4.1791 - 7.9.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/120ADM 6/248.9.1791 - 13.3.1793Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/134ADM 6/2421.9.1791 - 6.1.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/137ADM 6/2429.9.1791 - 30.5.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/137ADM 6/241.6.1793 - 29.9.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/257
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 24.7.1793ADM 6/2430.9.1793 - 1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/270ADM 6/2430.9.1793 - 1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/270ADM 6/241794Second Lieutenantref:9241794Third Lieutenantref:9247.1.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/2ADM 6/259.7.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/58ADM 6/2514.7.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/61ADM 6/2517.7.1794 - 9.10.1795LieutenantNBD184920.6.1812 - 15.4.1814LieutenantNBD1849

8 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1793 - bef.27.6.1793Surgeonref:19811794Boatswainref:9241794Masterref:9241794Surgeonref:9241794Carpenterref:9241794 - 1798Purser†ref:9241794Master's MateADM 171/88.1.1794 - 15.12.1797Gunnerref:924

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
4.1791 - 1795MidshipmanNBD18491795MidshipmanADM 171/8

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1794Able SeamanADM 171/81794BoyADM 171/81794BoyADM 171/8

2 Marines

DatesRankNameSource
1794Lieutenant of Marinesref:9241794PrivateADM 171/8

Service History

DateEventSource
6.12.1786Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
21.12.1786Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3342.0.0dBWAS-1714
10.1787Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
26.6.1788Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3557.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.5.1789Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1790Paid offBWAS-1714
4.1791RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1791Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1791Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3773.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid off and recommissionedBWAS-1714
2.11.1791Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1.6.1794Glorious 1st of June
23.6.1795Action of Ile Groix
3.1797Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
8.10.1797Took a small privateer in the West IndiesBWAS-1714
2.4.1799Took an 8-gun privateer schoonerBWAS-1714
1800In ordinary?BWAS-1714
7.1809Began large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1.1811RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1811Completed large repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
10.1812Took the Privateer in the Baltic
1813In the South AtlanticBWAS-1714
4.1816Paid off at DeptfordBWAS-1714
9.1816Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Charles on Thursday 24th of July 2014 18:30

Plymouth, September 6, 1794

Earl Howe’s [Grand] Fleet hove into sight of this harbour early yesterday morning: the night preceding, they fell in with 18 sail of homeward bound East Indiamen off Dartmouth, who ran foul of several of the fleet, and slightly damaged them, which obliged his Lordship to bear up for Torbay, in order to have his disabled ships refitted. - The AQUILON and MELAMPUS Frigates belonging to the fleet, have received the greatest damage, the former arrived here yesterday with her bowsprit sprung, and fore-top-mast carried away - the latter was towed into the Sound this afternoon by the RUSSEL man of war, with the loss of her bowsprit and Foremast. The AQUILON got in a new bowsprit this morning, and her repairs are expected to be complete in the course of the day.

Torbay, Sept 6 1794

Yesterday evening arrived and came to an anchor the Grand Fleet, under the command of Earl Howe; also the TRITON East Indiaman, towed in by VENERABLE man of war, having run foul of the LATONA frigate, and knocked away her bow-sprit and forestays, and carried away all her lower masts.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Sunday 29th of July 2012 22:37

28 June 1794 Aquilon 32 cap Robert Stopford at Portsmouth

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