|
NONSUCH
|
(64) |
|
Launched 17 December 1774, Plymouth Dockyard.
Broken up in at Sheerness July 1802. |
|
|
- 1775 Capt. Thomas GRAVES.
guardship at Plymouth. - 1776 Capt. Walter GRIFFITH, cruising in the Channel, captured a small American privateer in January 1777.
- 1779.Capt. Sir James WALLACE.
Channel.
On 14 July* NONSUCH, being on a cruise, discovered, and gave chase to a French convoy which escaped into the Loire, excepting one frigate, LAZERE, which was driven on shore and destroyed; she was pierced for 36 guns but only had 12 mounted.
Two other frigates were in company, BELLONE and ETOURDIE, of the same force, which escaped with the convoy.
While the boats of NONSUCH were destroying LAZERE, three more sail were discovered in the offing, making signals to each other.
Capt. WALLACE gave chase, and about midnight came up with one of them; which after a gallant defence of two hours, struck and proved to be BELLE POULE French frigate of 32 guns and 275 men, commanded by Chevalier Kergariou, who with 24 of his crew were killed.
Most of the remaining officers and 50 men were wounded.
NONSUCH had 3 men killed and 10 wounded.
BELLE POULE was taken into the Royal Navy under the same name.
The other two frigates in company with her were AMIABLE (32) and ROSIGNOLLE (20). - On 14 May 1781 NONSUCH was scouting in the Bay of Biscay with Ad. DARBY's fleet escorting a large convoy to Gibraltar, when she gave chase to a large French ship.
By the late evening she was close enough to open fire on the ACTIF (74) and a fight lasting an hour at very close quarters developed.
NONSUCH raked the French ship and for a time her anchor was hooked on ACTIF's quarter.
ACTIF broke free but NONSUCH could not follow until her masts and rigging had been repaired.
In their second encounter at daylight on the 15th. NONSUCH was badly damaged and had to haul off with 26 killed and 64 wounded, allowing ACTIF to escape. - 1782 Capt. William TRUSCOTT.
With Ad. Sir George RODNEY's fleet at the battle of The Saintes (the French call it the Battle of Dominica) against 17de GRASSE on 9 April. She then brought home Hessian troops from New York.
Paid off in August 1783 at Chatham. - 1794 fitted with twenty 68-pounder carronades as a floating battery at Spithead.
- 1795 Capt. Henry BLACKWOOD, floating battery at Hull
- 1796 Capt. R,D.
OLIVER, floating battery at Hull. - *Accounts differ as to whether this was 1779 or 1780.
|
|
|
