HMS Endymion (1797)


HMS Endymion was a 40-gun fifth rate that served in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and during the First Opium War. She was built to the lines of the French prize captured in 1794. Due to her exceptional handling and sailing properties, the Severn-class frigates were built to her lines, although the gunports were rearranged to mount an extra pair of guns per side, the ships were made of softwood and were not built until nearly the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
She was famous for her battle with on 15 January 1815, in which she caught the American frigate and crippled her, which led to Presidents final capture some hours later. Apart from this, Endymion was known as the fastest sailing-ship in the Royal Navy during the Age of Sail, logging sailing large, and nearly close-hauled.
Endymions last active duty came during the First Opium War and included operations on the Yangtze river. She became a receiving ship in 1859 and was broken up in June 1868.
Throughout her career, Endymion was praised for her remarkable sailing qualities. She was therefore a highly desirable command for frigate captains. Even in the 1830s, long after her war service, she was regarded as the benchmark for Royal Navy frigates. When in company with much newer ships, she was still capable of outsailing them.

French Revolutionary Wars

In April 1797, Captain Thomas Williams commissioned Endymion for the Channel and Irish station. In October Endymion joined the North Sea fleet with orders to pursue the scattered Dutch ships in the aftermath of the Battle of Camperdown. Within hours, Endymion encountered the ship of the line close inshore, but the protected anchorage prevented Williams from successfully attacking the Dutch ship and she was able to escape.
For the next three years, Williams was employed off Ireland and on convoy to the island of St Helena. In early 1798 Endymion captured four privateers while cruising off the Irish coast.
On 5 September 1798, Williams reported capturing or recapturing three vessels:
In late 1799 to May 1800 Endymion captured a number of French and Spanish privateers.
In November 1799 Endymion was escorting a convoy of vessels that had come from India via St Helena. A gale came up and dispersed the convoy in the Channel. Endymion reached Plymouth, but the merchantman wrecked on the French coast near Boulogne on 12 November. Twenty-four of her crew died, but the rest reached shore. The French took them prisoner, but released them on 10 January 1800.
Endymion was sailing in company with and a convoy for the Mediterranean when they came upon a heavily laden Portuguese ship from Brazil, totally dismasted and abandoned. The British, after considerable exertion, were able to put her into a navigable state. Champion then towed her into Gibraltar.
In 1801, Williams assumed command of the 74-gun third-rate ship of the line. Captain Philip Charles Durham replaced Williams.

Napoleonic Wars & War of 1812

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.
On 18 June Endymion and captured the French "National Corvette". She was 40 days out of Martinque, bound for Brest, and had a crew of 65 men under the command of lieutenant de vaisseaux Caro. The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Colombe.
Seven days later, Endymion captured the French corvette, of eighteen 12-pounder guns and 200 men, in the Atlantic after a chase of eight hours. Bacchante, under the command of lieutenant de vaisseau Kerimel was returning to Brest after a three-month voyage to Santo Domingo. Kerimel's attempts to escape resulted in Bacchante losing eight men killed and nine wounded; her return fire caused no casualties on Endymion. Captain Charles Paget described Bacchante as a "remarkably fine Ship, of large Dimensions, quite New, and sails very fast." The Royal Navy took her into service as HMS Bacchante.
In July 1803 Endymion encountered the East Indiaman, which was returning to Britain after having sailed to Bengal and Benkulen. The officer Paget sent aboard the Indiaman proceeded to press 12 seamen. Culland's Groves captain and second officer protested vehemently that this would leave them short-handed, but Paget was acting within the law. The Royal Navy was short of men and was in the habit of stopping homecoming merchant vessels and taking some of their best sailors. Paget's position was that the men he took were "surplus company, and that he was authorized to press men out of homeward-bound ships."
In Autumn 1805, Endymion 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's five ships of the line with Endymion to Gibraltar for water and provisions; 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, Turkish shore batteries attacked the British, with Endymion suffering three killed and nine 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, sailed to the then little-known remote islet of Rockall. T. Harvey, her master under Captain Thomas Bladen Capel, plotted its position to, around north-east its true position.
John Purdy's Memoir was long accepted for dating the first landing on Rockall as being on this voyage, on 8 July 1810. However, examining Endymions own logs at the Public Record Office, James Fisher discovered that the first landing date was actually Sunday 8 September 1811. Captain Sir William Bolton took command sometime in 1810 through to 9 March 1812. One of her lieutenants during the 1810 voyage was one Basil Hall, who was still with the ship when the 1811 landing was made.
In July 1811 Endymion was again within sight of Rockall and made soundings of the Rockall Bank. By 8 September she had returned and hove to east north east. Dating the landing was again Fisher's detective work, based on Hall's own log. Lieutenant Basil Hall was part of this first landing party upon it, probably under the command of Lieutenant Richard Israel Alleyn, Endymions 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." 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 Endymions 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.
On 11 November 1810, Endymion captured the 14-gun privateer Milan.

