HM hired brig Telegraph (1798)
| History | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Name: | Telegraph |
| Commissioned: | 10 November 1798 |
| Honours and awards: |
Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Telegraph 18 March 1799" |
| Fate: | Lost on or around 14 February 1801 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Brig |
| Tons burthen: | 262 81⁄94 (bm) |
| Armament: | 14 × 18-pounder carronades + 2 × 6-pounder chase guns |
HM hired brig Telegraph was built in 1798 and served on contract to the Royal Navy from 10 November. During the French Revolutionary Wars she took several prizes and was the victor in one notable ship action before she was lost at sea with all hands in 1801.
At daylight on 18 March 1799, Telegraph, under Lieutenant James Andrew Worth, was some leagues northwest of the Île de Batz when she encountered the French privateer Hirondelle. Hirondelle was armed with sixteen mixed 8-pounder and 6-pounder guns, and had a crew of 72, to Telegraph's 60 men. Hirondelle was three days out of St Malo and had taken two prizes, an American schooner and an English sloop. The need for two prize crews had reduced her crew from the 89 men with which she had started.
Hirondelle tacked to meet Telegraph and the two vessels started an exchange of fire at 0730 hours. Each tried to board the other, but finally, at 1100 hours, Hirondelle struck. She had suffered five men killed and 14 wounded and was totally dismasted and unmanageable. Telegraph had five men wounded. For his part in the action, Worth received promotion to the rank of Commander.
Seagull shared in the prize money, suggesting that she was in sight.Havick too claimed a share of the head-money, perhaps on the grounds of being in sight, a claim that Telegraph's officers and crew contested. The matter was not settled until 1818.
In 1847 the Admiralty issued the clasp "Telegraph 18 March 1799" to the Naval General Service Medal for the action with Hirondelle. However, none of Telegraph's crew came forward to claim their medal, presumably in great part because most had been lost when she foundered in 1801.
Lieutenant Caesar Corsellis replaced Worth as captain of Telegraph. On 5 May she captured the galiot Vrouw Martha. One month later she joined the Mediterranean fleet off the Gulf of Fréjus with news of the French fleet. In November she captured the galiot Beuns von Koningsberg. On 28 November Telegraph brought into Falmouth the De Boers, Captain Skimming. She had been sailing from Bilbao to Altona with a cargo of cotton.
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Wikipedia