HMS Thetis (1782)
Capture of La Prevoyante and La Raison by Thetis and Hussar, by Thomas Whitcombe
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMS Thetis |
| Ordered: | 1781 |
| Builder: | Rotherhithe |
| Laid down: | December 1781 |
| Launched: | 23 September 1782 |
| Commissioned: | November 1782 |
| Honours and awards: |
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| Fate: | Sold 9 June 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 38-gun Minerve-class fifth-rate frigate |
| Tons burthen: | 954 (bm) |
| Length: | 141 ft 6 in (43.13 m) |
| Beam: | 39 ft 2 in (11.94 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement: | 280 |
| Armament: |
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HMS Thetis was a 38-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy launched in 1782.
On 2 May 1795 Rear Admiral George Murray sent Captain Alexander Cochrane in Thetis, together with HMS Hussar, to intercept three French supply ships reported at Hampton Roads. At daybreak on 17 May the British came upon five ships 20 leagues West by South from Cape Henry. The French made a line of battle to receive the British frigates. An action commenced, with three of the French vessels eventually striking their colours. Thetis took possession of the largest, which turned out to be Prévoyante, pierced for 36 guns but only mounting 24. Hussar captured a second, the Raison, pierced for 24 guns but only mounting 18. One of the vessels that had struck nonetheless sailed off. Two of the five had broken off the fight and sailed off earlier. (The three that escaped were the Normand, Trajan, and Hernoux.) An hour after she had struck, Prévoyante's main and foremasts fell over the side. In the battle, Thetis had lost eight men killed and 9 wounded; Hussar had only two men wounded.
Four of the French ships had escaped from Guadeloupe on 25 April. They had sailed to American ports to gather provisions and naval stores to bring back to France.
Cochrane had intended to leave the prizes in charge of the cutter Prince Edward after repairing the damage to his vessel during the night. However, a breeze picked up and by morning the escaping French vessels were out of sight. The British sailed with their prizes to Halifax. The British took Prévoyante into the Royal Navy as HMS Prevoyante.
On 20 July, Thetis was in company with Hussar and HMS Esperance when they intercepted the American vessel Cincinnatus, of Wilmington, sailing from Ireland to Wilmington. They pressed many men on board, narrowly exempting the Irish revolutionary Wolfe Tone, who was going to Philadelphia.
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Wikipedia