HMS Daring (1804)

HMS "Daring" was a 12-gun brig of the Royal Navy.

History

She was built by Bailey, of Ipswich and launched in October 1804. In August 1809 she served in the West Scheldt, being detached under Sir Home Popham to take soundings. By 1811 she was fitting out at Sheerness before proceeding to the coast of West Africa. On 27 January 1813 "Daring's" captain, Lt Pascoe RN was forced to run the gun-brig aground on Tamara (one of the Iles de Los off Guinea) and burn her when he was threatened by two French frigates, "Arethuse" and "Rubis". He arrived in the Sierra Leone River with the greater part of his crew on 28 January and reported to Captain Frederick Paul Irby of HMS "Amelia". Lt Pascoe went back in a small schooner to reconnoitre and found that the two frigates were unloading a Portuguese prize before preparing to sail to intercept home-bound trade. He returned on 4 February and found that a cartel had arrived with the master and a boat's crew of "Daring". Captain Irby, his crew depleted by sickness but reinforced by the men from "Daring", sailed to attack one of the French frigates which was anchored well to the north of the other ("Rubis" having been disabled by striking a rock). "Amelia" found herself engaged for four hours against a far more powerful opponent and suffered heavy casualties - 51 killed (including Lt Pascoe) and 95 wounded. Although badly damaged, "Amelia" made it home to Britain via Madeira. "Arethuse" returned to the stranded "Rubis", which was burnt by the French on 8 February when she could not be refloated.

Commanding Officers

References

*Colledge
* Age of Nelson website - [http://www.ageofnelson.org/index.html Age of Nelson]