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LEANDER
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(58) |
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Built in 1813, Blackwall.
Broken up in 1830. |
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- She was built of pitch pine and designed to cope with the large American frigates.
- 1814 Capt. Sir George COLLIER, coast of America.
After a chase of some hours on 11 July he captured the American brig of war RATTLESNAKE of 305 tons, pierced for 16 guns which had been thrown overboard and a complement of 131 men. - LEANDER was next employed watching the American frigate CONSTITUTION in Boston where he issued a challenge to her captain to come out and fight a single ship action.
CONSTITUTION escaped when LEANDER returned to Halifax for stores and water but Sir George, with NEWCASTLE and LEANDER, which was badly in need of a refit, was soon in pursuit. - He sailed south, expecting the Americans to attack the homebound trade, and captured the American privateer schooner PRINCE DE NEUFCHATEL mounting 18 guns. She was sent to England with news of an enemy squadron being at sea.
- The prize master on board the brig JOHN of Liverpool, which had been captured by the American privateer PERRY, was lured on board LEANDER under the impression that she was the American frigate PRESIDENT, the ACASTA the MACEDONIAN and NEWCASTLE the CONSTITUTION, and talked freely before being apprised of the true situation.
- When he found no trace of the enemy, Sir George shifted the search to the other side of the Atlantic.
On 11 May, in thick hazy weather, they saw three frigates apparently getting under weigh in Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands.
NEWCASTLE was about two miles ahead of LEANDER with ACASTA to windward, the enemy standing to the eastward.
In fact the ships they had sighted were the CONSTITUTION and her two prizes, LEVANT and CYANE which had been captured off Porto Santo on 20 April.
The LEVANT ran in shore after being fired on by LEANDER and ACASTA was ordered to take possession of her, the other two vessels disappeared into the night.
Sir George made all sail for the West Indies hoping to intercept them during their return to America.
While NEWCASTLE and ACASTA remained off Barbados, LEANDER sailed to the north of Cayenne where she received from an American schooner an account of the peace between the two countries. - LEANDER returned to England from Canada in July 1815 escorting a convoy of 52 transports bringing 12,000 troops home.
- 1816 Capt. William SKIPSEY, Woolwich.
Capt. Edward CHETHAM, 05/1816.
LEANDER was fitting out at Woolwich for the flag of Rear Ad. MILNE on the Halifax station.
When he heard that Lord EXMOUTH was having difficulty in raising volunteers for the expedition against the Algerians he immediately offered the services of LEANDER and her crew and the Admiralty issued orders to this effect. - The fleet sailed from Plymouth on 28 July and anchored at Gibraltar on 9 August.
PROMETHEUS brought the wife and children of the British consul in there from Algiers on the 16th. leaving three midshipmen and 18 men with the consul prisoners of the Dey. - On the 27 the ships were lying off Algiers and a ultimatum was sent to the Dey demanding the release of all Christian slaves, the repayment of ransom money and the release of the consul and PROMETHEUS's men.
The fleet then moved into the bay and took up their positions.
LEANDER, occupying the place of a line-of-battle ship, lay on the larboard bow of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE and astern of the SEVERN.
in five fathoms of water barely half a pistol shot from the mole.
Her starboard after guns were bearing on the mole and her foremost guns on the fish market battery. - At 2.47 PM
the enemy opened fire which was instantly returned by QUEEN CHARLOTTE and LEANDER, the fire of the later destroying the enemy gunboats which had been threatening to board.
About 4 o'clock she ceased fire while a boat from QUEEN CHARLOTTE set fire to an Algerine frigate lying across the mole.
This drifted towards LEANDER and the commander in chief ordered her to haul clear but Capt. CHETHAM remained on station when he saw that the wreck was drifting past. - The firing recommenced and rockets fired from flat boats blew up some magazines.
The mole head and other batteries near LEANDER were almost demolished but the enemy remounted some of the guns and continued firing cutting her masts, sails and rigging to pieces.
When more burning ships drifted towards her LEANDER hauled on her spring to SEVERN but found it shot away had to put out the small bower anchor to haul clear. - By now the fleet was hauling and towing out and LEANDER, unable to move, sent Lieut. Thomas SANDERS in the gig to inform Lord EXMOUTH but the boat was sunk, as was the jolly boat although the men were rescued by a flat boat.
Lieut. George Mitford MONK made fast a hawser to SEVERN, which could still sail, and at 10.30, assisted by a light breeze from the shore, the boats slowly towed LEANDER out of the bay as she occasionally fired grape and canister at the small arms men ashore who were maintaining a steady fire of musketry.
The lieutenant had to remake the hawser several times when it parted. - LEANDER expended 22,800 pounds of gunpowder and 4116 round shot plus grape and canister and she lost 17 killed and 118 wounded.
- The ships left to return to England on 3 September and after a refit LEANDER sailed for her original destination, Halifax, as the flagship of Sir David MILNE.
- 1919 Capt. Charles RICHARDSON, 07/1819, East Indies.
- 1823 Receiving Ship at Portsmouth until she was broken up in 1830.
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