- HMS Mars (1794)
HMS "Mars" was a 74-gun
third-rate ship of the line of theRoyal Navy , launched on25 October 1794 atDeptford .In the early part of the
French Revolutionary Wars she was assigned to the Channel Fleet. In1797 under Captain Alexander Hood she was prominent in theSpithead mutiny . In1798 she fought a famous single-ship duel with the French seventy-four "Hercule", in the dusk near thePointe du Raz on the coast ofBrittany . "Hercule" attempted to escape through the Passage du Raz but the tide was running in the wrong direction and she was forced to anchor, giving Captain Hood the chance to attack at close quarters. The two ships were of equal force, but "Hercule" was newly commissioned, and after more an hour and a half of bloody fighting at close quarters she struck her flag, having lost over three hundred men. On "Mars" 31 men were killed and 60 wounded. Among the dead was Captain Hood."Mars" fought at Trafalgar where she was heavily damaged as she took fire from five different French and Spanish seventy-fours. Among the 3 officers and 25 crew killed in action was her captain,
George Duff .In
1806 , on service in the Channel fleet she took part in an action off Chasseron which led to the capture of four French ships. She afterwards served offPortugal and in theBaltic Sea ."Mars" was
in ordinary from1813 , and broken up in1823 .References
*William James, "Naval History of Great Britain, 1793–1827".
*Colledge
*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.
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