HMS Podargus (1808)
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK
|
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| Name: | HMS Podargus |
| Ordered: | 30 March 1807 |
| Builder: | Portsmouth Dockyard (M/s Nicholas Diddams) |
| Laid down: | November 1807 |
| Launched: | 26 May 1808 |
| Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Off Mardoe 6 July 1812" |
| Fate: | Sold 1833 for breaking up |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Crocus-class |
| Type: | Brig-sloop |
| Tons burthen: | 251 77⁄94 (bm) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 25 ft 6 1⁄4 in (7.8 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 8 in (3.9 m) |
| Sail plan: | Brig rigged |
| Complement: | 86 |
| Armament: |
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HMS Podargus was a Crocus-class brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She participated in one major battle during the Gunboat War between Britain and Denmark. After the war she served at Saint Helena for five or six years. On her return to Britain in 1820 she was laid up; she was finally sold in 1833.
Commander William Hellard commissioned Podargus in September 1808 for the Downs. On 15 August 1809, Podargus's master and a master's mate arrived at the French prisoner-of-war prison at Verdun. The master's mate escaped in 1813, but it is not clear how the men came to be captured.
On 19 August 1809 Podargus captured the Fortuna. Three days later she recaptured the Margaretha. Alphea was in sight for the recapture of the Margretha.Podargus also carried Major General Broderick and his suite to Corunna.
Commander John Lloyd recommissioned Podargus in November 1810. On 2 December Podargus was on station off Boulogne when her crew retrieved an abandoned, swamped Dutch boat. The boat had to be over-turned to bring her on board Podargus, but even so, money was found aboard her, amounting to 13 gold guineas, four half-guineas, and some silver French coins. Then in October 1811 Commander John Bradley replaced Lloyd.
Commander William Robilliard commissioned Podargus in November 1811 for the Baltic. On 4 October 1812 Podargus captured the Danish sloop Speculation and shared the prize money with Persian, Erebus, Woodlark and Plover by agreement. Then on 17 October Persian and Erebus were again in company with Podargus when Podargus captured the Danish vessels Anna Maria, Twende Brodre, and two market-boats. Next month, on 11 November Podargus captured Syerstadt, with Persian and Erebus in company.
In 1812, during the Gunboat War, the British saw an opportunity to enforce the blockade and break the back of Dano-Norwegian seapower. They therefore sent a small squadron consisting of the 64-gun Third Rate ship-of-the-line Dictator (Captain James Patteson Stewart), and three brigs, the 18-gun Cruizer class brig-sloop Calypso (Commander Weir), Podargus, and the 14-gun gun-brig Flamer (Lieutenant Thomas England), to seek out the Danes. On 6 July 1812, the squadron was off the island of Merdø on the coast of Norway, when the squadron sighted and chased a Danish squadron.
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