Naval History On This Day, Any Nation

[st george]

1702 - Battle in Bay of Vigo: Dutch/English fleet destroy Spanish/French fleet.

1805 - Sailing ship "Aeneus" sinks off Newfoundland killing 340.

1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf, a series of separate battles, begins with attacks on Japanese ships.

[Kevin]

October 24

 

1744

HMS Colchester (50), Cptn. Frederick Cornwall, after striking the sands between Long Sand and Kentish Knock on 21 October.

1779

HMS Proserpine (28) took Alemene.

1793

HMS Thames (32) engaged Uranie, Cptn. Jean-François Tartu (Killed in Action).

1796

HMS Santa Margaritta (36), Cptn. Thomas Byam Martin, captured French privateer Buonaparte (16)

1798

HMS Sirius (36), Cptn. Richard King, captured Dutch Furie (36) and Waakzamheid (26) in the Texel

1799

HMS Orpheus (32), Cptn. William Hills, captured Dutch-India company ships Zeelast (22) and Zeevraght (22) off Togolanda

1804

HMS Conflict Gun-boat (12) Lt. Charles Cutts Ormsby, went aground while engaging an enemy at night, near Newport, Isle of Wight. The crew could not get her off and abandoned her but by the time HMS Griffin came up she had been captured by the French.

1805

Trafalgar prize Indomptable (80) wrecked and Intrépide (74) blown up deliberately after the battle.

1806

Start of 3 day engagement of HMS Pitt (12), Lt. Michael Fitton, which captured French privateer Superbe (14), Cptn. Dominique Diron, off Baracoa.

1808

The Danish fortress at Christiansoe, under Cdr. Kohl, beats off an attack by a British squadron of 2 ships-of-the-line and 6 frigates.

1816

HMS Comus (22), Cptn. James John Bremer, struck a reef off St. Shotts.Newfoundland.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Kevin

[st george]

1944 - In air-sea battle in the Sibuyan Sea, carrier aircraft attack Japanese Center Force.Musashi sinks.

1944 - US aircraft carrier Princeton sinks at Philippines.
1958 - USS Kleinsmith (APD-134) evacuates U.S. nationals from Nicaro, Cuba.
1962 - Atlantic Fleet begins quarantine operations to force Soviet Union to agree to remove ballistic missiles and long range bombers from Cuba.

[Kevin]

October 25

 

 

1747

Second Battle of Cape Finisterre. 14 British ships of the line under by Rear-Admiral Sir Edward Hawke intercepted a French convoy protected by 8 French ships of the line commanded by Admiral Desherbiers de l'Etenduère.

1796

HMS Santa Margaritta (36), Cptn. Thomas Byam Martin, captured Vengeur (18).

1797

HMS Indefatigable (44), Sir Edward Pellew, captured privateer Hyene (24).

1799

Boats of HMS Surprise (24), Cptn. Edward Hamilton, cut out from Porto Cavallo Hermione (32) which had been handed over to the Spanish by her mutinous crew at La Guira on 22 September 1797.

HMS Amaranthe (14) wrecked off Florida

1801

HMS Bonetta (18), Thomas New,  wrecked on a shoal east of the Jardines, Cuba. Mr Goarman, 2nd Lt. and officer of the watch, was found guilty of causing the loss by sleeping on watch and for disobeying Capt. New's orders. He was dismissed from the service for ever, lost all his pay and was imprisoned for two years in the Marshalsea.

1804

HMS Georgiana Gun-boat, Lt. Joshua Kneeshaw, grounded on a sand-bank on an ebb tide near Harfleur. She was burnt to avoid capture.

1807

Boats of HMS Herald (20), G. M. Hony, cut out French privateer Caesar (4) anchored under the fortress at Otranto

1810

HMS Calliope (10), John M'Kerlie, captured French privateer Comtesse d'Hambourg (14) off the Dogger Bank

1812

USS United States (52), Cptn. Stephen Decatur, captures HMS Macedonian (38), Cptn. John Surman Carden, about 1,000 miles west of the Canary Islands

[st george]

1492 - Christopher Columbus' ship Santa Maria lands at Dominican Republic.

1596 - Spanish fleet sails from Lisbon to Ireland.

1616 - VOC-ship "The Eendracht" discovers Dirk-Hartogeiland, Australia.

1825 - Erie Canal opens, linking Great Lakes & Atlantic Ocean.

