HMS Acheron (1803)
Action of HMS Arrow and Acheron against the French frigates Hortense and Incorruptible: Beginning of the action, 4 February 1805, by Francis Sartorious Jr., National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Left to right: Acheron, Hortense, Arrow, and Incorruptible
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | New Grove |
| Owner: | Various |
| Builder: | Whitby |
| Launched: | 1799 |
| Fate: | Sold 1803 |
| History | |
 UK
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| Name: | HMS Acheron |
| Namesake: | Acheron |
| Acquired: | 1803 by purchase |
| Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Acheron 3 Feby. 1805" |
| Fate: | Burnt 1805 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 388 (bm) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 29 ft 2 in (8.9 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 9 in (3.9 m) |
| Complement: | 67 |
| Armament: | 8 x 24-pounder carronades + 1 x 10" + 1 x 13" mortar |
HMS Acheron was the mercantile New Grove, launched at Whitby in 1799, that the Admiralty purchased in 1803 and fitted as a bomb-vessel. She served in the Mediterranean for about a year. On 3 February 1805 she and Arrow were escorting a convoy from Malta to England when they encountered two French frigates. Arrow and Acheron were able to save the majority of the vessels of the convoy by their resistance before they were compelled to strike. Arrow sank almost immediately after surrendering, and Acheron was so badly damaged that the French burnt her. However, the British vessels' self- sacrifice enabled almost all the vessels of the convoy to escape.
New Grove first appears in Lloyd's Register in 1800, with owner T. Brown and T. Lacey, master. She was in the London - Jamaica trade. During the year she received a new master, J. Barclay, and Suriname as her destination. Thereafter she remained under Barclay's command, and in the Jamaica trade until Brown sold her to the Admiralty in October 1803.
The Admiralty named their purchase HMS Acheron and had her fitted out as a bomb vessel between 28 October and 2 March 1804, at Woolwich Dockyard. Commander Arthur Farquhar commissioned her in December 1803 for the Mediterranean.
In July Acheron was part of the British squadron blockading the port, bottling up the French fleet. Between 2 and 5 August, bad weather drove the British off station. Admiral de Latouche Tréville took the opportunity to sortie from Toulon to give his crews an opportunity to train. However, he did not try to sail to Boulogne, as Napoleon desired.In fairness, de Latouche Tréville was ill and died on 10 August.
On 23 November Achiron [sic] captured the Adamo.Acheron also shared in the proceeds of the capture by Nelson's fleet of Maria Magdalena, St. Judas Tadeo, Victoria, Agatha, and Corvo on 15, 17, and 21 November, and 8 December.
Captain Richard Budd Vincent, of Arrow, arrived in Malta on 20 December from Naples. At Malta, he received instructions to take the merchant vessels gathered there to England, once some merchantmen arrived from Smyrna to join the convoy. The orders further specified that he was to take Acheron with him to assist him in protecting the trade.Arrow was returning to England as she was badly in need of repairs that could only be performed there. The vessels from Smyrna arrived on 2 January 1805, and the convoy left for England on 4 January.
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