HMS Endymion (1797)

HMS "Endymion" was a 40-gun 24-pounder fifth-rate frigate, that served in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and during the First Opium War. She was the lead ship of her class of six frigates build to the lines of the French prize "Pomone" captured in 1794.

She was famous for her duel with USS "President" on January 15, 1815, damaging the American frigate. This damage led to the "President's" capture some hours later. Apart from this, she was known as the fastest sailing-ship in the Royal Navy during the Age of Sail, logging 14.4 knots running.

Career

"Endymion" was first commissioned in June 1797. She then served in the Channel Fleet, off the coast of Ireland and in the Mediterranean until the Peace of Amiens. When war broke out again in 1803, she was part of the blockading squadron off Brest until 1805. During these first years of service, "Endymion" took a number of French and Spanish prizes, mainly merchants and privateers, but also some warships of up to 20 guns.

In Autumn 1805, she joined the squadron of Rear Admiral Louis off Cadiz, part of Vice Admiral Nelson's fleet, blockading the allied Franco-Spanish force under Admiral Villeneuve. On 2 October, Nelson ordered Louis' five ships of the line with "Endymion" to Gibraltar for water and provisions and in consequence, "Endymion" missed the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October.

In 1807 she took part in the Dardanelles Operation, where she was detached to Constantinople with the British ambassador for negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. The mission was a failure and when the squadron sailed back through the Dardanelles, the British were attacked by Turkish shore batteries, with "Endymion" suffering 3 killed and 9 wounded. From 1808 on, "Endymion" served again in home waters, where she took a number of French privateers.

Rockall

In August 1810, "Endymion", in company with "HMS Princess Charlotte", sailed to the then little-known remote islet of Rockall. T. Harvey, her master under Capt. Capel, plotted its position to 57° 39' 32" 13° 31' 16", around 7 miles north-east its true position.

John Purdy's "Memoir"cite book
title=Memoir of a chart of the Atlantic
last=Purdy |first=John
date=1821 |location=London] was long accepted for dating the first landing on Rockall as being on this voyage, on July 8 1810. Examining "Endymion"'s own logs at the Public Record Office, James Fisher (of the 1955 Rockall landing) discovered that the date had actually been August 8, as the only date when both Capel was her captain and Harvey her master.cite book
title=Rockall
last=Fisher |first=James |authorlink=W:James Fisher
date=1956 |publisher= Geoffrey Bles |location=London
pages=pp. 12–13] One of her lieutenants was one Basil Hall, who was still with the ship a year later when the landing was actually made.

In July 1811 "Endymion" was again within sight of Rockall and made soundings of the Rockall Bank. By September 8 she had returned and hove to 2 miles ENE. Dating the landing was again Fisher's detective work, based on Hall's own log. Lt. Basil Hall was part of this first landing party upon it, probably under the command of R.I. Alleyne, "Endymion"'s first lieutenant.

The landing appears to have begun most casually. To quote Hall's own book, "As we had nothing better on our hands, it was resolved to make an exploring expedition to visit this little islet. Two boats were accordingly manned for the purpose; ... the artists prepared their sketch books and the geologists their hammers, for a grand scientific field day." cite book
title=Fragments of Voyages and Travels
last=Hall |first=Basil
location=London
date=1831] Whilst indicating the impromptu nature of the landing, this also signifies that science was a deliberate aim from the first. The sea on this "fine autumnal morning" was unusually smooth, but a swell of many feet made landing difficult and required a great deal of confidence when leaping ashore. Observations and measurements were made until a fog was observed. Concern over the "Endymion"'s continuing visibility caused them to begin their return. The increasing swell made embarking difficult and it took half an hour to gain the boats. By this time "Endymion" was lost in the fog. One of the party was landed back on the rock, in an attempt to scale it in search of a fog-free look-out. His first view was of an approaching fog bank, which in this area could last for some days. The ship was sighted though, and after another delay to retrieve their "shivering scout" they rowed off in chase. Unfortunately the ship didn't see them before the fog returned and they were forced to return yet again to Rockall. At this point planning began for a long stay on the island, despite their lack of provisions or fresh water. It was resolved to abandon the heavier of the two boats and to drag the other ashore to improvise an overnight shelter. Fortunately they were saved by the fog suddenly rising, revealing the ship once more. On finally returning to the ship, some five or six hours after the fog, it was almost dark.

Although Hall wasn't alone in landing party, and unlikely to have been either its commander or the "shivering scout", he's known for having been the only person to publish a written account of it. The 1955 landing thus named the big ledge near the top, where they erected their flagpole, "Hall's Ledge" after the only name they knew for certain.

Departure for America

In 1812, the ship underwent a large repair at Plymouth, finally docking out in July 1813. Two further 32-pounder carronades were added to her armament and her complement was increased to 340 men. She was then detached to North America, where she captured some American privateers, including the Prince de Neufchatel. Her crew undertook also several boat-attacks to raid American shipping. In late 1814, "Endymion" joined the blockading-squadron off New York.

