HMS Pactolus (1813)

The HMS "Pactolus" was a Royal Navy frigate that served in the Napoleonic wars and the War of 1812. She was one of the warships that bombarded Stonington, Connecticut from 9 August to 12 August 1814.

"Pactolus" was built of red pine in 1813 in Deptford.Sailing Ships of the Royal Navy. Retrieved on 13 November 2006 from [http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/PQ.htm] ] The motive for the use of red pine – an inferior material for shipbuilding ["The Canadian Sea Scout Manual", page 13. Retrieved on 13 November from [www.bluecrow.com/~kpollak/cssm1967.pdf] ] – is unknown, though wartime shortage of either money or better materials seems likely. She was found to be unserviceable, presumably due to the red pine construction, and was put out of commission in August 1817 and sold in 1818.

Sources differ as to the number of guns she carried, with one at least saying 38, while others say 44. [Benson J. Lossing, "Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812", Chapter XXXVIII: "The War on the New England Coast in 1814", published 1867. Retrieved on 13 November 2006 from [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1/Lossing2/Chap38.html] ] [William Bryk, "Central Park Still Awaits the British", "New York Press", Volume 15, Issue 5. Retrieved on 13 November 2006 from [http://www.nypress.com/15/5/news&columns/oldsmoke.cfm] ]

References