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ROYAL SOVEREIGN
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(100) |
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Built in 1786, Plymouth.
Broken up in 1841. |
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- 1793 Capt. Henry NICHOLLS with Vice Ad. Thomas GRAVE's flag.
In 1794 she took part in the battle of the "Glorious First of June" as part of Ad. HOWE's fleet against Villaret. Her losses on 28 and 29 May and 1 June were 14 killed and 41 wounded. - 1795 Capt John WHITBY, 04/1795, with Vice Ad. CORNWALLIS' flag.
On 30 May she was detached with a small squadron consisting of four 74s, 2 frigates and a sloop from the fleet at Spithead to cruise off Ushant.
On 8 June they sighted a French squadron escorting a large convoy of coasters from Bordeaux to Brest.
Rear Ad. Vence stood for Belle Isle pursued by the British ships which took several prizes and engaged French ships and the batteries on the island.
The French fleet in Brest, including 9 sail of the line, sailed to the rescue.
CORNWALLIS did not at first appreciate that he was outnumbered but as the French turned towards him in two columns he carried out an admirably managed retreat with PHAETON signalling to an imaginary fleet over the horizon. - 1796 On 29 February ROYAL SOVEREIGN sailed with reinforcements for the West Indies but put back to Spithead on 14 March after being damaged in a gale.
CORNWALLIS was acquitted by a court martial in April of returning without orders and not transferring his flag to ASRAEA. - In 1797 ROYAL SOVEREIGN was involved in the mutiny at the Nore.
- 1799 Capt.
BEDFORD with Vice Ad. Sir A. GARDNER's flag.
In June 16 ships of the line were detached from the Channel fleet to assist Lord KEITH in the Mediterranean.
Four of them, including ROYAL SOVEREIGN, put into the Tagus to escort a convoy and the Nile prizes. - 1803 Capt. CURRY, act.
(she was fitting out at Portsmouth)
- 1804 Capt. Pulteney MALCOLM, arrived from England to join NELSON's fleet in the Mediterranean on 15 March.
On 9 April NELSON stationed himself to the southward of Toulon. - 1805 Capt. John STEWART with the flag of Rear Ad. Sir Richard BICKERTON.
On 17 January Villeneuve sailed from Toulon.
NELSON's frigates informed him on the 19th. and he set off in pursuit.
On the afternoon of 7 May at Gibraltar, BICKERTON, who was to be left behind in charge of the Mediterranean station, shifted his flag to AMFITRITE, and in the evening the fleet stood through the Straits to pursue the French to the West Indies.
On the 12th., off Cape St. Vincent, ROYAL SOVEREIGN was detached to augment the escort of a convoy with 5,000 troops from England for the Mediterranean.
By July, under Capt. Mark ROBINSON, she was re-fitting at Portsmouth.
In the second week in October she joined the fleet off Cadiz.
Capt. Edward ROTHERAM with the flag of Vice Ad. Cuthbert COLLINGWOOD.
ROYAL SOVEREIGN received the first shots at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October when, leading the lee column, she was fired on by FOUGUEUX.
At 12.10 PM
she passed through the enemy line between SANTA ANA and FOUGUEUX, killing and wounding nearly 400 in the former by firing a double-shotted port broadside into her stern.
While ROYAL SOVEREIGN and SANTA ANA continued to fight it out COLLINGWOOD was engaged by four other enemy ships which pulled off when they discovered they were damaging each other.
SANTA ANA struck after losing all her masts and ROYAL SOVEREIGN was in a scarcely better condition, losing her main and mizzen. She had 47 killed including Lieut. Brice GILLILAND; William CHALMERS, master; 2nd Lieut. Robert Green, RM
and Mids.
John AIKENHEAD and Thomas BRAUND.
There were 94 wounded. - At 6 p.m.
COLLINGWOOD shifted his flag to EURYALUS which took ROYAL SOVEREIGN in tow and stood off shore with her.
The following day the tow was transferred to NEPTUNE and the prizes were ordered to rendezvous with her. - 1807 fitting out at Plymouth.
- 1808 Capt. Henry GARRETT, with the flag of Vice Ad. Edward THORNBROUGH, Mediterranean.
- 1810 Capt. John SPEAR, 04/1810, off Toulon
- 1811 Capt. John HARVEY, 10/1810, off Toulon.
- 1814 Capt. C. T.SNATH with the flag of V. Ad. Sir Sidney SMITH, Mediterranean.
- 1815 Out of commission at Plymouth.
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