HMS Richmond (1757)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Richmond.

History
Great Britain
Name	HMS Richmond
Ordered	12 March 1756
Builder	John Buxton, Deptford
Laid down	April 1756
Launched	12 November 1757
Completed	7 December 1757 at Deptford Dockyard
Commissioned	April 1757
Fate	Captured by the French Navy in Chesapeake Bay, 11 September 1781
France
Name	Richemont
Acquired	1781 by capture
Fate	Scuttled by fire on 19 May 1793
General characteristics
Class and type	Richmond-class fifth-rate frigate
Displacement	1,000 (tons; French)
Tons burthen	664 16⁄94 (bm)
Length	127 ft 1+1⁄2 in (38.748 m) (gundeck) 107 ft 1+1⁄8 in (32.642 m) (keel)
Beam	34 ft 1+3⁄4 in (10.408 m)
Depth of hold	11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Complement	British service:210 officers and men French service: 220 (war) & 150 (peace)
Armament	Upperdeck: 26 × 12-pounder guns QD: 4 × 6-pounder guns Fc: 2 × 6-pounder guns

An image of HMS Richmond (1757)

HMS Richmond was the name ship of the six-vessel, 32-gun Richmond-class fifth-rate frigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1757 and served throughout the American Revolutionary War. She and HMS Emerald captured French brig Alexandrine in Chesapeake Bay off the mouth of the Rappahannock River 3 January, 1778.[1] She captured 1 prize off Cape Charles in February, 1778.[2] On 5 February a sloop ran aground off Cherry Point while being pursued by Richmond and HMS Solebay and was burned.[3] On 9 February Richmond and HMS Solebay captured Maryland State Govt. trading vessel Lydia off St. Mary's River, later ruled a recapture.[4] On 28 February she captured Danish flagged, American owned ship Good Hope off Cape Henry.[5] She was captured by the French 74-gun Bourgogne and the frigate Aigrette on 11 September 1781 in the Chesapeake. She then served as Richemont under Lieutenant Mortemart.[6]

On 12 April 1782 she fought at the Battle of the Saintes and famously tried to tow Glorieux to safety.[7] A painting of the attempt was made later, and was on display at the Ministry of the Navy in the 1930.[8]

Fate

The French burned her at Sardinia on 19 May 1793 to prevent the Spanish from capturing her.[9]

Citations

1. "Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 AMERICAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
2. "The Maritime War: The Revolutionary War in Princess Anne County" (PDF). vbgov.com. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
3. "Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 European THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 American: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
4. "Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 European THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 American: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
5. "Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 11 European THEATRE: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778 American: Jan. 1, 1778–Mar. 31, 1778" (PDF). U.S. Government printing office via Imbiblio. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
6. Roche (2005), p. 383.
7. Fraser (2009), p. 137-38.
8. Contenson (1934), p. 233.
9. Winfield and Roberts (2015), Chap. 5.

References

• Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778–1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
• Fraser, Edward (2009). Famous Fighters of the Fleet: Glimpses Through the Cannon Smoke in the Days of the Old Navy (1904). Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 9781104820039.
• Robert Gardiner, The First Frigates, Conway Maritime Press, London 1992. ISBN 0-85177-601-9.
• Guérin, Léon (1863). Histoire maritime de France (in French). Vol. 5. Dufour et Mulat.
• David Lyon, The Sailing Navy List, Conway Maritime Press, London 1993. ISBN 0-85177-617-5.
• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922. (1671–1870)
• Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1844157006.
• Winfield, Rif & Stephen S Roberts (2015) French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 – 1861: Design Construction, Careers and Fates. (Seaforth Publishing). ISBN 9781848322042

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