HMS Elk (1804)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom
|
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| Name: | HMS Elk |
| Ordered: | 22 May 1805 |
| Builder: | (Mrs) Frances Barnard, Sons & Co., Deptford |
| Laid down: | June 1804 |
| Launched: | 22 August 1804 |
| Fate: | Broken up in 1812 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Cruizer-class brig-sloop |
| Tonnage: | 382 90⁄94 bm |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 30 ft 6 in (9.3 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 9 in (3.9 m) |
| Sail plan: | Brig rigged |
| Complement: | 121 |
| Armament: | 16 x 32-pounder carronades + 2 x 6-pounder bow guns |
HMS Elk was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop, built of pine, and launched in 1804. She served on the Jamaica station where she captured a number of privateers. She was broken up in 1812.
Elk was built of fir (pine) which made for speedier construction at the cost of reduced durability in service. She was commissioned in September 1804 under Commander William Woolridge. Then in November Commander Randall McDonnell took over command and sailed her for Jamaica on 20 January 1805. On 6 May, Elk and Franchise captured the Hazard. Twelve days later, the two captured the Globe.
In October Commander James Richard Dacres assumed command until he was made post-captain in Bacchante on 14 January 1806. His replacement was his cousin, Commander William Furlong Wise.
On 5 May Elk captured a Spanish privateer rowboat armed with a swivel gun and small arms. The privateer was five days out of Santiago and had taken two doggers. Elk caught up with the privateer off Cape Cruz, Cuba, captured her and retook one of the doggers. The privateer was the Cubana, with a 14 man crew, only five of whom were still aboard.
Wise was promoted to post-captain and appointed to Mediator on 14 May. His replacement was Commander John Langdale Smith.
In August 1806 Commander George Morris took command, replacing Smith, who had taken command of Penguin in May or June. On 1 October Elk destroyed the five-gun privateer Alliance. Elephant had sent Elk to investigate a schooner. After chasing his quarry for nine hours, Morris eventually caught up with her. Elk's masts had received damage in the chase and fearing that he might lose the prize if the winds changed, Morris rammed her. Her commander was M. Alexander St. Helme and she was armed with one long 12-pounder gun, two sixes and two 12-pounder carronades, and carried a crew of 75 men. In her five days out of Guadeloupe, she had taken three prizes, two American schooners and the British brig Neptune, which had been on a voyage from Jamaica to Exuma. In capturing Alliance, Elk had so damaged her that she sank shortly after Morris took her crew aboard Elk.
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Wikipedia