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BELLEISLE
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(74) |
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The French LE FORMIDABLE taken by Lord BRIDPORT off L'Orient on 23 June 1795.
Broken up in 1814. |
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- Capt. DOMETT, 01/OO.
- 1801 Capt. Charles BOYLE, 02/1801, from SATURN. Channel station.
- 1803 Capt. J. WHITBY, Malta.
- 1805 Capt. William HARGOOD.
Attacked to the fleet under Lord NELSON in the Mediterranean and accompanied him on the chase to the West Indies.
At the Battle of Trafalgar BELLEISLE lost 50 to 60 men killed and wounded from the fire of the rear of the enemy line and it was not until just after noon that she managed to break through the line after exchanging a few shot with the MONARCA (74). She poured a full broadside into the lee quarter of the SANTA ANNA then exchanged a few broadsides with the INDOMPTABLE before engaging the SAN JUAN NEPOMUCENO.
Soon BELLEISLE's main-top-mast was shot away and her position became critical as the ships from the enemy's rear came up. She was rammed amidships by the FOUGUEUX which appeared out of the smoke and shot away BELLEISLE's mizzen mast before dropping astern.
ACHILLE stationed herself so she could keep up a steady fire on BELLEISLE's larboard quarter and AIGLE bombarded her at a distance from the other side. SAN JUSTE and SAN LEANDRO fired as they passed her bows. Soon the mainmast fell, covering her larboard guns and her foremast and bowsprit were shot away by NEPTUNE. She was rescued by POLYPHEMUS, DEFIANCE and SWIFTSURE and pulled out of the battle with her hull, masts and rigging shot to pieces and with 33 killed and 93 wounded, including Lieuts. Ebenezer GEALE and John WOODIN.
She narrowly escaped being wrecked off Trafalgar and Tariffa in the gale which followed the battle and reached Gibraltar with great difficulty. She was repaired at Plymouth. - 1806 North America.
On 14 September BELLEISLE, BELLONA and MELAMPUS were some 35 miles off Cape Henry searching for Sir Richard STRACHAN's squadron when a line-of-battle ship under jury masts was sighted heading for the Chesapeake. They gave chase until the enemy took the ground and Capt. HARGOOD sent boats to take possession of her. She proved to be the French IMPETUEUX (74) one of Rear Ad. Willeaumez's squadron which had been damaged in a storm. Capt. POYNTZ of MELAMPUS took off the crew and set fire to her. - BELLEISLE sailed with sealed orders on 19 January 1807 to be flagship of Sir Alexander COCHRANE.
Early in December troops were embarked at Barbados in the various vessels under Rear Ad. COCHRANE and on the 21st. they arrived off the Danish island of St Thomas where they were joined by reinforcements from Antigua and Grenada and St John. On being summoned by Capt. FAHIE in ETHALION the governor Van Scholton, agreed to surrender. 300 troops of the 70th. regiment were left as a garrison and the squadron moved on to St. Croix which surrendered on the 24th. - In the spring of 1808 Lieut. PURVIS (nephew of Ad. PURVIS) of BELLEISLE was dismissed the service for wounding three French officers who were in a cartel bound for Martinique.
- 1808 Capt. E. WOOLCOMBE, who was posted into BELLEISLE, on 29 September. He commanded ULYSSES in 1809.
- 1809 Capt. William Charles FAHIE.
On 28 January 1809 an expedition under Rear Ad. COCHRANE in NEPTUNE sailed from Carlisle Bay, Barbados, to attack Martinique.
The vessels involved were: NEPTUNE, POMPEE, BELLEISLE, YORK, CAPTAIN and INTREPID.
Frigates ACASTA, PENELOPE, ETHALION, AEOLUS, CIRCE, ULYSSES and EURYDICE.
Sloops etc. GOREE, WOLVERINE, CHERUB, STORK, AMARANTHE, HAUGHTY, EXPRESS, SWINGER, FORRESTER, RECRUIT, STAR, ECLAIR and FROLIC.
Four men from BELLEISLE were wounded while serving on shore under the orders of Commodore COCKBURN before the island capitulated on 25 February. - 1809 Capt. Edward Pelham BRENTON, flagship of Commodore COCKBURN, after the capture of Martinique.
The French garrison was embarked on board BELLEISLE, ULYSSES and seven transports and taken to Quiberon Bay, where they arrived on 23 April, to be exchanged for the same number of British prisoners of war under the terms of the surrender. When the French refused to honour the agreement British ships moved out of the bay and, followed by boats with the grieving relatives of the prisoners, set sail for England and the prison hulks. - Capt. George COCKBURN.
In the summer of 1809 she took part in the siege of Flushing and Capt. COCKBURN directed the bombs and gunvessels at the S. E. end of the town. With the Adjutant-General of the army he settled the terms of capitulation on 15 July. His flotilla lost 7 men killed and 22 wounded during the attack. - 1811 Portsmouth.
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