HMS Acasta (1797)
HMS Acasta and HMS Magicienne at the Battle of San Domingo
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| History | |
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 Great Britain
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| Name: | HMS Acasta |
| Builder: | John Randall & Co,, Rotherhithe |
| Launched: | 14 March 1797 |
| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Broken up on 1 January 1821 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Acasta-class fifth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 1127 22⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: | 154 ft (46.9 m) |
| Beam: | 40 ft 9.5 in (12.4 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 14 ft 3 in (4.3 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 320 |
| Armament: |
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HMS Acasta was a 40-gun Royal Navy fifth-rate frigate. She saw service in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as well as the War of 1812. Although she never took part in any notable single-ship actions nor saw action in a major battle though she was at the Battle of San Domingo, she captured numerous prizes and rid the seas of many Spanish, French and American privateers. She was finally broken up in 1821.
Sir William Rule designed her to develop a frigate to replace the 44-gun ships that carried their armament on two decks. Consequently, she was one of the largest frigates built in England, mounting forty guns, thirty 18-pounders on one main gun deck, with another ten 9-pounder long guns on the quarterdeck and forecastle. Later eight 32-pounder carronades replaced the 9-pounder guns. She was launched at the yard of John Randall & Co., of Rotherhithe on 14 March 1797.
Acasta's first captain was Richard Lane, who took command in February 1797 and oversaw her launch and commissioning. He sailed her to Jamaica in February 1798.
She took numerous prizes in the Caribbean.
In May or thereabouts, Acasta also captured Herondelle, of 10 guns, another privateer of six guns, and a third privateer, pierced for 10 but carrying six and a crew of 40 men.Acasta and Ceres captured St Mary de Louvaine, which was carrying two guns and had a crew of 25 men. On 2 July Acasta and Ceres chased San Josef de Victorio (or San Josef de Victorioso, which had been sailing from Europe, ashore six leagues to windward of San Juan. Acasta sent in her boats to try to get the privateer off, but when they were unable to do so, they burnt her.
On 20 July, Acasta and Ceres destroyed Mutine, Va Tout and Marie. Lane and Captain Otway of Ceres had received intelligence that a French navy brig of 16 guns, two privateer schooners and several other vessels were anchored in Aguada Bay, under the guns of a Spanish fort. The British sent in a cutting out party in boats that according to the account in the Naval Chronicle brought out the all the vessels.Mutine carried sixteen 6-pounder guns and one 12-pounder chase gun, all manned with 90 men. The two privateers had four guns each and 45 men as crew. Lastly, there were four schooners that the French had taken as prizes. The British had no casualties though the French may have lost more than 40 men killed and drowned.
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Wikipedia