HMS Colossus (1803)

HMS Colossus was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched from Deptford on 23 April 1803. She was designed by Sir John Henslow as one of the large class 74s, and was the only ship built to her draught. As a large 74, she carried 24 pdrs on her upper gun deck, as opposed to the 18 pdrs found on the middling and common class 74s. She took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, and was broken up in 1826.

Trafalgar

"Colossus" fought at Trafalgar under Captain James Nicoll Morris, in Collingwood's lee column. After sustaining fire from the enemy fleet, she eventually ran by the French "Swiftsure", 74, and became entangled with "Argonaute", 74. Towards the end of the exchange of fire between the two ships, Captain Morris was hit by a shot from one of "Argonaute's" guns, just above the knee. "Argonaute" broke free from "Colossus" after this, whilst the British ship was engaging both "Swiftsure" and the Spanish "Bahama", 74, on her other side. "Bahama" surrendered when "Colossus" brought down her main mast, and "Swiftsure" did likewise after combined fire from "Colossus" and HMS|Orion|1787|2 brought down her main and mizzen masts.

In 1815 "Colossus" was laid up at Chatham, and eventually broken up in 1826.

References

*Michael Phillips. [http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/C3.HTM Ships of the Old Navy, A History of Ships of the 18th Century Royal Navy] . Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
*Lavery, Brian (2003) "The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850." Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.