1918 - Canadian steamship "Princess Sophia" hit a reef off Alaska, 398 die.
1944 - During Battle of Leyte Gulf in Battle of Surigao Straits, U.S. battleships execute the maneuver of "crossing the tee" of the Japanese forces. In Battle Off Samar, escort carriers, destroyers and destroyer escorts heroically resist attacks of Japanese Center Force. In Battle Off Cape Engano, 3rd Fleet carriers attack Japanese Northern Force sinking several small carriers.
1966 - Operation Sea Dragon logistics interdiction began.

[Kevin]

October 26

 

 

1781

HMS Hannibal (50) took Neckar.

1788

HMS Bounty, Cptn. William Bligh, arrived at Matavai Bay at Tahiti.

1803

Boats of HMS Osprey (18), George Younghusband, captured French schooner La Ressource (4) off Trinidad

1807

HMS Subtle (8), Lt. William Dowers, wrecked off Bermuda

1808

Crane Brig (4), Lt. Joseph Tindale, wrecked running on a rock to the W. of the Hoe, Plymouth.

HMS Banterer (22), Cptn. Alexander Shippard, ran aground St. Lawrence River, Quebec

[Kevin]

October 27

 

1728

James Cook born

1800

Boats of HMS Phaeton (38), Sir James Nicoll Morris,cut out San Josef (8) from Fuengirola

1803

HMS Merlin (16), Edward Pelham Brenton, and boats destroyed French privateer Sept Freres, Citizen Pollet, by driving her ashore to the west of Gravelines.

1810

HMS Orestes (16), John Richards Lapenotiere, took French privateer  Loup Garou (16), Charles Laurent Faures, some 120 miles west of Scilly

1864

Lt. William Cushing, USN, sinks Confederate ram Albemarle with a spar torpedo attached to the bow of his launch.

[st george]

1914 - British battleship Audacious sunk by mine.
1922 - Navy League of U.S. sponsors first annual celebration of Navy Day to focus public attention on the importance of the U.S. Navy. That date was selected because it was Theodore Roosevelt's birthday.
1944 - Fast Carrier Task Forces attack Japanese shipping and installations in Visayas and northern Luzon.
 

[Kevin]

October 28

 

 

1798

British squadron, under James Saumarez, of HMS Caesar (80), Cptn. Rodham Home, HMS Terrible (74) Sir Richard Bickerton and HMS Melpomene (38), Cptn. Sir Charles Hamilton, engaged four French frigates under Commodore Daniel Savary.

1801

HMS Sir Thomas Paisley (16), Lt. Wooldridge, captured Spanish privateer El Virgine Del Rosario (10) off Cape de Gat

1824

USS Wildcat lost in a gale between Cuba and Thompson's Island

1864

Steamer General Thomas and gunboat Stone River destroy Confederate batteries on Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. 

[Kevin]

October 29

 

 

1704

Birth of John Byng

1799

Boats of HMS Tigre (80), Cptn. Sir William Sydney Smith, engaged off Damietta, mouth of the Nile.

1814

Launching of Fulton I , first American steam powered warship

Edited October 29, 2013 by Kevin

[st george]

1867 - Mail packets "Rhone" & "Wye" capsizes off St Thomas Virgin Islands.

1932 - French liner Normandie is launched.

1980 - USS Parsons (DDG-33) rescues 110 Vietnamese refugees 330 miles south of Saigon.

[Kevin]

October 30

 

 

1706

HMS Nassau (80) wrecked of Sussex coast

1775

Congress authorizes four vessels for the defense of the United Colonies.

[st george]

1772 - Capt Cook arrives with ship Resolution in Capetown.

1939 - German U boat fails on attack of English battleship Nelson with Winston Churchill aboard.

1941 - USS Reuben James torpedoed by Germans, even though US is not in war.

[Kevin]

October 31

 

1745

Squadron under Rear Admiral Isaac Townsend took great part of a large French convoy off Martinique.

1762

HMS Panther (60), Cptn. Hyde Parker, and HMS Argo, (28) Cptn. Richard King, took Galleon Saintissima Trinidada off the Phillipines.

1780

HMS Ontario (22) sinks in Lake Ontario (found intact almost 230 years later)

1793

HMS Quebec (32) and consorts attacked Ostend and Nieuport.

1803

HMS Admiral Mitchell (12), Lt. Alexander Shippard, drove ashore a French gun-brig, and one vessel from the convoy he was escorting, under the battery at Patel.

1808

HMS Circe (32), Cptn. Hugh Pigott, captured La Palinure (16), Lt. Fourniers, off Diamond Rock, Martinique

1860

Thomas Cochrane died

[Kevin]

1 November 

 

1806

Boats of HMS Pique (40), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, in Carbaret Bay, Puerto Rico.

