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INVINCIBLE
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(74) |
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Built in 1765, Deptford.
Wrecked in 1801. |
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- 1794 Capt. Hon. Thomas PACKENHAM.
INVINCIBLE took part in the battles of 29 May and 1 June 1794.
On the former day she fought three sail-of-the-line and was twice set on fire by red hot shot fired from the BRUTUS, a 50-gun razee; her main-top-mast was shot away and the fore and main-masts and lower yards were crippled. Ten of her crew were killed and twenty-one wounded.
On the Glorious 1 June she lost four more men killed and ten wounded in an action with the JUSTE, and was again badly disabled. The JUSTE was captured and only saved from destruction when Lieut. Henry BLACKWOOD saw the French captain, although desperately wounded, crawling with a lighted match towards the magazine. Lord HOWE, seeing the disabled state of INVINCIBLE, sent VENUS and AQUILON to tow her out of the line but Capt. PAKENHAM told them that he wanted no assistance except for as many wads and shot-plugs as they could spare, and pointed out a ship they could tow into the line. - 1799 Capt. W. CAYLEY, West Indies.
- On 20 August 1800 she passed up the Channel with 40 vessels under convoy from Martinique. The convoy had separated off Scilly, with SCOURGE taking 11 sail up the Bristol Channel.
- 1801 Capt. John RENNIE. Flagship of Rear Ad. Thomas TOTTY.
On the morning of Monday 16 March she set sail from Yarmouth for the Sound to join the fleet under the command of Ad. Sir Hyde PARKER and at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon she struck on Hasborough Sands. She beat violently for nearly three hours, when the mizzen-mast went by the board. The main mast was immediately cut away and she dropped from three and a half into seventeen fathoms of water. Unfortunately she also lost her rudder, and becoming unmanageable, was again driven on the bank. Two boats were launched, one containing the Admiral, the purser, four midshipmen, three of the admiral's servants and a number of seamen; the other also full of people, and they were taken on board a fishing smack nearby. The boats returned to INVINCIBLE but one was turned away when she approached the smack and the people in her were rescued by a collier. Meanwhile the ship was sinking in deep water. The launch was got out and as many of the crew as she could hold jumped on board and only had time to clear the poop when INVINCIBLE disappeared beneath the sea.
Captain RENNIE and all the other commission officers, except Lieuts. TUCKER and QUASH, together with all the Officers of Marines and most of their men were lost. About 70 or 80 of the crew were saved by the launch. The number lost was upwards of 400, among whom were several passengers on their way to join other ships belonging to the North Sea fleet
The following officers were saved:- Admiral TOTTY; Mr WHITEWAY, Master's Mate; Lieut. TUCKER; Mr STOUT, Master's Mate; Lieut. QUASH; Mr WILSON Midshipman; Lieut. EVELEY (LONDON); Mr POPE do; Mr CLYDE, purser; Mr FINNEY do Mr KNOWLES, Boatswain; Mr PRESTON do; Mr TUCKER, Master's Mate.
Officers and Seamen 177
Marines 19
Total 196 - Two seamen who survived by clinging to a part of the quarter- gallery which broke clear as she went down, were rescued by the brig BRITON of Sunderland after two days and nights. They had no other sustenance but a small quantity of tobacco.
- One, Daniel BRIAN, lost his hearing and was much bruised.
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