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WIZARD
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(16) |
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Built in 1805, Ringmore.
Sold in 1816. |
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- 1807 Edmund PALMER, Mediterranean. During March 1807 she was part of the escort for a convoy of 5,000 troops which sailed from Messina on 6 March to take possession of Alexandria. She was detached to bring off Major Misset, the British Resident, and Mr Briggs, the Vice-Consul, so that they could inform Major Gen. Frazer of the enemy's strength and disposition when Capt. HALLOWELL arrived in TIGRE on the 16th.
- In August she was at anchor off Tenedos at the entrance to the Dardanelles as part of Lord COLLINGWOOD's fleet.
- 1808 Abel FERRIS Mediterranean. From 10 to 14 May 1808 WIZARD was engaged in a running fight with the French REQUIN, 16, which started off Toulon and ended when the Frenchman took refuge in the neutral harbour of Goulette near Tunis. WIZARD lost 1 killed and 5 wounded.
- During the summer of 1808 WIZARD and KENT were stationed off Genoa and almost entirely stopped the only trade the enemy had in very small vessels and during their time there they captured 23 of these coasters.
- On 1 August they were running along the coast from Genoa towards Capo del Melle when they discovered a convoy of ten coasters under the protection of a gunboat at anchor close to the beach at Noli. Because there was little wind, Capt. ROGERS of KENT directed Capt. FERRIS to tow the boats of the two vessels into the beach and cover them while the enemy coasters were brought out. When they got near they found that these were moored to the shore with ropes to their keels and mastheads, so they had to land on the beach under the fire of two guns from the bows of the gunboat, two field pieces in a grove and a heavy gun in front of the town. The gun was taken and spiked by seamen and marines and the troops defending the field pieces in the grove were driven back and the guns taken off. Meanwhile Lieut. BISSETT of WIZARD and two from KENT were taking possession of the gunboat (the VIGILANTE) and cutting the moorings of the others. They were all brought out under the covering fire of WIZARD which suffered no casualties.
- A little later the boats brought out three laden vessels from under the guns of a fort near Livorno and burnt a fourth which was aground.
- 1811 John Bowker, 10/1810, Mediterranean, until the spring of 1811 when he moved to the SAN JOSEF.
- 1812 Francis MOREBY, Spithead. In the Greek Archipelago on the 3 April 1812 WIZARD captured the CORCIRA, a privateer xebec of 8 guns and 60 men belonging to Corfu.
- 1813 Fairfax MORESBY, Mediterranean. In September MILFORD and WIZARD were off Fiume which was now guarded by MILFORD's marines. Nearly the whole of Istria and Croatia was up in arms and had driven out the French. A force of 2,000 Austrians and Croats under General Count Nugent was at Lippa, about 22 miles from Fiume. 600 French soldiers which had marched from Pola to relieve Fiume were disarmed and made prisoners by the 1,500 Croats accompanying them. Pola was taken possession of by WIZARD with some of MILFORD's marines and 50 Austrian soldiers.
- WIZARD took part in the siege of Trieste between 11 and 29 October 1813. with MILFORD, ELIZABETH, EAGLE, TREMENDOUS and WEAZLE. Captain MORESBY commanded one of the batteries from the 16th. to the 24th. when he was ordered to construct a new battery of four 32-pounders within breaching distance of the walls of the citadel which contained 800 Frenchmen and 45 large guns. In spite of bad weather he accomplished it in the space of 56 hours using 50 men from MILFORD and 20 from WIZARD.
- One of WIZARD's people was killed and six wounded including Mr William WATTS, the acting master, who was severely wounded and Mr YOUNG, midshipman. At times the naval squadron had 1200 men on shore and their losses numbered 10 men killed and 35 wounded.
- 1815 Walter CROCKER, Mediterranean.
- 1816 Deptford. Tenders were invited for her on 11 July 1816.
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