HMS Lapwing (1785)
Battle between Lapwing and Décius. Watercolour by Antoine Roux.
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain
|
|
| Name: | HMS Lapwing |
| Ordered: | 22 October 1782 |
| Builder: | Thomas King, Dover |
| Laid down: | February 1783 |
| Launched: | 21 September 1785 |
| Completed: | 1787 |
| Commissioned: | October 1790 |
| Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Lapwing 3 Decr. 1796" |
| Fate: | Taken to pieces at Plymouth 31 May 1828 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 28-gun Enterprise-class sixth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 597 82⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: |
|
| Beam: | 33 ft 8 in (10.3 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 11 ft 0 1⁄2 in (3.366 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 200 officers and men |
| Armament: |
|
HMS Lapwing was a 28-gun Enterprise-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.
Lapwing was first commissioned in October 1790 under the command of Captain Paget Bayly (or Bayley), who had commanded Scorpion off the coast of Africa and in the West Indies. Captain Henry CUrzon recommissioned her in April 1791 and sailed for the Mediterranean on 12 July. She returned to Britain in 1793 and was paid off in February 1794.
Between May and November Lapwing underwent fitting at Woolwich. While this was underway, Captain Robert Barton commissioned her for cruising. He then sailed her to the Leeward Islands in October 1795.
On 25 November 1796, Captain R. Barton and Lapwing were at St Kitts when an express boat brought the news that a French force consisting of two warships, several smaller ships, and 400 troops, were threatening Anguilla. Contrary winds prevented Lapwing from arriving in time to prevent the French from burning the town. Still, Lapwing was able to meet the French force near St Martin's. There she was able to capture the corvette, Décius, and destroy the brig, Vaillante. She captured 170 men.Décius was armed with twenty-four 6-pounder guns, two 12-pounder carronades, and two field pieces. She had a crew of 133 men, and was carrying 203 troops, all under the command of Citizen Andrée Senis.Vaillante was armed with four 24-pounder guns, had a crew of 45 men, and was carrying 90 troops, all under the command of Citizen Laboutique. Half an hour after Décius struck, Vaillante ran aground at St Martin's, where fire from Lapwing destroyed her.
Having destroyed Valliante, Lapwing took possession of Décius. Barton found that she had suffered about 80 men killed and 40 wounded. He took 170 prisoners. The next day two French frigates, Thétis and Pensée, chased Lapwing. Barton took the prisoners aboard Lapwing and set fire to Décius. Lapwing then returned to St Kitts.
...
Wikipedia