1809

Boats of HMS Tigre (80), Cptn. Ben. Hallowell, HMS Cumberland (74), Cptn. Hon. P. Whodhouse, HMSVolontaire, HMS Apollo (38), Cptn. Bridges W. Taylor, HMS Topaze (38), Cptn. Henry Hope, HMS Philomel(18), George Crawley, HMS Scout (18), William Raitt, and HMS Tuscan (16), Cptn. Wilson, captured or destroyed all the vessels of a convoy in Rosas Bay.

1811

HMS Imperieuse (38), Cptn, Hon. Henry Duncan, HMS Thames and army units took Palinuro Heights and, in the harbour, sank 2 gunboats, took 6 gunboats and took  22 feluccas in 3 day engagement.

1813

HMS Snap (12), William Bateman Dashwood, captured the French privateer lugger Lion (16) off St. Valery

1841

"Mosquito Fleet" commanded by Lt. Cdr. J. T. McLaughlin, USN, carries 750 Sailors and Marines into the Everglades to fight the Seminole Indians.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Kevin

[st george]

1914 - German-British naval battle at Coronel, Chile.

1918 - Yugoslav battleship Viribus Unitis sunk by Italians.
1941 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt places Coast Guard under jurisdiction of Department of the Navy for duration of national emergency.
1967 - Operation Coronado IX began in Mekong Delta.
1979 - Retirement of Polaris A-3 program begins with removal of missiles from USS Abraham Lincoln. Last Polaris missile removed in February 1982.

[Kevin]

2 November 

 

 

1758

HMS Antelope (50), Cptn. Thomas Saumarez, captured French ship Belliqueux (64) off Ilfracombe

1780

HMS Zephyr (14), Cptn, John Inglis, took French corvette Senegal (18), Lt. D'Allery, off Barra Point at the entrance of the River Gambia. The French set fire to an armed transport and two sloops before the engagement.

1806

Boats of HMS Pique (40), Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, took one privateer and destroyed another off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rica.

1809

HMS Victor (18) captured by French frigate Bellone in the Bay of Bengal.

1839

HMS Volage (28), Cptn. Henry Smith, and HMS Hyacinth (18), William Warren, engaged 29 Chinese war junks and put them to flight.

[Kevin]

3 November 

 

 

1758

HMS Buckingham (70), Cptn Richard Tyrrel, engaged French Florissant (74) and two large French frigates

1796

HMS Helena Sloop (14), Cptn. Jermyn John Symonds, wrecked on the coast of Holland.

1809

HMS Curieux (18), Henry George Moysey, wrecked in the West Indies.

1839

HMS Volage (28), Cptn. Henry Smith, and HMS Hyacinth (18), William Warren, engaged war junks in Canton River.

1840

Bombardment and fall of Acre.

1853

USS Constitution seizes suspected slaver H. N. Gambrill. 

[Kevin]

4 November 

 

 

1778

HMS Maidstone (28), Cptn. Alan Gardner, took French Lion (40) about 60 leagues to the east of Cape Henry.

1800

HMS Marlborough (74), Cptn. Thomas Sotheby, wrecked on the Bervadeux Shoal, near L'Orient, France.

1803

Boats of HMS Blanche (36), Cptn. Zachary Mudge, cut out a French schooner and Albion.

1805

Battle of Cape Ortegal. British squadron, under Rear Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, of HMS Caesar (80), HMSHero (74), Cptn. Hon. A. H. Gardner, HMS Courageux (74), HMS Namur (90) and four frigates, defeated and captured a French squadron, under Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley, of Formidable (80), Scipion (74),Duguay-Trouin (74) and Mont Blanc (74) that had escaped from the Battle of Trafalgar two weeks previously.

1806

HMS Redbridge (12), Lt. Edward Burt, wrecked near Providence

1810

Boats of HMS Blossom, George Pigot, captured Cesar.

1834

HMS Nimble (5), Chas. Bolton, wrecked in the Old Bahama Channel

[st george]

1875 - Passenger Steamship "Pacific" collides with sailing vessel "Orpheus" off Cape Flattery Wash, 236 die.

1967 - Landing craft from USS Navarro (APA-215) rescue 43 men from British SS Habib Marikar aground on a reef at Lincoln Island in the Tonkin Gulf.
1971 - USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636) launches a Poseidon C-3 missile in first surface launch of Poseidon missile.

 

 

That's it for two weeks. Off to England today for family wedding. Hope to get some sight seeing in too.

[Kevin]

5 November

 

 

1775

Commodore Esek Hopkins appointed to Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy. 

