HMS Minerva (1759)
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain
|
|
| Name: | HMS Minerva |
| Ordered: | 25 May 1756 |
| Builder: | John Quallet, Rotherhithe |
| Laid down: | 1 June 1756 |
| Launched: | 17 January 1759 |
| Completed: | 3 March 1759 at Deptford Dockyard |
| Commissioned: | January 1759 |
| Fate: | Captured by France, 22 August 1778 |
 France
|
|
| Name: | Minerve |
| Acquired: | by capture, 22 August 1778 |
| Fate: | Recaptured by Great Britain, 4 January 1781 |
|
Great Britain
|
|
| Name: | HMS Recovery |
| Commissioned: | January 1781 |
| Decommissioned: | 1783 |
| Fate: | Sold to break up at Deptford, 30 December 1784 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Southampton-class fifth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 664 24⁄94 bm |
| Length: |
|
| Beam: | 34 ft 11.5 in (10.655 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 210 officers and men |
| Armament: |
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HMS Minerva was one of the four 32-gun Southampton-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1759 and served through the Seven Years' War, but was captured in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War and served as the French Minerve until being recaptured in 1781 and renamed HMS Recovery. She was broken up in 1784.
The frigate was built at Rotherhithe between 1756 and 1759 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Minerva during the Seven Years' War. Under the command of Captain Alexander Hood, she took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759. In mid-1761 prize money was paid to the crews of ships taking part in the battle, and also to the crews of Intrepid and Minerva, for the capture of the St. Simon.
At daybreak on 24 January 1761 Minerva, still under the command of Captain Hood, encountered a large two-decker ship about 90 nautical miles north-west of Cabo de Peñas in northern Spain. Minerva gave chase and finally caught her at 10.20 a.m. During a brisk engagement lasting no more than 40 minutes the enemy ship lost her main and fore top-mast, while soon after Minerva lost her bowsprit and fore-mast. Both ships were obliged to break off the action to clear the wreckage, but Minerva was ready to resume the fight first and closed with the enemy again at 4 p.m., forcing her to strike her colours after an hour. She proved to be the French ship Warwick (formerly HMS Warwick, captured in 1756), a 60-gun ship, but armed with only 34, under the command M. le Vegerde Belair. She had sailed from Rochfort on 20 January, bound for the Isle de France (now Mauritius) loaded with provisions, ammunition, and stores, and also transporting a detachment of 74 soldiers and six other passengers. Warwick had 14 killed and 32 wounded, while aboard Minerve 14 were killed, and 34 wounded, three of whom later died.
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Wikipedia