A |  B |  C |  D |  E |  F |  G |  H |  I |  J |  K |  L |  M |  N |  O |  P |  Q |  R |  S |  T |  U |  V |  W |  X |  Y |  Z

Use quotes like in "Aboukir Bay" to search phrases.
Use * as a wildcard like in "Trafalg*".



CAMILLA (20) Built in 1776, Chatham DY.
Hospital ship in 1814.
Sold in 1831.

  • 1776 Sailed 5 August to join Lord HOWE but put back again to Plymouth.
  • 1779 Capt. John COLLINS.
    In August with Sir John COLLIER and a small squadron to relieve a British force besieged in Penobscot. On the morning of the 14th. they gave chase to an American fleet of 17 armed vessels and 24 transports in the river. Two, HUNTER (18) and HAMDEN (20) were captured, DEFENCE (16), blew up and the rest were burnt.
    In December she sailed from New York with Vice Ad. ARBUTHNOT's squadron of warships and transports bound for Charleston. They entered the harbour on 10 February and Charleston capitulated on 11 May.
  • 1782 Capt. J. WAINWRIGHT, docking at Chatham.
  • 1784 Capt. John HUTT, Jamaica.
  • 1794 Capt. GRAVES (2).
  • 1795 Capt. DACRES, 12/1795.
  • 1797 Capt. POYNTZ, 03/1797. Capt. LARKAN, 09/1797.
  • During the evening of 29 January 1800 CAMILLA, off Le Havre, captured the French privateer lugger VIGOUREUX, of 3 guns and 26 men, which had been cruising for 16 days since leaving Cherbourg without taking any prizes. CAMILLA came into Plymouth on 28 January 1801 with several vessels under convoy from Cork. She sailed for the Downs with 40 sail.
    Later in the year she sailed to Newfoundland and returned from there in the middle of October with 30 vessels under convoy. In mid-Atlantic they were scattered in a storm and CAMILLA lost her mainmast. She joined up with six of her convoy in the mouth of the Channel and escorted them to Weymouth and Poole before arriving at Portsmouth on 15 November. Her crossing had taken 31 days.
  • During the suspension of hostilities after the Peace of Amiens CAMILLA was commanded by Capt. Henry HILL on the Newfoundland station.
  • 1802 Capt. Edward BRACE.
    CAMILLA sailed from Portsmouth with provisions for the vessels off Marcou on 27 February 1802.
  • 1803 Capt. B. W. TAYLOR, Spithead.
    He sailed with a convoy to Halifax on 23 September 1805.
  • 1806 Capt. John BOWEN, 07/1806.
    In August she sailed to Newfoundland with a fleet of merchantmen, crossed back with a convoy to Lisbon, and returned with the homeward bound trade.
    In the spring of 1807 CAMILLA took a convoy to the Leeward Islands and remained on station there assisting in the blockade of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The squadron blockading Guadeloupe found it impossible to prevent the French privateers and their prizes gaining Point a Petre because they always sheltered under the batteries on the island of Marie Galante before waiting for a favourable opportunity to run over.
    Capt. SELBY of CERBERUS gave Capt. PIGOT of CIRCE command of about 200 seamen and marines from CERBERUS, CIRCE and CAMILLA and on 2 March 1803 they weighed from Petit Terre and, a little after daylight, they landed a few miles from Grand Bourg on Marie Galante.
    There was little resistance from the 400 militia and the island soon surrendered, handing over 13 guns, 300 small arms and 100 barrels of gunpowder.
  • In July 1808 CAMILLA sailed from Tortola with a homeward bound convoy of 168 vessels. She subsequently escorted a fleet to Heligoland and another to Malta from whence he brought home another convoy. She took part in the expedition to Walcheren in the summer of 1809 and accompanied a flotilla of gunboats to a high point of the Scheldt.
  • In September 1809 Capt. BOWEN asked for leave of absence and Capt. William Henry DILLON was appointed pro tempore. He hurried to Yarmouth and, after waiting a few days, a small brig took him out to CAMILLA which he described as "a crazy old ship of 20 guns, 9-pounders with a few carronades. She sailed badly, and was painted all black." When a schuyt laden with gold coin for the Dutch and escorted by a British gunbrig came out from the Thames, Capt. DILLON sent in three of his boats with them in the hopes of bringing out any enemy vessel from inside the Texel. They were away all night under the command of the master but found nothing.
    In November he attempted to catch a privateer by commandeering two Dutch fishing vessels, placing 25 men on each and sending them into the Vlie passage but the privateer was too wary to be caught in this way.
  • During the same month he detained a ship from Norway laden with timber when he discovered that there were wooden trucks for gun-carriages amongst her cargo and her course appeared to be directed towards the Dutch coast. The acting 2nd lieutenant of CAMILLA took the prize into Yarmouth but then allowed the Danish captain to burn the evidence and to travel to London.
  • CAMILLA was ordered to Sheerness in December to be paid off there and Capt. BOWEN resumed his command, however after a survey, CAMILLA was found to be rotten so his appointment was terminated.


back  |  intro  |  home  |  contact

© 1995, 2007 Michael Phillips