HMS Pomone (1805)

HMS Pomone, from a colour lithograph by T. G. Dutton, after a painting by G.F. St.John
History
Great Britain
Name:	HMS Pomone
Ordered:	25 November 1802
Builder:	Josiah and Thomas Brindley, Frindsbury
Laid down:	December 1803
Launched:	17 January 1805
Completed:	29 March 1805 at Chatham Dockyard
Commissioned:	February 1805
Fate:	Wrecked 14 October 1811
General characteristics
Class and type:	38-gun Leda-class frigate
Tons burthen:	1,076 tons (bm)
Length:	150 ft 1 1⁄2 in (45.758 m) (gundeck) 125 ft 4 7⁄8 in (38.224 m) (keel)
Beam:	39 ft 11 in (12.17 m)
Depth of hold:	12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Sail plan:	Full rigged ship
Complement:	284, later 300, then 330
Armament:	Upper deck: 28 x 18-pounder guns QD: 8 x 9-pounder guns + 14 x 32-pounder carronades Fc: 2 x 9-pounder guns + 2 x 32-pounder carronades

HMS Pomone was a 38-gun Leda-class fifth rate of the Royal Navy launched in 1805. She saw action during the Napoleonic Wars, primarily in the Mediterranean while under the command of Captain Robert Barrie. She was wrecked off The Needles, part of the Isle of Wight, in 1811.

Pomone was commissioned in February 1805 under Captain William Lobb for Channel Service. Under his command she took a smuggler and two privateers, of which only the first privateer is reported to have put up enough resistance to sustain casualties. On 6 May Pomone captured the smuggling vessel Fortune. On 5 November 1805, Pomone captured the Spanish privateer Golondrina, a lugger of four guns and with a crew of 29 men, on the coast of Spain. She had been out six weeks and had not made any captures. Before she surrendered she suffered two men wounded; Pomone had no casualties. Lobb set fire to Golondrina.

Then in the new year, on 25 January 1806, Pomone's boats captured the Spanish privateer lugger Bengador, off Lisbon. She had one gun and a crew of 28 men. She was six weeks out of Bayonne and had taken one prize, Maid of the Mill, William Dearing (master), which had been on a voyage from Newfoundland to Lisbon. Pomone retook her prize, which Lobb sent on to Lisbon. He then destroyed the privateer.Avon shared in the recapture of Maid of the Mill. Captain Sir Robert Barrie took command in May 1806.

In 1807, Pomone operated in the Channel. On 20 February 1807 Pomone was in company with HMS Penelope when she captured San Josef y Animas.

Between 21 April and 7 June, Pomone captured or destroyed 21 French vessels. In particular, on 7 May, boats from Pomone and Hazard cut out four luggers from the harbour of Oyle, Île de Ré. All were on their way from Bordeaux to Brest. Although enemy fire after the capture sank the lugger laden with canvas, the three laden with wine and brandy fortunately remained in British hands, at least until the British destroyed them. Barrie only recorded the name of one, Marie.