HMS Rifleman (1809)
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK
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|
| Name: | HMS Rifleman |
| Ordered: | 5 November 1808 |
| Builder: | John King, Upnor |
| Laid down: | January 1809 |
| Launched: | 12 August 1809 |
| Fate: | Sold 1836 |
 United Kingdom
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| Port of registry: | London |
| Acquired: | 1836 by purchase |
| Fate: | No longer listed in Lloyd's Register after 1856 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Cruizer class brig-sloop |
| Tonnage: | 383 86⁄94, 383, or 402 (bm) |
| Length: |
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| Beam: | 30 ft 8 in (9.3 m) |
| Draught: |
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| Depth of hold: | 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Brig |
| Complement: | 121 |
| Armament: |
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Rifleman was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop launched in 1809 for the British Royal Navy. She served in the North Sea, on the Halifax and Jamaica stations, and in the Mediterranean. During her service she recaptured a Royal Navy vessel in Danish service, and two privateers. The Navy sold her in 1836 and she proceed to sail as a merchantman and whaler between 1837-1856.
Commander Alexander Innes commissioned Rifleman in September 1809. Commander Joseph Pearce replaced Innes in November 1810.
Rifleman left Portsmouth on 28 January 1811, bound for Oporto. On 9 March she left Falmouth as escort to a convoy 130 vessels bound for Lisbon and beyond.
On 11 May 1811 Rifleman encountered the Danish vessel The Alban, which was the former Royal Navy schooner HMS Alban that the Danes had captured on 12 September 1809. The Alban was under the command of Lieutenant Thøger Emil Rosenørn when Rifleman encountered her near the Shetland Islands.Rifleman chased The Alban for twelve hours before she succeeded in capturing the Dane.The Alban was armed with 12 guns and had a crew of 58 men. She was three days out of Farsund, Norway, but had not captured anything.
According to Danish sources, Rosenørn fought bravely and when he saw that defeat was inevitable, he hacked away rigging and created holes in the hull before he surrendered. Even so, The Alban did not sink, and Rifleman sent her into Leith. The Royal Navy took her back into service as Alban.
Next Rifleman captured Liebe (28 February 1812), Maria Dorothea (7 March), and Bodel Maria (24 March). Rifleman shared the prize money with Nightingale by agreement.
On 9 March Rifleman was in company with Venus and shared in the proceeds of the capture the Danish sloop Anna Serina, J. Brodersoit, master.
Then on 19 May Rifleman and Nightingale were again in company when they captured Palmtract (or Palmtree).
On 14 September Joseph, Richardson, master, arrived at Leith. War with America having broken out the month before, Rifleman had intercepted and detained her as she was sailing from Archangel to America.Rifleman captured the American droit Joseph Ricketson on 23 August.
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Wikipedia