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STRENUOUS
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(14) |
Gun-brig
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Built in 1805, Newcastle.
Sold in 1814. |
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- 1806 Lieut. John NUGENT, Channel.
On Tuesday 9 September she was in company with CONSTANCE (22), and SHARPSHOOTER off St Malo when thick weather forced them to weigh and beat to the westward with a strong flood tide.
About noon a French frigate tried to pass between them and Cape Frehel and she preferred to run herself ashore rather than fight her way past.
Capt. BURROWES of CONSTANCE called off STRENUOUS which was close in to the rocks and they all stood off until the wind moderated in the evening when they saw the Frenchman lying high and dry but out of gun shot.
They assumed that the gale which blew up later and forced them off the coast would destroy her, however she was soon re-floated, repaired at St. Malo and sailed again on the 25th. She was the SALAMANDRE (26), which was carrying stores from St. Malo to Brest for a large frigate lately launched there. - On the morning of the 12 October SHELDRAKE, CONSTANCE, STRENUOUS and the hired cutter BRITANNIA weighed from the anchorage at the Isle of Chausey and stood in to reconnoitre St. Malo.
When a sail was seen off Cape Frehel the whole squadron went to investigate using their sweeps for nearly the whole way.
The enemy proved to be the SALAMANDRE which succeeded in getting in to the Bouche d'Erquy and hauling close in to the rocks under a battery.
Troops with field guns and muskets were also stationed along the coast.
SHELDRAKE led the assault followed by STRENUOUS, the squadron anchoring within pistol shot.
For two hours the fire continued on both sides until SALAMANDRE surrendered and SHELDRAKE's first lieutenant took possession of her. She was then completely destroyed by fire.
The French captain was killed along with at least thirty of her crew.
Others escaped ashore and fifty-five were taken prisoner.
STRENUOUS had her fore-top-mast shot away.
None of her crew were killed but Midshipman Robert BOND, quarter-master John BALE, Seaman Henry HOWARD and two Marines, John BUTTERSLEY and John HAWKINS were wounded.
(see SHELDRAKE) 1808 Ditto, Jersey. - 1810 North Sea.
On the morning of the 10 August, some 25 miles west of the Naze of Norway, a convoy of 10 enemy coasters with an escort of a 3-masted schooner and another armed vessel, was seen steering eastwards between Fogstein and Hiteroe.
Lieut. NUGENT made haste to try and cut off the schooner but the wind dropped and, by using her sweeps, she escaped into Hiteroe; he then turned his attention to the convoy and managed to drive them on to the rocks.
His boats brought out two of them under heavy musket fire from the shore.
They were the sloops THREE BROTHERS and TWO BROTHERS laden with fish, tallow and tobacco. - Lieut. NUGENT made three attacks on Danish vessels during September 1810.
On the 10th. he chased on shore and destroyed the privateer cutter AALBERGH, pierced for eight guns and carrying 30 men.
A second privateer, the cutter POPHAM (3), was captured on the 13th. She was only a few hours out of Klieven.
The third, on the 26th., was the brig TROFORTE, carrying rye and barley from Syet in Jutland to Bergen. - 1811 Ditto, North Sea.
- 1812 Ditto, Channel.
- 1814 Sheerness.
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