1783

HMS Superb (74), driven from her anchors in Tellicherry Roads, struck a rock and sank.

1799

HMS Sceptre (64), Cptn. Valentine Edwards, wrecked in storm after dragging anchors and drifting in Table Bay.

HMS Orestes (18), Cptn. W. Haggitt, foundered during a cyclone in the Indian Ocean 

1813

British squadron, under Vice Ad. Sir Edward Pellew, of HMS Caledonia (120), Cptn. Jeremiah Coghlan, HMSSan Josef (112), Cptn. William Stewart, HMS Boyne (98), Cptn. George Burlton, HMS Pompée (80), Cptn. Sir James Athol Wood, HMS Scipion (74), Cptn. Henry Heathcote, HMS Mulgrave (74), Cptn. Thomas John Maling, HMS Pembroke (74), and HMS  Armada (74), Cptn. Charles Grant, engaged the French Mediterranean Fleet of 14 French ships-of-the-line and 7 frigates including Wagram (130), François Legras, Agamemnon (74), Ulm (74),  Magnanime (74), Borée (74), Pauline (40), Melpomène (40), Charles Beville, Pénélope (40) and Galatée (40) off Cape Sepet.

HMS Tweed (18), William Mather, wrecked on a rock in Shoal Bay, Newfoundland 

1816

HMS Briseis (10), George Dourett, wrecked on reef off Point Pedras, Cuba.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

6 November

 

 

1794

HMS Canada (74), Cptn. Charles Powell Hamilton, and HMS Alexander (74), Cptn. Richard Rodney Bligh, which had been escorting merchantmen as far as the western approaches, were chased by a French squadron of five 74's and three large frigates, under Rear Ad. Neilly. After separating to confuse they tried to rejoin for mutual support but Alexander was taken.

1798

Horatio Nelson created Baron Nelson of The Nile.

1799

HMS Speedy (14), Jahleel Brenton, engaged twelve Spanish gunboats off Europa Point protecting her convoy.

1807

Boats of HMS Renommee (44), Cptn. Sir Thomas Livingstone, and HMS Grasshopper (18), Thomas Searle, under a heavy fire of grape and canister from the Torre de Estacio, near Cartagena, took possession of a Spanish brig (6) and a French tartan (6). With little wind and a strong current both ran aground and it was impossible to get them off. They were not burnt when abandoned due to the number of men, women and children, many wounded, on board.

1813

HMS Woolwich (44), Cdr. Thomas Ball Sulivan, wrecked off Barbados.

[Kevin]

7 November

 

 

1795

HMS Scourge (14), William Stap, foundered off the Dutch coast

1800

HMS Netley (16), Lt. Francis Godolphin Bond, captured Spanish privateer schooner San Miguel (9) off Lisbon.

1808

HMS Excellent (74), Cptn. John West, and HMS Meteor engaged French land forces at Rosas.

1861

US Naval forces under Rear Admiral Samuel F. DuPont capture Port Royal Sound, SC.

 

8 November

 

1810

Boats of HMS Quebec (32), Cptn. Charles Sibthorp Hawtayne, captured French privateer schooner Jeune Louise from her anchorage in the Vlie Stroom.

1813

Boats of HMS Revenge (74), Cptn. Sir John Gore, cut out a French privateer.

HMS Atalante, Frederick Hickey, wrecked off Halifax by running on the Sisters Rocks, or the eastern ledge, off Sambro Is. having mistaken guns fired by HMS Barrosa (36) for the fog-signal guns at the lighthouse on the same island.

1861

Cptn. Charles Wilkes seizes two Confederate diplomats from the British steamer Trent, causing an international controversy with Great Britain (known as the Trent Affair). 

Edited November 9, 2013 by Kevin

[realworkingsailor]

November 9

 

100th Anniversary of the great storm of 1913.

 

In one afternoon, 12 ships where lost with all hands and another 30 where stranded. Over 250 sailors died in the freezing water.

 

The twelve ships lost are as follows:

 

Lake Superior:

Leafield, 1892, 18 crew

Henry B Smith, 1906, 25 crew

 

Lake Michigan:

Plymouth (barge), 1854, 7 crew

 

Lake Huron:

Argus, 1903, 28 crew

James Carruthers,1913, 22 crew

Hydrus, 1903, 25 crew

James A McGean, 1908, 28 crew

Charles S Price, 1910, 28 Crew

Regina, 1907, 20 crew

Isaac M. Scott, 1909, 28 crew

Wexford, 1883, 17-24 crew (actual number unknown)

 

Lake Erie:

Lightship #82, 1912, 6 Crew

 

For a full description of the storm see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Storm_of_1913

 

Andy

[Kevin]

1742

George Rodney promoted Captain

1800

HMS Havick (16), Philip Bartholmew, wrecked in St. Aubin's Bay, Jersey.

