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DIDO (28) Built in 1784, Stuart & Hall, Sandgate.
Hospital ship in 1804.
Sold in 1817.

  • 1793 Capt. Sir Charles HAMILTON.
    Coast of Norway.
    He ran on shore while in chase of a French privateer of 13 guns and 45 men, Sir Charles sent his younger brother, Lieut. Edward Hamilton, in a boat with only 8 men to take possession of the privateer, the crew of which had landed preparatory to burning her.
    Lieut. HAMILTON also landed and took 13 prisoners which he carried back to DIDO.
    Capt. HAMILTON had to dock his ship in Copenhagen for repairs.
    From the North Sea he proceeded to the Mediterranean under the orders of Lord HOOD and took part in the operations on and around Corsica.
    Early in 1794 DIDO and AIMABLE, with a party of 300 Corsicans under the command of Sir Charles attacked an outpost of Calvi, similar, but on a larger scale, to the tower at Mortella, which surrendered after 10 days.
    In July 1794 he was removed into the SAN FIORENZO (38) the French MINERVE which had been captured at Corsica in February.
  • 1795 Capt. George Henry TOWRY.
    On the morning of 24 June, DIDO, the senior ship, and LOWESTOFFE (32) Capt. Robert MIDDLETON, having been sent by HOTHAM to Toulon to reconnoitre the French fleet, found themselves being approached by two French frigates, MINERVA (40), and ART MISE (36) on a similar mission against HOTHAM.
    At first the French wore and stood away, but then perceiving their superiority, turned towards the two British ships that were pursuing them.
    MINERVE opened fire on DIDO at half past eight from a range of about a mile; DIDO replied 15 minutes later when the French ship was on her weather beam.
    MINERVE then bore down on DIDO with the intention of sinking her but, just as the Frenchman's jib-boom was touching her main-yard, DIDO bore-up also and was hit on the larboard quarter by MINERVA's bow, swung round and ended up athwart latter's hawse.
    Some Frenchmen climbed along the bowsprit which was entangled in DIDO's mizzen rigging but went overboard and were lost when the bowsprit snapped, taking the mizzen-mast, and DIDO's colours with it.
    They were replaced with the Union flag by quarter-master Henry BARLING.
    LOWESTOFFE now came up and and shot away MINERVA's fore-mast and remaining top-masts before being ordered to chase ART MISE which was making her escape.
    When he saw that Capt. MIDDLETON would not be able to catch the French ship, TOWRY recalled him to renew the action with MINERVA which surrendered at a quarter to twelve with additional losses of about 20 killed and wounded.
    DIDO had six killed, including the boatswain, Cuthbert DOUGLAS.
    The first lieutenant, Richard BUCKOLL; captain's clerk, Richard WILLAN, and 13 seamen were wounded.
    BUCKOLL was promoted to Commander and MINERVA was taken into the Royal Navy with Capt. TOWRY in command.
    Capt. Henry HOTHAM succeeded him in DIDO.
  • 1797 Capt. D'Arcy PRESTON, 07/1797.
    Capt. MARSH, 08/1797.
  • 1800 Capt. David COLBY, armed en flute and employed as a troopship on the Mediterranean station.
    (Capt. COLBY lost an arm in ROBUST on 12 October 1798) During July 1800 she brought three sail back from Minorca under convoy.
    DIDO took part in the landings at Aboukir Bay on 8 March 1801 when the army under General Sir Ralph Abercromby was disembarked. She had one seaman wounded.
    Capt. COLBY was awarded the Turkish gold medal.
  • In 1803 she was under repair at Portsmouth before being used as a receiving ship for soldiers at Cowes.


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