HMS Zebra (1780)

Capture of Fort Saint Louis, Martinique, 1794, with HMS Zebra in the foreground and HMS Asia in the background, as depicted by William Anderson
History
Name:	HMS Zebra
Ordered:	6 August 1779
Builder:	William Cleverley, Gravesend
Laid down:	October 1779
Launched:	31 August 1780
Completed:	11 November 1780
Commissioned:	August 1780
Reclassified:	Bomb vessel in 1798
Honours and awards:	Participated in: First Battle of Copenhagen Second Battle of Copenhagen Naval General Service Medal with clasps: "Zebra 17 March 1794" "17 Mar. Boat Service 1794" "Copenhagen 1801"
Fate:	Sold on 13 August 1812
General characteristics
Class and type:	Zebra-class sloop
Tons burthen:	320  7⁄94 (bm)
Length:	98 ft (30 m) (overall) 80 ft 1 3⁄4 in (24.4 m) (keel)
Beam:	27 ft 5 1⁄4 in (8.4 m)
Depth of hold:	13 ft 4 in (4.1 m)
Complement:	125 as sloop 67 as bomb vessel
Armament:	As sloop: 16 x 6-pounder guns + 12 x ½-pounder swivels 2 × 4-pounder guns (added in 1790) As bomb vessel: 8 × 24-pounder carronades + 2 × 6-pounder guns + 1 × 10" mortar + 1 × 13" mortar

HMS Zebra was a 16-gun (later 18-gun) Zebra-class ship sloop of the Royal Navy, launched on 31 August 1780 at Gravesend. She was the second ship to bear the name. After twenty years of service, including involvement in the West Indies campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars, she was converted into a bomb vessel in 1798. In this capacity she took part in attacks on French ports, and was present at both battles of Copenhagen. The Navy sold her in 1812.

Zebra was built to a design by Edward Hunt, and launched and commissioned in August 1780 under Commander John Bourchier. She then served in the Downs Squadron during the closing stages of the American Revolutionary War. On 10 February 1781 she was in company with Juno when they captured the American privateer Revenge.

Then around 10 May she was in company with the sloop Martin and the cutters Flying Fish and Busy when they recaptured the Industry, Chew, master, and the Jenny, Dane, master.Zebra sent them into Dover.

Zebra sailed for Jamaica on 10 February 1782. On 14 April 1782 Zebra was with Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, the commander-in chief of the Leeward Islands station, at the Battle of the Saintes. She was in Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood's division. During fleet engagements, only large ships-of-the-line of over 50 guns traditionally took part in the battles and the small Zebra did not participate in a battle. Smaller vessels like Zebra would be used to relay messages, tow damaged ships out of the line or rescue seaman.

On 28 June Zebra, under the command of Commander John Loncraft, was in company with Princess Caroline when they captured the American privateer Tartar. Late in 1782 Zebra and Nonsuch escorted a fleet from Georgia "with the principal inhabitants, their Negroes, and their Effects" to Jamaica.