HMS Shelburne (1813)
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | Racer |
| Owner: | George J. Brown, John G. Brown, George P. Stephenson & William Hollins |
| Builder: | Talbot Co., Baltimore, Maryland |
| Launched: | 1811 |
| Commissioned: | 21 July 1812 (Comm. # 452) |
| Homeport: | Baltimore, Massachusetts |
| Fate: | Captured April 1813 |
 United Kingdom
|
|
| Name: | HMS Racer |
| Acquired: | By capture, 3 April 1813 |
| Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "28 April Boat Service 1813" (as Racer) |
| Fate: | Unknown |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Schooner |
| Tons burthen: | 230 (bm) |
| Length: | 99 ft 7 1⁄4 in (30.359 m) |
| Beam: | 22 ft 4 3⁄4 in (6.826 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 10 ft 7 3⁄8 in (3.235 m) |
| Sail plan: | Schooner |
| Complement: | 30 |
| Armament: |
|
HMS Shelburne was the American letter of marque schooner Racer, built in Baltimore in 1811 and captured by the British in 1813. She served on the American coast, capturing the American brig Frolic. She also captured some merchantmen and was sold in Britain in 1817.
Racer commissioned in August 1812, under Captain Daniel Chaytor and first lieutenant Thomas West. She was a trader, and made one voyage to Bordeaux, leaving Baltimore in August 1812 and returning in January 1813 with a cargo of brandy, dry goods, and the like. She sailed for Bordeaux again in March, with a cargo of coffee, cotton, and sugar.
On 13 April 1813, Sir John Borlase Warren's squadron, consisting of San Domingo, Marlborough, Maidstone, Statira, Fantome, Mohawk and Highflyer pursued four schooners into the Rappahannock River in Virginia. The British sent 17 boats 15 miles upriver before capturing their prey.
One of the schooners, Dolphin, had been on a privateering cruise; consequently she carried 98 men and 12 guns. Under her captain, W.S. Stafford, she fought for some two hours before she struck. In the action the British reported they lost two killed and eleven wounded. American newspapers at first claimed that the British had lost 50 men, later reporting that British losses were two boats sunk with nineteen killed and forty wounded. Stafford placed his losses at six killed and ten wounded.
The British took at least three of the schooners into service. Racer, of six guns and 36 men, became Shelburne.Lynx became Mosquidobit. Dolphin retained her name and became a tender commanded by a Lieutenant George Hutchinson. Lastly, it is not clear what became of Arab, of seven guns and 45 men, which too had put up some resistance. It was difficult for the British to free the Arab and though they eventually succeeded, the vessel was apparently badly damaged and was not commissioned for British service. She was taken to Halifax where the Vice-Admiralty Court condemned her. In July 1814, prize money remitted from Halifax for Racer, Lynx, Arab and a number of other vessels, was paid.
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Wikipedia