British Fifth Rate frigate 'Meleager' (1785)

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Meleager
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	11.1.1782	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	12.1782	BWAS-1714
Launched	28.2.1785	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	2.1793	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Quarry House Yard - Frindsbury	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Amazon Class (1770)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Edward GreavesBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Wrecked	9.6.1801	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck126' 0"Imperial Feet38.4048
Length of Keel104' 0"Imperial Feet31.6992
Breadth35' 1 ½"Imperial Feet10.6807
Depth in Hold12' 2 ½"Imperial Feet3.6703
Burthen682 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

28.2.1785Broadside 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
1770220Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
13.8.1790 - 14.2.1793Captain ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2414.2.1793 - 9.1793Captain ADM 6/24/209BWAS-17142.1794 - 19.2.1794Commanderref:61620.2.1794 - 1796Captain ADM 6/25/96BWAS-17148.1798 - 1799CaptainBWAS-17141800CaptainBWAS-17141801 - 9.6.1801CaptainBWAS-1714

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
13.8.1790 - 18.10.1790First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2413.8.1790 - 20.2.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2423.10.1790 - 28.3.1791First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/81ADM 6/2421.2.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/212ADM 6/2421.2.1793 - 1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/212ADM 6/2421.2.1793 - 1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/212ADM 6/2410.11.1793 - 8.1796LieutenantODNB

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1800 - bef.24.3.1800Surgeonref:1981

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
4.1793 - 1795MidshipmanNBD1849

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1795Able SeamanADM 171/815.6.1796 - 17961st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
25.4.1785fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4242.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.1790Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
15.4.1793Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £2909.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.5.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
14.3.1795Action off Genoa
13.7.1795Battle of Hyeres
8.1795Nelson's squadron off GenoaBWAS-1714
31.5.1796Action of 1796-05-31
6.1798Began refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
9.1798Completed refitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8723.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.1798Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
9.6.1801Wrecked in the Gulf of Mexico near VeracruzBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 171/8British Admiralty, Document

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ODNBOxford University Press, Web Site

ref:1981 Document

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 30th of May 2026 03:45

His Majesty’s ship Meleager, of 32 guns, the Hon Captain Capel, we are sorry to be informed, was lost on the 21st of June last, in the Gulph of Mexico. The officers and crew were happily saved, and are arrived at Jamaica in the Apollo. [London Courier, 6 October 1801]

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