British Third Rate ship of the line 'Edgar' (1779)

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Edgar ➡ 1814 Retribution

372
Nominal Guns74BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered16.7.1774BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down26.8.1776BWAS-1714
Launched30.6.1779BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardWoolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
Ship ClassEdgar Class (1774)BWAS-1714
Designed by
Sir Thomas SladeBritish
Designer
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1744-1783
BWAS-1714
Constructor
George WhiteBritish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1773-1779
BWAS-1714
CategoryThird RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShip of the LineBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Broken Up2.1835BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 0"Imperial Feet51.2064 
Length of Keel138' 0"Imperial Feet42.0624 
Breadth46' 10"Imperial Feet14.0208 
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166 
Draught Forward12' 4"Imperial Feet3.7084 
Draught Aft17' 9"Imperial Feet5.2143 
Burthen1,609 93⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


30.6.1779Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
30.6.1779600Design ComplementBWAS-1714

19 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
22.5.1779 - 19.2.1780Captain
John ElliotBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1808
ADM 6/21/558BWAS-17149.2.1780 - 17.5.1780Captain
Erasmus GowerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1762-1810
ADM 6/22/143
Issued by
Sir George Brydges Rodney (Baronet )British
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1782
, Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 19.6.1780ADM 6/2217.5.1780 - 19.7.1781Captain
John ElliotBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1808
ADM 6/22/130BWAS-171419.7.1781 - 2.3.1782Captain
Thomas BostonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1758-1801
ADM 6/22/315BWAS-17142.3.1782 - 6.5.1782Captain
John MoutrayBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1783
Transfered ADM 6/22/417BWAS-17141.5.1782 - 31.3.1783Captain
William CayleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1762-1795
ADM 6/22/461BWAS-17142.4.1783 - 9.8.1786Captain
Adam DuncanBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1849
ADM 6/23/44BWAS-171423.1.1787 - 27.1.1790Captain
Charles ThompsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1754-1799
: on board from 29.1.1787 ADM 6/23/375BWAS-171427.1.1790 - 26.8.1790Captain
Anthony James Pye MolloyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1768-1794
ADM 6/24/18ADM 6/2427.8.1791 - 16.3.1792Captain
Anthony James Pye MolloyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1768-1794
ADM 6/24/130BWAS-171416.3.1792 - 20.1.1794Captain
Albemarle BertieBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1814
Transfered ADM 6/24/157BWAS-171430.7.1794 - 8.1796Captain
Sir Charles Henry Knowles (2nd Baronet)British
Naval Sailor
Service 1776-1821
ADM 6/25/69BWAS-17148.1796 - 11.1799Captain
John McDougalBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1772-1814
BWAS-171411.1799 - 1.3.1801Captain
Edward BullerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1814
BWAS-171426.2.1801 - 12.9.1802Captain
George MurrayBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1778-1813
BWAS-17147.1805 - 2.1806Captain
John Clarke SearleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1811
BWAS-17142.1806 - 5.1807Captain
Robert JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1851
BWAS-17145.1807 - 1809Captain
James MacnamaraBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1788-1814
BWAS-17143.1810 - 8.12.1810Captain
Stephen PoyntzBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1791-1812
BWAS-1714

5 Flag Officers


DatesRankNameSource
1.5.1782 - 31.3.1783Commodore
William HothamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1754-1805
BWAS-171411.6.1787 - 23.9.1787Commodore
The Hon. John Leveson GowerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1758-1790
ADM 6/23/400ADM 6/2324.9.1787 - 9.1787Rear-Admiral of the Blue
The Hon. John Leveson GowerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1758-1790
BWAS-17141789Rear-Admiral of the White
Joseph PeytonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1799
ADM 107/3/26BWAS-17141807Admiral of the White
Lord George Keith Elphinstone (Baron Keith)British
Naval Sailor
Service 1770-1815
BWAS-1714

