HMS Euryalus (1803)

HMS "Euryalus" was a Royal Navy frigate of 36 guns, which saw service in the Battle of Trafalgar and the War of 1812. She was named for one of Argonauts - the mythical band of heroes who accompanied Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece.

Battle of Trafalgar

The "Euryalus" was built at Bucklers Hard and launched in 1803. In 1805, captained by Henry Blackwood, she led a squadron of four other frigates in watching Cádiz to report the movements of the combined French and Spanish fleets anchored there. [citebook|title=Trafalgar: the men, the battle, the storm|author= Tim Clayton & Phil Craig|year= 2004|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|url= http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an26376559|isbn=9780340830277] The combined fleet sailed from Cádiz on 20 October and was shadowed through the night by the "Euryalus" and others which reported its position to the Royal Navy fleet on the horizon.

With battle imminent the following morning, Captain Blackwood proposed that Admiral Horatio Nelson transfer from HMS "Victory" to the faster "Euryalus", the better to observe and control the engagement. This offer was declined and - being too small to play a major role - the "Euryalus" stood off until the late afternoon when she took the badly damaged HMS "Royal Sovereign" in tow and turned her to engage the French ship "Formidable".

Following the death of Admiral Nelson, Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood transferred his flag from the "Royal Sovereign" to the "Euryalus" which became for the next ten days the flagship of the remaining Royal Navy fleet.

After the battle the "Euryalus" took on survivors from the French battleship "Achille", as well as the captured French Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve. Blackwood also received the surrender of the Spanish ship "Santa Ana", after two raking broadsides to the stern by the "Royal Sovereign" and "Belleisle" had caused her to strike her colours.

The "Royal Sovereign" was again taken in tow but the two ships collided during a sudden squall, badly damaging the frigate's masts and rigging. Once repairs were completed, the "Euryalus" was sent into Cádiz Harbour to allow Blackwood to negotiate an exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of French and Spanish wounded.

On October 31, the "Euryalus" set sail for England with Admiral Villeneuve as a prisoner.

War of 1812

After serving in minor roles in a number of theatres, the "Euryalus" was in the Mediterranean when Captain (later Admiral) Charles Napier took command. She took part in successful commerce raiding and the blockade of Toulon. On 21 April in company with "Undaunted" she entered the harbour and learned of the defeat of Napoleon; "Undaunted" was detailed to transport him to Elba. Napier took "Euryalus" across the Atlantic for service in the War of 1812, including the expedition up the Potomac (August-September 1814), in which he was second in command of the squadron under James Alexander Gordon, and the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Following these operations Napier also issued a challenge to the captain of the US frigate "Constellation" to meet "Euryalus" in single-ship combat, which was accepted, but "Euryalus" was required for the naval operations preceding the Battle of New Orleans and peace was signed before the engagement could be fulfilled. During Napoleon's 'Hundred Days' "Euryalus" was engaged in landing troops at the mouth of the River Scheldt.

Decommissioning

The "Euryalus" was decommissioned in 1825 and converted into a prison hulk at Chatham. In 1847 she was moved to Gibraltar, and was sold for breaking up in 1860.

References

External links

* http://www.treeforall.org.uk/trafalgar/TrafalgarWoods/Otherwoods/Euryalus/