Duel with USS President

On January 14, 1815, USS "President" under the command of Commodore Stephen Decatur left New York for a mission in the Indian Ocean. She then fell in with the British blockading-squadron, consisting of the Razee HMS "Majestic" (56 guns, Captain John Hayes) and the frigates "HMS Endymion" (Captain Henry Hope), "HMS Pomone" (38 guns, Captain John Richard Lumley) and "HMS Tenedos" (38 guns, Captain Hyde Parker). Immediately, the British squadron gave chase with "Majestic" leading. At noon, "Endymion", being the much superior in sailing, overhauled her squadron and left them soon behind. It was 2 P.M. when she gained on the "President" and shortly afterwards, both ships exchanged broadsides, with the latter still trying to escape. "Endymion" was able to rake her antagonist three times and did considerable damage to her hull, whereas the fire from "President" was mainly directed to the "Endymion's" rigging in order to slow her down. Finally at 7.30 P.M., "President" shot away most of the "Endymion's" foresails with chain shot, and in consequence, the British frigate was no longer able to follow. At 11 P.M. "Pomone" and "Tenedos" came up with the heavily damaged "President". Captain Decatur decided that further resistance was futile and hailed, that his ship has surrendered. But the men on "Pomone" didn't hear that, and fired two broadsides into the "President", who then hauled down a light to show the British that she has surrendered. Shortly afterwards, Captain John Richard Lumley (from "Pomone") took possession of the "President".

The running fight between "Endymion" and "President" was always subject to a discussion, whether the British frigate had beaten the "President", or the American frigate had beaten the "Endymion". It is clear, that "President" could not fight a normal duel as - for instance - "USS Constitution" fought with the British frigate "HMS Java". Had Decatur tried to fight down the "Endymion" broadside to broadside, he would have had little chance to escape from the other British ships. His only chance was to get rid of the "Endymion" by dismantling her rigging, and in this he was successful. On the other hand, "Endymion" - as the smaller and weaker ship (see below) - managed to slow down and damage the American frigate, including pouring in three heavy raking broadsides. There was much discussion, how many of the American casualties (American sources: 24 killed and 55 wounded, British sources: 35 killed and 70 wounded; "Endymion" had 11 dead and 14 wounded) were subject to the "Pomone's" fire. But before "Pomone" fired her first broadside, "President" was already shattered with shot holes on the starboard-side, the side the "Endymion" had engaged ("Pomone" engaged the port side, and there was only little damage recorded). See the external links, for two different descriptions of the fight.

Comparison of force (English measurement methods used for both ships)

Post 1815

After the War of 1812, "Endymion" was kept in reserve until 1833. From 1840 to 1842, she took part in the First Opium War, including operations on the Yangtze river. In 1859, she became a Receiving ship in Plymouth, and was finally broken up in June 1868.

Throughout her career, "Endymion" was praised for her remarkable good sailing qualities, and therefore was a highly desired command for every frigate captain. Even in the 1830s, long after her war service, she was regarded as the benchmark for Royal Navy frigates and was still capable of outsailing much newer ships she sailed in company with.

Commanding Officers

The captains of "Endymion" were:- [ 28 March 1815 - 13 June 1833 out of commission at Plymouth]
*1797 Capt. Sir Thomas Williams.
*1801 Capt. P.C. Durham.
*1803 Capt. Hon. Charles Paget.
*1805 Capt. Edward Durnford King.
*1806 Capt. T.B. Capel.
*1810 Capt. William Bolton.
*1813 Capt. Henry Hope.
*1833 Capt. Sir Samuel Roberts.
*1840 Capt. Hon. Frederick William Grey.
*1845 Capt. George R. Lambert.

The Endymion in literature

The "Endymion" is mentioned in Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park" as being in Portsmouth harbour along with "Canopus" when Lieutenant William Price departs for the "Thrush". Two of Jane Austen's brothers served in the Royal Navy during the period she was writing, including aboard both the "Canopus" (Francis Austen as Captain) and "Endymion" (Charles Austen as 1st Lieutenant).

References

* William James, [http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval_History/Index.html "Naval History of Great Britain 1793 - 1827, in Six Volumes"]
* Robert Gardiner, "Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars", (Chatham Publishing, 2000) ISBN 1861762925
* Rif Winfield, "British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 - 1817", (Chatham Publishing, 2005) ISBN 1861762461

External links

* [http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval_History/Vol_VI/P_363.html HMS Endymion vs. USS President by the British contemporary historian "William James" in his Naval History of Great Britain Vol. 6]
* [http://www.webroots.org/library/usamilit/hotusn07.html HMS Endymion vs. USS President by "Theodore Roosevelt" in his Naval War of 1812]