HMS Venom (1794)


HMS Venom was a gunbrig that Admiral Sir John Jervis captured in the Caribbean in 1794. The Royal Navy commissioned her under the command of Lieutenant Thomas H. Wilson. In March and April 1794, she participated in the capture of Martinique, St. Lucia, and Guadeloupe. Jervis's expedition restored monarchist rule. The French counter-attacked and recaptured Guadeloupe on 2 June. Jervis and General Sir Charles Grey, the army commander, landed a force to recapture the island but the reinforced French garrison repulsed the British expedition, which withdrew.
Venom was deleted from the lists in 1799 or 1800. After commanding Venom, Wilson assumed command of the hired armed lugger Lark on 21 April 1800.
Prize money:The London Gazette published details for four tranches of prize and head money payments for Jervis's campaign. In all some 36 ships qualified: HMS Asia, Assurance, Avenger, Boyne, Beauleau, Blonde, Bull Dog, Ceres, Dromedary, Experiment, Irresistible, Inspector, Nautilus, Quebec, Roebuck, Rattlesnake, Rose, Retort, Santa Margarita, Solebay, Seaflower, Terpsichore, Ulysses, Undaunted, Vengeance, Veteran, Vesuvius, Winchelsea, Wooolwich, and Zebra. So did six gunboats: Spiteful, Teazer, Tickler, Tormentor, Venom, and Vexor.
YearMartiniqueSt LuciaGuadaloupeAll three
Captain's share----
1795£150 0s 1¾d£24 10s 1½d£29 10s 3¼d£203 11s 4¾d
1797£29 6s 8½d£12 9s 1¼d£9 7s 2¼d£51 3s 0d
1800£695 16s 8¼d£10 7s 6¼d£71 0s 3¼d£777 4s 6¾d
1806£51 4s 2½d£5 12s 0d£12 12 6¼£69 8s 8¾
Total£926 7s 9d£52 14s 9d£122 10s 3d£1102 7s 8¼d
Seaman's share----
1795£0 15s 4¾d£0 2s 5¼d£0 3s 0d£1 0s 10d
1797£0 3s 0d£0 1s 3d£0 0s 11¼d£0 5s 2¼d
1800£3 5s 9¼d£0 0s 11½d£0 6s 8d£5 13s 4¾d
1806£0 4s 10d£0 0s 6¼d£0 1s 2d£0 6s 6¼d
Total£4 9s 0d£5 2s 0d£0 12s 7¼d£10 11s 7¼d

In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "17 Mar. Boat Service 1794" to all surviving claimants from the action at Fort Royal Bay, Martinique during which the boats of Venom, and others, captured the French frigate Bienvenue, and other vessels.