1805

Cuthbert Collingwood promoted to Vice-Admiral.

1810

HMS Conflict Brig (12) foundered in the Bay of Biscay.

1813

Batteries at Port Nouvelle captured by HMS Undaunted (38), Cptn. Thomas Ussher, and HMS Guadeloupe(16), Arthur Stowe.

[Kevin]

10 November

 

 

1716

HMS August (60), Cptn. Robert Johnson, ran ashore on the island of Anholt during heavy weather.

1721

HMS Royal Anne Galley (42), Cptn. Francis Willis, wrecked during a gale off Lizard Point, Cornwall

1777

HMS Siren (28) ran aground at Rhode Island

1805

HMS Biter Gun-brig (12), Lt. George Thomas Wingate, wrecked near Calais.

1807

HMS Leveret Sloop (18), Richard James O'Connor, wrecked on the Albion Shoal, Galloper Rock, near Great Yarmouth in a gale.

1808

HMS Amethyst (36), Cptn. Michael Seymour, captured French frigate Thetis (44), Cptn. Pinsun (Killed in Action).

[realworkingsailor]

1975: Loss of the 730 foot lake freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald, with all hands.

 

This marks the last large vessel lost on the great lakes. 

 

Andy

[Kevin]

11 November

 

 

 

1758

Adam Duncan was promoted to First Lieutenant of HMS Torbay

1779

HMS Tartar (28) took Spanish frigate Santa Marqarita (28) off Cape Finisterre.

1806

HMS Sceptre (74), Cptn. Joseph Bingham, and HMS Cornwallis (54), Cptn. Charles James Johnston, engaged frigate Semillante and batteries in St. Paul's Bay, Isle of Bourbon.

1807

HMS William ran aground off Gut of Canso

1811

HMS Skylark (16), James Boxer, and HMS Locust (16), Lt. John Gedge, engaged 12 gunbrigs of the Boulogne flotilla. They cut out gunboat No. 26 (4), Enseigne Bouchet, and drove the flotilla commodore ashore in the Calais Roads.

[Kevin]

12 November

 

 

1699

HMS Biddeford (20), Cptn. Samuel Martin, wrecked on Point Baque.

1795

HMS Fleche (14) wrecked on reef of Rocks off Fernelli Tower, Saint Fiorenzo's Bay, Mediterranean.

1797

HMS Cerberus (32), Cptn. J. Drew, captured French ship-privateer Epervier (16)

1806

Boats of HMS Galatea (32), Cptn. George Sayer, captured schooner Reunion (10), off Guadeloupe.

1810

Start of engagement by HMS Diana (38), Cptn. Charles Grant, HMS Niobe (38), Cptn J. W. Loring, HMS Donegal (80), Cptn. Pulteney Malcolm, and HMS Revenge (74), Cptn. Charles Paget, engaged 2 French frigates which went ashore at La Hogue and Tatillon.

[Kevin]

13 November

 

 

1776

Cptn. John Paul Jones in Alfred with brig Providence captures British transport Mellish, carrying winter uniforms later used by Washington's troops.

1797

Boats of HMS Fairy (16), Cptn. Joshua Sydney Horton, captured privateer Epervier (2), a lugger, in Whitesand Bay.

1800

HMS Milbrook (18), Lt. Matthew Smith, captured French privateer Bellone (36) whilst escorting a convoy off Oporto. She afterwards escaped using sweeps when Milbrook could not take possession due to damage sustained.

1807

HMS Carrier (10), Lt. Robert Ramsey, captured privateer cutter Actif (2), Norbet Corenwinder.

1809

HMS Chiffonne (36), Commodore John Wainwright, HMS Caroline (36), Cptn. Charles Gordon, HEICSMornington (22), HEICS Ternate (16), HEICS Aurora (14), HEICS Mercury (14), HEICS Nautilus (14), HEICSPrince of Wales (14), HEICS Vestal (10), HEICS Ariel (10), HEICS Fury (8) and HEICS Stromboli bomb-ketch destroyed more than fifty Joasmi pirate vessels at Ras-al-Khaimah in the Persian Gulf.

1816

HMS Tay (18), Cptn. Samuel Roberts, wrecked in Gulf of Mexico off the Yucatan coast.

1840

HMS Fairy (10) wrecked on the Sussex coast.