British Fifth Rate frigate 'Cerberus' (1794)

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Cerberus	3531
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	14.2.1793	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	4.1793	BWAS-1793
Launched	25.9.1794	BWAS-1793
First Commissioned	10.1794	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Buckler's Hard - Hampshire	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Alcmene - Improved Pallas Class (1793)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir John HenslowBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1761-1801	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Henry AdamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1713-1805	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Sold	29.9.1814	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck135' 1"Imperial Feet41.1487
Length of Keel112' 2 ⅜"Imperial Feet34.1471
Breadth36' 9"Imperial Feet11.0109
Depth in Hold12' 6"Imperial Feet3.7338
Draught Forward9' 9"Imperial Feet2.9718
Draught Aft14' 5"Imperial Feet4.299
Burthen806 ¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

25.9.1794Broadside Weight = 324 Imperial Pound ( 146.934 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 24-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 24-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
25.9.1794241Design ComplementBWAS-1793
1796254Establishment complementBWAS-1793

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
20.10.1794 - 11.1.1798Captain† ADM 6/25/98BWAS-179312.1.1798 - 2.1803CaptainBWAS-17934.1803 - 1808CaptainBWAS-17933.1809 - 6.1811CaptainBWAS-179314.2.1811 - 12.1811CaptainBWAS-179312.1811 - 1814CaptainBWAS-1793

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.1794 - 10.6.1795First Lieutenantref:6166.3.1804 - 3.1808LieutenantSOTON1809 - 3.1809First LieutenantSOTON10.9.1810 - 1810LieutenantSOTON2.1811 - 1.1813LieutenantNBD184914.6.1812 - 29.3.1814LieutenantNBD18491.1813 - 4.1813First LieutenantNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
7.6.1803 - 7.1808Able SeamanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
28.9.1794Began Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
1795For the Irish stationBWAS-1793
20.2.1795Completed Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £17444.0.0dBWAS-1793
29.3.1795Took the Unrated in the ChannelBWAS-1793
7.1796Took the Cutter off the Irish Coast
28.8.1796Took the Privateer on the Irish Coast
5.11.1796Took the Cutter in spite of having trown 6 of his gunsBG
30.12.1796Took the Privateer ref:692
11.5.1797Took the Ship in spite of having trown most of his guns overboard during the pursuitBG
12.11.1797Took the Brig-Aviso on the Irish StationBG
14.11.1797Took the Sloop BG
1798Based in PortsmouthSOTON
9.1798Took the Privateer
28.9.1799Captured the French letter of marque Echange (10)BWAS-1793
20.10.1799Attack on a Spanish Convoy off Capt OrtegalBWAS-1793
30.3.1800Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1793
1801In the West IndiesSOTON
2.1803Paid offBWAS-1793
3.1803Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
4.1803RecomissionedBWAS-1793
5.1803Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
13.9.1803Present at the attack on invasion craft at GranvilleBWAS-1793
21.1.1804Took the Unrated off La Hogue
25.1.1804Captured the gun vessel Chameau (4) and drove another vessel onto the rocksBWAS-1793
2.4.1805Took the Brig
20.3.1806Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1793
15.5.1806Took the Privateer BG
2.1.1807Boats from Cerberus took two privateer vessels, a schooner and a sloop, from St Puire, MartiniqueBWAS-1793
2.3.1808Capture of Marie-Galante
2.3.1808Took the by landing party
30.3.1808Destruction of the batteries at DesiradeBWAS-1793
30.3.1808Capture of Desirade
8.1808Began large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
3.1809RecommissionedBWAS-1793
3.1809Completed large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
25.7.1809Boats from the Cerberus were included in a flotilla attack on four enemy gunboats and a brig at Frederickshamn in the area of AspoBWAS-1793
15.3.1810Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
28.6.1810Boats from the Cerberus and Active attacked and took 25 vessels in the harbour of GradoBWAS-1793
2.2.1811Boats from the Cerberus took three trabaccolos and burnt one at anchor near PestichiBWAS-1793
12.2.1811Boats from the Cerberus took prizes from OrtanoBWAS-1793
13.3.1811Battle of Lissa
11.4.1812Boats in action at CorfuBWAS-1793
14.4.1812Boats in action at MerleraBWAS-1793
17.5.1812Boats took a ship near BrindisiBWAS-1793
27.5.1812Took two gunboatsBWAS-1793
28.5.1812Boats in an attack near OtrantoBWAS-1793
29.1.1813Took the Privateer
3.1813Cut out an armed trabaccolo near BrindisiBWAS-1793
11.4.1813Boats form Cerberus and Apollo took possession of Devil's Island near Corfu, taking two grain shipsBWAS-1793
27.5.1813Action of 1813-05-27
1814In the Gulf of VeniceSOTON
29.9.1814At SpitheadBWAS-1793
29.9.1814Sold at Sheerness for £2,800BWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

SOTONMichael Philips, Web Site

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:692Jean Jacques Salein, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Paul on Tuesday 19th of March 2024 13:54

George Younghusband was 2nd Lt on the Cerberus under Drew in Dec 1796. Younghusband witnessed the will of Jackson William De la Cour, surgeon's mate, on 6 Dec that year. Younghusband died in 1806, two years after being posted.

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