39 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
27.5.1779 - 27.11.1781Fifth Lieutenant
James KellieBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1790
ADM 6/21/560ADM 6/214.6.1782 - 19.6.1782Fourth Lieutenant
Henry WarreBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1810
Transfered ADM 6/22/476ADM 6/2221.6.1782 - 19.4.1783Fourth Lieutenant
Thomas CrawleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1778-1814
ADM 6/22/483ADM 6/227.12.1782 - 6.3.1783Fifth Lieutenant
Owen WilliamsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1793
ADM 6/22/551ADM 6/222.4.1783 - 1.11.1785Second Lieutenant
Terence McDonaldBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1778-1788
ADM 6/23/44ADM 6/2315.4.1783 - 9.8.1786First Lieutenant
James BissettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1814
ADM 6/23/50ADM 6/2319.4.1783 - 9.8.1786Fourth Lieutenant
John ClelandBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1798
ADM 6/23/52ADM 6/2323.1.1787 - 14.5.1790Second Lieutenant
William NowellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1769-1814
Transfered ADM 6/23/375ADM 6/234.7.1787 - 1.10.1787Fifth Lieutenant
William BedfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1814
Transfered ADM 6/23/403ADM 6/2327.1.1790 - 26.8.1791First Lieutenant
George BayneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1767-1794
ADM 6/24/18ADM 6/2416.10.1790 - 26.12.1790Second Lieutenant
John DeebleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1790
ADM 6/24/79ADM 6/242.11.1790 - 26.12.1790Third Lieutenant
Edward Stirling DicksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1814
ADM 6/24/84ADM 6/242.11.1790 - 26.12.1790Fourth Lieutenant
The Hon. Arthur TurnourBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1793
ADM 6/24/84ADM 6/243.11.1790 - 26.12.1790Fifth Lieutenant
Robert WinthropBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1807
ADM 6/24/85ADM 6/2427.12.1790 - 26.8.1791Second Lieutenant
Edward Stirling DicksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1814
ADM 6/24/97ADM 6/2427.12.1790 - 26.8.1791Third Lieutenant
The Hon. Arthur TurnourBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1793
ADM 6/24/97ADM 6/2427.12.1790 - 4.9.1791Fourth Lieutenant
Robert WinthropBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1807
Transfered ADM 6/24/97ADM 6/2427.12.1790 - 2.12.1792Fifth Lieutenant
William KingBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1794
Transfered ADM 6/24/97ADM 6/2427.8.1791 - 12.12.1792First Lieutenant
George BayneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1767-1794
ADM 6/24/130ADM 6/2427.8.1791 - 11.10.1792Second Lieutenant
Edward Stirling DicksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1814
ADM 6/24/130ADM 6/245.9.1791 - 9.4.1792Fourth Lieutenant
Henry MitfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1789-1793
ADM 6/24/132ADM 6/2410.4.1792 - 9.9.1792Third Lieutenant
Henry MitfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1789-1793
Transfered ADM 6/24/161ADM 6/2410.4.1792 - 6.2.1793Fourth Lieutenant
John William SprangerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1819
ADM 6/24/161ADM 6/2412.10.1792 - 6.2.1793Second Lieutenant
Joseph LarcomBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1814
ADM 6/24/177ADM 6/2412.10.1792 - 7.1.1793Third Lieutenant
William PierrepontBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1789-1812
Transfered ADM 6/24/177ADM 6/2413.12.1792 - 6.2.1793First Lieutenant
Thomas LarcomBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1804
Transfered ADM 6/24/184ADM 6/248.1.1793 - 6.2.1793Third Lieutenant
Richard ThomasBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1784-1793
ADM 6/24/192ADM 6/2412.1.1793 - 6.2.1793Fifth Lieutenant
Charles Temple HardyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1812
ADM 6/24/194ADM 6/247.2.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant
Joseph LarcomBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1782-1814
ADM 6/24/205ADM 6/247.2.1793 - 27.2.1793Second Lieutenant
Richard ThomasBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1784-1793
Transfered ADM 6/24/205ADM 6/247.2.1793 - 19.1.1794Third Lieutenant
John William SprangerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1819
Transfered ADM 6/24/205ADM 6/247.2.1793 - 19.1.1794Fourth Lieutenant
Charles Temple HardyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1812
Transfered ADM 6/24/205ADM 6/241.3.1793 - 19.1.1794Second Lieutenant
Abraham WillsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1783-1794
Transfered ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/241.3.1793 - 19.1.1794Fifth Lieutenant
Richard FalklandBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1810
Transfered ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/241801 - 2.4.1801First Lieutenant
Edmund JohnsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1794-1801
†BG1801 - 2.4.1801Second Lieutenant
Joshua JohnsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1798-1801
BG1801 - 2.4.1801Fifth Lieutenant
William GoldfinchBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1800-1801
BG3.8.1805 - 3.6.1807Lieutenant
Colin MacDonaldBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1846
NBD18491806 - 3.1810Lieutenant
John CampbellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1795-1813
NBD1849

2 Warrant Officers


DatesRankNameSource
6.1.1793 - 25.2.1794Master
Bartholomew JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1797
ADM 29-114.8.1794 - 1.3.1796Master
Robert LilburneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1796
ADM 29-1