North American station

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. Her crew also undertook several boat-attacks to raid American shipping.
Her boats attempted to capture the notorious American privateer, but were unsuccessful. In all, Endymion lost over 100 men killed, wounded, prisoners, or missing, in the attempt. At the time, Prince de Neufchatel was under the command of John Ordronaux, who was also one of her three owners. She was armed with 17-18 guns, almost all 12-pounder carronades, and had a crew of 130 men.
On 6 December 1813 as John and James, Crosby, master, was returning from Chili with 1000 barrels of oil, Pomone captured her and sent her into Bermuda. Pomone shared with Endymion in the prize money for John and James. On 1 January 1814, Endymion captured the American merchant ship Felicity in the Atlantic Ocean, set her afire, and sank her.
On 7 March 1814, Endymion, and captured an American privateer — the 15-gun vessel Mars — with 70 men. From 7–8 April 1814, the boats of, Endymion, Maidstone and attacked Pettipague point. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "8 Apr Boat Service 1814" to all surviving claimants from the action. In August 1814, together with, Endymion captured the American privateer Herald of 17 guns and 100 men. In late 1814, Endymion joined the blockading-squadron off New York.
In August, Endymion took part in an expedition up the Penobscot River in Maine. The first ships to go were,, Endymion,,, as well as some transports.,,, and joined on the 31st. On the evening of 31 August, Sylph, Peruvian, and the transport Harmony, accompanied by a boat from Dragon, embarked marines, foot soldiers and a detachment from the Royal Artillery, to move up the Penobscot under the command of Captain Robert Barrie of Dragon. The objective was the American frigate, of twenty-six 18-pounder guns, which had taken refuge some 27 miles up stream at Hampden, Maine. Here Adams had landed her guns and fortified a position on the bank with fifteen 18-pounders commanding the river. Moving up the river took two days, but eventually, after the Battle of Hampden, the British were able to capture the American defenders at Bangor, though not until after the Americans had burnt the Adams. The British also captured 11 other ships and destroyed six. The British lost only one man killed, a sailor from Dragon, and had several soldiers wounded.
HMS Armide, Endymion, and Pique were in company when Armide captured the American privateer on 16 August.

Engagement with USS ''President''

On 14 January 1815, 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 and the frigates Endymion, Pomone and . Immediately, the British squadron gave chase with Majestic leading. At noon, Endymion, being the much better sailer, overhauled her squadron and left them behind. At 2 pm she gained on the President and took position on the American ship's quarter, shooting into President as she tried to escape. Endymion was able to rake President three times and did considerable damage to her; by contrast, President primarily directed her fire at Endymion's rigging in order to slow her down. Finally at 7:58 pm, President ceased fire and hoisted a light in her rigging, indicating that she had struck. Endymion's foresails had been damaged in the engagement and she hove to for repairs to the rigging. Whilst Endymion was engaged in repairs Commodore Stephen Decatur took advantage of the fact and, despite having struck, made off to escape at 8.30 pm; Endymion, still engaged in repairs could not immediately pursue and resumed the chase at 8.52 pm.
At 9.05 pm Pomone and Tenedos came up with the heavily damaged President. Unaware that the enemy had already struck Pomone fired two broadsides into the President, following which Decatur again struck his ship and hailed the British to say that he had surrendered. Shortly afterwards, Captain Lumley of Pomone took possession of President.
According to British accounts, President had lost 35 men killed and 70 wounded, including Decatur. American sources give their losses as 24 killed and 55 wounded. Endymion had 11 killed and 14 wounded. In 1847 the Admiralty authorized the issue to any still surviving crew from Endymion of the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Endymion wh. President".
There has been a long-running debate over whether Endymion had beaten President, or President had beaten Endymion. Clearly, President could not fight a normal duel such as that which fought with. Had Decatur tried to fight Endymion broadside to broadside, he would have had little chance of escaping the other British ships. His only hope was to get rid of Endymion by dismantling her rigging, and in this he failed, striking to Endymion before this could be accomplished, a fact confirmed by Mr Bowie, ship's chaplain of President who confirmed the raising of the light indicating surrender to Endymion. On the other hand, Endymion - as the smaller and weaker ship - managed to slow down and damage the American frigate, pouring in three raking broadsides that caused heavy casualties and forcing her to strike. Endymion had successfully disabled six guns on Presidents starboard side by shooting them off their carriages or damaging the gun barrels. A total 10 of the 15 starboard upper deck gunports on President were hit and the gun crew reduced. It was recorded that shot from Endymion had pierced President below the waterline and of water was found in Presidents hold when Pomone boarded her. Shot from Endymion was even found inside Presidents magazine. However, it is also asserted that far from surrendering to Endymion, President had actually disabled Endymion and removed her from the pursuit. Instead President was only forced to surrender when Pomone and Tenedos came up. This uncertainty is of early date, and is reflected in Commodore Decatur's own recorded comments. Decatur made a deposition before the Admiralty Court at St. George's Bermuda, in January 1815. In this it is recorded that when Pomones boats boarded President, Decatur insisted that his sword be sent to the captain of "the black ship", as he had struck to her alone. However, in his later despatch, primarily for American consumption, he contradicted this statement.
There has also been much discussion about how many of the American casualties were due to Pomones broadsides. Before Pomone fired her first broadside, President was already shattered with shot holes on the starboard side, the side Endymion had engaged. Pomone engaged the port side, and there was only little damage recorded.. In reality there is no debate, since witness testimony from officers on President stated clearly that no casualties were caused, due mainly to poorly aimed broadsides and many American personnel being below decks.
Comparison of force
HMS EndymionUSS President
Length
Beam
Tonnage1277 tons 1533 tons
Complement346 menat least 450 men
Armament26 × 24-pounder,
20 × 32-pounder carronades
1 × 18-pounder		32 × 24-pounder
20 × 42-pounder carronades
1 × 24-pounder howitzer
Broadside weight

Post 1815

After the War of 1812, Endymion was kept in ordinary until 1833. From 1840 to 1842, she served in the fleet commanded by Sir William Parker in the First Anglo-Chinese War, known popularly as the First Opium War, including operations on the Yangtze river. On 8 December 1846, she rescued eight crew of, which was wrecked off Vera Cruz, Mexico whilst blockading that port. In 1859, she became a receiving ship in Plymouth, and was finally broken up in June 1868.

Commanding officers

The captains of Endymion were:-

Citations