6 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
14.7.1779 - 16.6.1782Quarter Gunner
Philp StevensonBritish
Naval Sailor
Dockyard Staff
Service 1779-1822
ADM 29/81782Midshipman
Hugh DownmanBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1776-1849
WWNH3.6.1788 - 12.10.1788Midshipman
Edward BraceBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1781-1843
WWNH3.1801 - 8.1801Midshipman
Charles BowenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1799-1846
BWAS-17146.1801 - 1802Master's Mate
Flowers BeckettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1795-1814
NBD18491808 - 3.1810Midshipman
Joseph O'BrienBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1807-1829
NBD1849

6 Crewmen


DatesRatingNameSource
28.5.1778 - 11.1778Captain's Servant
John Surman CardenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1778-1855
ref:6163.8.1785 - 20.9.1785Able Seaman
William Gordon RutherfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1778-1807
NAO14.2.1793 - 25.2.1794Able Seaman
William JamesBritish
Naval Sailor
Dockyard Staff
Service 1790-1823
ADM 29/822.2.1793 - 25.2.1794Unknown
John ParryBritish
Naval Sailor
Dockyard Staff
Service 1778-1819
DischargedADM 29/88.1804 - 8.18051st Class Volunteer
Edwin Ludlow RichBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1804-1841
NBD184925.6.1807 - 18081st Class Volunteer
Joseph O'BrienBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1807-1829
NBD1849

1 Marine


DatesRankNameSource
1801 - 2.4.1801Lieutenant of Marines
Benjamin SpencerBritish
Marine
Service 1801
†BG

Service History


DateEventSource
6.9.1779Completed at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £42362.0.11dBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas Convoy
16.1.1780Battle of Cape St. Vincent
19.1.1780The relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
13.3.1781Sailed for the relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
12.4.1781Arrived at GibraltarBWAS-1714
12.12.1781Action of 1781-12-12
12.12.17812nd Battle of Ushant
1782Relief of Gibraltar in the AutumnBWAS-1714
2.1782refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £8017.1.9dBWAS-1714
20.10.1782Battle of Cape Spartel
31.3.1783

Paid off

BWAS-1714
4.1783Recommissioned as a guard ship at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
4.1783fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £6028.4.9dBWAS-1714
9.8.1786

Paid off

BWAS-1714
9.1786Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1.1787Recommissioned as a guard ship at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
6.1787Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £14243.4.7dBWAS-1714
5.1788refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £2601.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.1790Recommissioned for the Spanish ArmamentBWAS-1714
5.1790refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
12.1792refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £5980.0.0dBWAS-1714
1793Took the Privateer
Le Dumouriez (Unknown) 1793-1793
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

4.1795refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £10791.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1796refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £11356.0.0dBWAS-1714
2.4.1801Battle of Copenhagen
12.9.1802

Paid off

BWAS-1714
3.1805Began refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1714
8.1805Completed refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £19605.0.0dBWAS-1714
1808To the BalticBWAS-1714
1.1808Began making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
3.1808Completed making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £11439.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.8.1808Took the Sloop
Fama (18) 1802-1808
Danish 18 Gun
Unrated Sloop

11.8.1808Took the Cutter
Søormen (10) 1789-1808
Danish 10 Gun
Unrated Cutter
by boats off Nyborg
4.1809Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
6.1809Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £8667.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.12.1810Paid offADM 51
1812In ordinary at ChathamBWAS-1714
10.1813Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
12.1813Refitted as a Unrated Prison Ship
12.1813Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £9179.0.0dBWAS-1714
1814Convict hulk at Sheerness until 1833BWAS-1714
19.8.1814Converted to a convict hulk at SheernessBWAS-1714
19.8.1814Refitted as a Unrated Hulk
19.8.1814Renamed RetributionBWAS-1714
2.1835Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1714


Fleets

DatesFleetFleet CommanderSource
9.1782-12.1782Fleet for the relief of Gibraltar 1782
Lord Richard Howe (4th Viscount Howe)British
Naval Sailor
Marine
Service 1736-1799
 
 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 31st of May 2026 01:56

Edgar
Casualties in the attack off Copenhagen on 2 April 1801:
Killed – 24 seaman, 2 marines, 3 soldiers of the 49th regiment.
Wounded – 79 seamen, 17 marines, 8 soldiers of the 49th regiment
Total killed and wounded – 133
Officers killed – Edmund Johnson, First Lieutenant; Lieutenant Benjamin Spencer, Royal Marines.
Officers wounded – Joshua Johnson, Second Lieutenant; William Goldsmith, Fifth Lieutenant; Mr Gahagan, Mr Whimper; Mr Ridge, Mr Proctor, Mr Domett, Midshipmen, slightly. [Morning Post, 16 April 1801]

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